TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands May - June....is Air conditioning needed?

Hoping to be chartering in late May or June of next year. Looking for feedback on if AC is needed at night or if its pretty comfortable without it. We have only been on charters in Feb/March and it was not an issue.
(Did one land based trip in June in CCB but our place had AC and I do not recall what the nights were like as my memories of the evenings are a little fuzzy <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> )
Just wondering if the cabins get pretty stuffy and warm at night. Thanks all! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/tgif.gif" alt="" />

Whether or not air conditioning is needed is a very subjective topic. The rule of thumb I generally use is if you use air conditioning in your home when it is 80 to 85 degrees outside, you will very definitely want it when aboard a boat.

If you are the type that is comfortable in that temperature with just a fan, then it is not needed.

The type of yacht you will be aboard as well as the airflow inherent to that particular yacht will also make a difference.

I have never used air conditioning in my home. A fan is good enough for me.

Hope this helps.

Thank you...yes understand everyone's tolerances differ.
Maybe a better way to ask the question is ...is it 80-85 out at night? We do not use air during the day, and cannot image running it during the day on the boat but the evenings when sleeping are more in question. If it cools down pretty good with a fair breezy no AC is good.
Thanks...realize this is a hard one to answer...
Guess I am wondering what most people who charter at that time of year do ~ the people who are going with us are asking as they have never chartered before.

Yes A/C is required!

Absolutely A/C is needed. Consider the humidity and cramped quarters.

HarleyK

We try not to run the AC very often. But in May/June we might run it for a few hours in the evening to cool things down. It also becomes essential if you have a rainy day/night and can't open the hatches.

Last year, we chartered at the beginning of May, without a/c. On mooring, it was ok, but at the dock it was too hot. I won't charter in late May or June without a/c. But I'm coming from a cold country !

At the time of year AC is required for me.

Thanks everyone! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

No AC for me..cant imagine being that cold again!I've been on boats so cold that I have to open the hatches to get warm..

Here's a rough guideline of average temps.

http://www.moorings.com/destinations/car...ling-conditions

High 70's to 80 at night is typical. We always use the A/C at night - I get hot easily. I have gone middle of the summer though on a boat with nothing but shore power A/C and while we did spend a couple nights on a dock, I survived the other nights. I just wasn't as comfortable as I would have been.

We've chartered in November and March (sorry, not May) and I've come to really like the AC at night. I tend to get a little claustrophobic in the cabin at night and being cool tends to help that. Never used it during the day, but it's really nice to have at night.

Assuming your charter has a/c why even ask and just decide once you get aboard??

Rick...good point...a few of the boats we quickly looked at I did not see AC mentioned so I was not sure if they should be ruled out

Love AC. Absolutely hate the sound and feel (vibration) of a generator running all night. A nice tropical breeze flowing through the cabin is a wonderful thing. This is from a couple charters in June.

Many nights, especially if we are cooking on board, we will start the generator and AC up. Keep it on through dinner, then shut it down before we go to bed. It pulls out a lot of the humidity from the boat and cools the rooms down before bedtime.

Then you don't have the generator running all night and it stays comfortable through the night. We have had some very warm, humid nights, then we leave it run for the night.

Need my AC! It is calming and a welcome relief.

Get the a/c. Then you at least have the option. I can't imagine not having a/c in June in the BVIs. You can't get away from the heat otherwise.

At least being able to sleep comfortably at night is a winner. You also don't have to do the hatch dance.

This past February we had a/c and ran it every night. We don't like the muggy feel or the hatch dance. Plus, the white noise is nice when traveling with other couples.

As mentioned before, the use of A/C is highly subjective. We never use it during the day, but at night, when the winds drop off or the anchorage is still, it can save you from sweating the night away. For me and my crew A/C is a must . . . primarily because the Admiral has her "own summer" going on year-round!

AC at night is a must after being in the sun all day. If you see a boat without...get a bigger boat

We did a May trip in 2001. Daytime temps hit 95 and nights cooled to 85. No breeze at all. The boat heated up during the day to 100 plus and at night never cooled down. Fans and wind scoops were useless. We slept on the deck on cockpit cushions. Maybe not the norm for that time of year. If I suggested a trip in May-October without AC my wife would not come. I could handle it but why? We are not living in the old days when sailors suffered all the time and now like to recount those stories. AC is available. Get it and then you don't have to worry about mid night hatch runs or days with rain.

I did a sailing course on a 44 R&C cat last year in May and, since the school was too cheap to run the generator, we never had AC. I myself personally loved it! we always moored so the boat was always direct to the wind, always a nice breeze coming through. Plus the sound of the waves... priceless.

I think we are all too dependent on AC. There is a theory out there that the degradation of our north american society is as a result of air conditioning. Everybody is spending all of their time in doors because of the heat and not paying attention to what is going on outside in their neighbourhood. ah but i digress...

What is the BMI of your crew? What are they used to? What will the activity be hussle, drinking, eating... How can your ever forecast whether the tropical waves will be coming through that time of year with the possibility of rain on and off all night ever day? After the first 30 years or sailing all over the world without even the thought of AC and no2 two decades with the AC option. For the most part with guests aboard we will turn the AC on and never turn it off. One key is to keep the thermostats at a higher level to not freeze some of the crew out once the boat is closed up and the sun goes down. No more hatch dance for us on crowded boats. Get it if you can, use is reasonably(thermostats in the 70's and never 60's) if you have it.

It is a lot easier to have it and not have to use it than the other way around. To give you some idea of the demand for it. Our entire fleet, every single boat, has air conditioning. Only two boats in the fleet don't have generators, those two run on shore power. Even for people that don't run it all night being able to dry the boat out and cool it down in the afternoon on a balmy day is priceless.

Jay

Thanks everyone AC for sure!!!

Yep, guests' BMI governs the decision. As a stick insect (and lover of HOT HOT HOT!) I hate AC, but appreciate that not everyone feels the same way. Prolly best to have AC than uncomfortable guests.

FWIW, if people like being refrigerated...why not travel north rather than south? Just sayin...

Has absolutely nothing to do with being "refrigerated" just staying comfortable at night without having to sleep on top of the sheets so you don't roll in your own sweat as well as keeping the mosquitos at bay. Oh yea, a/c feels great after a day of sun, sand, and salt. Just sayin each to your own.

Agreed to each their own and it is probably better to have. Coming from Canada though, I plan on soaking up every once of heat to store for the next long winter! Less than 2 months! Before I know it I will be counting down the days, then hours, minutes...Cheers! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />