Keeping the cold out

• Interior
• The Build

Interestingly, keeping the cold out (more to the point, the heat in) is easier than keeping the heat out.  In this photo, you can see the foam insulation has now been sprayed all over the inside of Brandy Pad.  (The two people in the photo are Mr and Mrs Bluewater Boats.  Should anyone be interested in seeing Brandy Pad and other boats under construction, they are holding open days on 25th and 26th June – just turn up.) This insulation helps keep heat from the stove and central heating inside the boat.  In fact, sometimes it can be too warm, but portholes can be opened to balance cold air against internal heat.

Insulation sprayed on

A modern narrowboat is basically a long, metal tube.  Insulation helps keep any warmth in the boat.  However, in the summer sunshine warms up the metal, which is fairly solid – 5mm thick on the cabin and roof sides to be precise.All this steel turns into an enormous heat sink and if the air stays warm overnight, the heat does not dissipate very quickly.  Hence you are living inside a “hot box”.  When you are moving, an open bow and stern door allows air movement through the boat to help with comfort, but when you are moored up at night, with both those doors closed, it can be challenging to keep your cool.  It has been known for people who have taken a narrowboat to warmer climates (the USA for instance – see Terry Darlington’s book, Narrow Dog to Indian River) having to install air conditioning.

Fortunately in the UK those hot days are relatively few, and with climate change may be even fewer.  We will soon be finding out!

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