Keeping cool or keeping warm can be a challenge on a boat. We often tell people that are joining us for a sail to come prepared for anything; bring rain gear, a sweater, wind breaker, and a swimsuit. We could easily get conditions that would require all of the above in one afternoon!

One of the easiest fixes for keeping cool is to buy or build a wind scoop. This is a canvas/nylon attachment for your deck hatch(s). It stands up about 4 feet and is about 3 feet wide at the top.   It captures the natural flow of air over the bow of the boat and then forces it down into your cabin through the hatch. It is amazing how much comfort this gives you on a hot day. Often these are held up by a halyard[i] and perhaps attached also to the forestay.[ii]

[i] A halyard is a rope that is used to raise a sail.  This could be the Main Sail, a Jib or a Spinnaker.   There will be other lines that run up the mast as well like toping lifts and flag halyards an perhaps a spinnaker up haul or down haul.   Every rope on a boat has a name and a purpose.   It is only rope when it is on a spool.

[ii] The forestay or head stay is part of the standing rigging which are the cables that hold the mast up.   Besides the Forestay there are the Shrouds or side stays up  to 3 on each side and then the Back stay.   There could also be running backstays.    The forestay carries the head sail with  clips or “hanks” or on a roller furling system.