Is there air conditioning on board?
Updated on: 26/05/2025If your boat is equipped with air conditioning (A/C), this will be noted in the boat’s listing. It’s worth noting right away that this is very rare on boats under 50 feet.
But be careful: we do not recommend making air conditioning a deciding factor in your choice! In fact, there are several things you should be aware of:
Boat air conditioning is relatively NOISY, so it’s unpleasant to run it at night. Since this equipment consumes a lot of electricity, to keep it running, you’ll need to keep the engine or the generator (if the boat has one) running for several hours. Needless to say, anyone sleeping on the same side as the generator won’t be able to sleep.
Like any auxiliary electrical equipment, it can break down.
The more humid the air is, the harder the air conditioner will struggle to cool the air. In particular, in tropical destinations during the wet season (local summer), the air conditioner generally works less effectively or may stop cooling altogether.
The vast majority of boaters do not have air conditioning, even on catamarans that are sometimes quite luxurious. In fact, it is very easy to ventilate a boat, especially a catamaran whose saloon is above water level.
If you are particularly sensitive to heat, we recommend avoiding sailing in an area that is expected to be particularly hot during your trip, regardless of whether there is air conditioning on board.
