Story by Carrie Gentile If you plan on anchoring out to beat the heat, make sure you secure a spot securely, because anchoring holes fill up quickly during the summer. Photo by Jim Christie Last July we motored to Solomons Island from Annapolis for a long weekend. It was so hot that the weatherman had predicted certain incineration for anyone dumb enough to spend time outside. In the 102-degree assaulting heat, I turned to mush. My hair, cheeks, and eyes melted under my perspiration. The familiar Chesapeake midsummer haze denied me any delineation between Bay and sky. Perhaps you know the feeling—that moment when the unrelenting sun and oppressive humidity steals your upbeat spirits. But it’s summer and you’re on vacation. Yikes! Fortunately, there are ways to cope and keep cool. I’ve gathered advice and simple tips from fellow Bay boaters on where to go and how to stay as comfortable as possible on those impossibly humid days and sticky nights. Keep Your Cool If you have air conditioning aboard, thank your lucky stars. Air conditioning works well if you don’t mind being tethered to shore power or using a generator on the hook. But make sure it will run the duration of your summer cruise. Most of us don’t pay attention to our air conditioners until they stop cooling, but a bit of simple maintenance can stave off malfunctions. Most units exchange heat by circulating seawater, so clean the seawater strainer before you go, and inspect it often. Check the condenser coils for dirt, debris, pet hair, etc., that can gradually block the passages. You can buy coil cleaner if they are particularly dirty. Hanging outside away from the heat of the cabin is one way to stay cool and enjoy the scenery. Photo by Jim Christie   Shore power cords have it tough. They are pulled on, stepped on, dropped in the water, overloaded, and spend months out in bad weather. Despite this, they are expected to carry loads of current for many things, including air conditioning.  Most power cord failures occur when the connectors have not been maintained on both the cord and the boat connectors. Before you leave your dock, check your cord for brown discoloration at the blades (a sign of excessive heat) and for a worn nickel coating or pitting. Check the cord itself for any cuts in the insulation or for any crushed areas. If the cord itself is bad or worn (especially if water has gotten inside), you generally need to replace it. If an end has gone bad, you can usually find a replacement at your local boating hardware shop and replace it. On the Hook If you lack air conditioning, no worries. The upshot is finding a wide-open and secure anchorage with at least a whisper of a breeze where you can overnight. From here you can swim off the boat and grill or cook outside to keep the cabin as cool as possible. If you don’t need shore power, gunkholing is usually preferable over tying up at a transient slip in a marina where buildings or trees can block any slight breeze. Your bow will naturally head into the wind, maximizing airflow through open hatches and windows. And it means being lulled to sleep by the sound of lapping waves on the hull instead of the low grumble of a genset. Wind scoops and the more befitting halyard-free version, breeze boosters, help by funneling any trace of breeze into your cabin via hatches.  Breeze boosters are well suited for powerboats since they are equipped with fiberglass rods and a tensioning cord, allowing them to support themselves over hatches. They do only catch wind in one direction, so you may have to reposition them from time to time.  You can also purchase screens that fit with the boosters to keep bugs outside where they belong. If you think you have enough 12-volt fans on board, go buy a few more. They are the key component to comfortable sleeping on the hook. I have a few in the saloon, one in the head, two in the V-berth and two in the aft cabin. They move significant amounts of air without any significant drain on your batteries, and they’re relatively quiet. On the unbearably hot nights, I have a fan strategically positioned about three feet from my nearly naked body to ensure a good night’s sleep. Keeping it Under Wraps Keeping the cabin as cool as possible during the searing summer heat is vital to your cruising comfort. While biminis and awnings are great for hanging out topside, installing solar shades over windows will keep the sun from cooking the cabin like a Thanksgiving turkey. These coverings have the added benefit of giving you privacy while your boat is moored; even though you can see through the shading mesh just fine from the inside, people on the outside cannot see in. According to manufacturers, the mesh blocks up to 90 percent of the sun’s heat and ultraviolet rays. Also consider switching from conventional halogen or incandescent bulbs to LED lights in the cabin to keep temperatures down. LEDs consume a fragment of the energy of their incandescent counterparts and using LEDs will also reduce running the engine to charge batteries, which also means less heat. Cool Places To Cruise Summer cruisin need not be a stiffling experience if the right steps are taken to ensure your comfort. Photo Courtesy of Carrie Gentile Even if you have air conditioning, you probably don’t want to spend the duration of your trip in the cabin. Choosing an appropriate Chesapeake Bay summer destination can mean securing an anchoring hole with a breeze (even in August), or perhaps a town or marina with plenty of air conditioned attractions. There are plenty of locales to choose from but the following are places fellow boaters recommended to me: Located on the Eastern Shore above Rock Hall, MD, is Fairlee Creek. Careful navigation is required to make it through the narrow channel, which hugs close along the beach, then makes a dogleg right into the creek. This calm, protected creek offers one of the best anchorages with some breeze on the Bay. On weekends, expect to find many boaters anchored here. There is a full-service marina/resort in case you need shore power or a good land-based meal, plus a dinghy-accessible Tiki bar close by. Shaw Bay on the Eastern Shore’s Wye River can offer ample breeze in the summer, but be prepared for crowds. This popular anchorage offers a broad expanse of water for catching a breeze on a hot day, with good anchor holding. There are lots of raft-ups mid-summer, so get there early. Over 100 years ago, a wealthy financier and railroad man envisioned a lavish destination on the Chesapeake to rival New York’s Coney Island—replete with waterfront hotels, casinos, and a boardwalk. Chesapeake Beach, MD, grew to be a resort town in the 1900s, but the Great Depression, outlawing of gambling in Maryland, and the completion of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge diverted most vacationers to other places. But what remain intact are a nice beach, full-service marinas, a boardwalk, and most importantly, a water park. The Chesapeake Beach Water Park has eight waterslides, a lagoon, and a kiddie pool—perfect for a family boating destination in stifling weather. Just don’t forget the sunscreen. Baltimore’s boisterous Inner Harbor can offer a medley of indoor air-conditioned diversions. As you motor into the Patapsco River, inching toward the Inner Harbor, industry gives way to recreation in the form of marinas, restaurants, museums, and other touristy bits. Visit the National Aquarium, the Port Discovery Children’s Museum, and the Maryland Science Center, where you can watch an IMAX film. Eat at one of the many comfortable air-conditioned eateries like the Rusty Scupper or Phillips Seafood that dot the convivial Inner Harbor. You may want to consider stopping by one of the more resort-type marinas scattered around the Bay. These places offer the usual amenities (pump-out, fuel, showers) plus more. Why not retire at a day’s end on the water at a pleasant marina to dine on crab cakes and a cocktail prepared by someone else? I’m thinking a frozen margarita, a long, cool, spacious shower, and a dip in an Olympic-sized pool. Treat yourself. After all, you are on vacation.