YOUR
GREATEST FAN
EVEN IF YOU ARE NO FAN OF ON BOARD CLIMATE CONTROL THERE IS A NEED FOR EVERYONE ON BOARD TO HAVE A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF HVAC. FRANCES AND MICHAEL HOWORTH EXPLAIN WHY
I
f you work with electricity then it is likely that the initials HVAC stand for, to you at least: high-voltage alternating current. Work in superyachts however, and the same four letters mean; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. And before your eyes glaze over and before you skip the page
in favour of something more captivating, allow us to suggest that you hang on in there and read on, because HVAC is an all important element in the successful running of a superyacht. Stews need to have grasped a basic understanding of how HVAC affects on board life because it appertains to guest comfort.
HVAC is the tech behind interior and in some cases, exterior environmental comfort. The yacht’s engineers use and maintain the onboard HVAC machinery and equipment to provide environmental temperature control and a level of acceptable air quality inside the yacht for the crew, owners and guests.
Deckies need to know where the outside vents are, so that they are never blocked. Stews need to know where inside air handling units are located so that they are never compromised by over stowage. Ventilation vents inside the yacht have to be kept clear inside as well. Where heated or cooled air discharges into a cabin space, this affects a great many things including the freshly prepared flower arrangements. So it does pay to know a little more of the HVAC workings on board the yacht you serve on.
Ventilation (the V in HVAC) is the process in which air is exchanged or replaced inside guest cabins and saloons to provide high indoor air quality.
Good ventilation involves air temperature control, oxygen replenishment, and the removal of moisture, dust, airborne bacteria, carbon dioxide, and other gases from the yacht’s interior. In the galley and store rooms, ventilation removes unpleasant smells and excessive moisture. HVAC kit introduces outside air to keep the interior air circulating, and prevents air stagnation which is the major cause of bad smells lurking inside a yacht.
Certain spaces on board are kept at different pressures so as to prevent air from these spaces escaping into the yacht’s accommodation. The galley, store rooms, larders and walk in fridges being good examples to quote. That same system of pressurisation is often the reason why it is difficult to open the door into the engine room or control room and why doors into the beach club aft are sometimes heavy to operate.
Ventilation includes both the exchange of air to the outside as well as circulation of air within the yacht. It is one of the most important factors for maintaining acceptable indoor air quality on board. Machinery used for ventilating a yacht may be incorporated into the air conditioning system and on many yachts the same
102 | SPRING 2019 | ONBOARD
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