Sunday, July 23, 2006

How to take the heat - on the water

Let a bit of sunlight shine on a box of wood and steel (essentially that is what a barge is about) and an un pleasant heat builds up inside.
Set a heatwave on a barge and imagine what the interior is like: unbearably hot.
Here a few examples of how my neighbours deal with this.


This couple just avoid being inside and have hoisted a sail to create a shady spot.


Tent-like tarpaulins to dim the light that hits the steel.


No half measures here. Proud father of a one week old son keeps an eye on the active cooling system, while mother and baby stay inside - in a bearable temperature.

25 comments:

Dale said...

Hi Koos

Val was talking about the heat in a barge on her blog & how people were going to unusual measures to beat the extreme heat.

The photos you posted bring it all to life. It's interesting how inventive people will be - as in the saying "necessity is the mother of invention"...

It is very hot here, too, but we don't have the humidity like you, thank goodness.

I remember trying to sleep in the humidity as a kid in Quebec on hot summer nights.

My favourite photo is the one with the perforated pipe sprinkling water over the barge.

Here's to cooler days on the horizon.

Love
Dale

Dale said...

BTW congratulations to your neighbour & the birth of their son!

Anonymous said...

Hi Koos,
And how about the Luxor. What do you do to stay sane?
Staying outside ?
Erik-Jan.

Koos F said...

I'm going slightly mad, but who is going to notice the difference, Erik-Jan?
Lying perfectly still on my bed in the current of air from a small fan helps too, but most of the time I try to stay outside.

Anonymous said...

Great!!!

gypsy noir said...

i shall send some north wind to your floating furnace ..lol..koos burnhout...

Anonymous said...

Please Gypsy, don't.
I like it this way.
Erik-Jan.

gypsy noir said...

not even just a lttle cool breeze erik?...

Koos F said...

Today we had a cool breeze on the water when we took Anne-Marie (yes, the Anne-Marie from Toronto) for a trip on the river, where there is wind when everywhere else there is none.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
Been faring also. No wind here in Naarden. Not even a Gypsys breeze.
Would have been welcome after all.
Erik-Jan.

gypsy noir said...

thats because i sent it to you koos..erik i told you..

Koos F said...

Erik-Jan: Gypsy Breeze. What a beautiful name for a boat!

Anonymous said...

he die koos! ik heb je artikel even gelinkt: http://www.gewoonbob.com/dagboek/20-07-06-het-is-en-warme-dag

Koos F said...

Thanks Bob!

For those who don't read Dutch: Bob is the neighbour who has the active water cooling system on his barge's roof. Here's where you find his pages.

Anne-Marie said...

Dear Koos,
thank you for taking us up or down the river- it was a wonderful trip, and the little swim was also absolutely refreshing. I will pass along your kind words to Gisela and Rob.

We all had a lovely time, and were very sorry to have to leave so soon. We must do it again, on one side or the other, and for longer.

Love,
Anne-Marie + Austin

xxxxxxx said...

Hoi Koos....
What a great site..Love the photos and stories. You have the best of both worlds there (In Holland...and living on a boat).
GR...Hans

Metalchick said...

Hi Koos,
I would jump in the water to cool off.

Anonymous said...

Hi Koos,
I'll keep the "Gypsy Breeze" in mind whenever.....

Koos F said...

Erik-Jan, We'll send Gipsy a picture of that boat even if we have to Photoshop it!

Metalchick, Jump into the water - you are ever so right. On the river I will, in the harbour health considerations keep me from doing it.

DAF Club of America (Hans), Daf is the first thought of people about to (re)motorise their barge. As you might expect there are quite a number of classic Daf cars and trucks left around here, I'll see if I can provide you with a few nice pics, my camera loves them you can bet.
So sorry I lost the old Daf picture card game (kwartet spel).

gypsy noir said...

oh how wonderful yes! yes! yes! do ..gypsy breeze is a lovely name..i feel quite honoured now at the prospect of a barge being named after my north wind..yay!!

Joe said...

Hi Koos,
I read your answer, but if I'll find the system to make money and buy a boat I don't think to travel from Milan to Venice, I'm thinking about Scandinavia fiords or something similar. ...sailing man to the adventure....I'm Popeye The Sailor Man twee twee!!! eh eh

I opened a myspace zone

http://www.myspace.com/andybranca

with a link to Flickr (I copied your idea and some pics, no royalities) pics of Basement Jam...next I'll put some pics of lanscapes from my home places

Bye
Andy

Joe said...

I made a univ exam for tourism, 23/30, not the best, but It's ok, I studied nothing.
Now I have to study for 3 exams for september, but before I want to go to...

Summer Jambouree Festival

http://www.summerjamboree.com/

I discovered it only few days ago and I think it's a good stuff, visit the pics, look at the barber shop, old cars, old bikes and a lot of groups from USA.
It's in Senigallia, a famous '50s place, I've never been there but it's near to my home.
It's a real '50s rockabilly festival, look at all the pics and tell me what do you think.
It's from 21 to 26 Ago and I think to go there a couple of days.
I love/need music festivals.

Do you have a festival like this in Holland?

Bye
Andy

Joe said...

I wanna sho you too a band from my region capital Perugia:

The Mallard

http://www.themallardband.com/

They are younger than me and mods

Koos F said...

Ahhh Andrea, now I recognise you my friend, always flamboyant and loving the good things in life!

Do we have a summer jamboree? No, but every summer Rotterdam is bustling with its summer festival (while in Amsterdam there is nothing to do). I like the Jamboree site and the music, think that deep inside I am a rockabilly man.

I see you MySpace and FlickR need some fine tuning. I must admit I gave up after they 'killed' my Basement Jam pages.

I'll pass on the Mallard if you don't mind ;-)

Glad to hear from you again!!!

Marietta Zervou said...

Hi Koos,

Boy, you caught me first, thanks for the comment.
Yes, it's going to be lovely as always in Spetses.
How about "barging" it down there? You and Val are most welcome!!!

Until we meet again, my friend
stay cool
xoxoxo
M