Professional Diploma in Onboard Comfort: Air Conditioning, Water and Plumbing on Yachts
This professional diploma teaches you to install, diagnose and maintain the systems that make a yacht habitable: marine air conditioning, water production and distribution, and sanitary plumbing. You will work with heat load calculations, reverse osmosis watermakers and standards such as ISO 15083 and MARPOL Annex IV.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Professional Diploma in Onboard Comfort: Air Conditioning, Water and Plumbing on Yachts?
This professional diploma teaches you to install, diagnose and maintain the systems that make a yacht habitable: marine air conditioning, water production and distribution, and sanitary plumbing. You will size the air conditioning for each cabin and saloon, install units with a reliable seawater circuit, maintain reverse osmosis membranes and product water quality, size pumps, pipework and pressure accumulators, and apply MARPOL Annex IV criteria to tanks and discharges.
What sets this diploma apart: an integrated view, with air conditioning, water and sanitation in one program; real equipment, from chillers and self-contained units to watermakers, water heaters and pumps; technical calculation of heat loads, flow rates, pressures and energy consumption; reference standards, with ISO 15083, ISO 8099, MARPOL Annex IV and Directive 2013/53/EU studied as content; and an integrative project in which you design the complete comfort systems of a motor yacht.
Program highlights
- Integrated view: air conditioning, water and sanitation in one program.
- Real equipment: chillers, self-contained units, watermakers, water heaters and pumps.
- Technical calculation: heat loads, flow rates, pressures and energy consumption.
- Reference standards: ISO 15083, ISO 8099, MARPOL Annex IV and Directive 2013/53/EU.
- Heating and ventilation: diesel air heaters, hydronic systems and condensation control.
- Integrative project: the complete comfort systems of a 20 m motor yacht.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Onboard Comfort: Air Conditioning, Water and Plumbing on Yachts
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of yacht comfort systems
- 1.1. Overview of onboard habitability systems: air conditioning, water, sanitation, ventilation and how they interrelate
- 1.2. Applied basic thermodynamics: sensible and latent heat, relative humidity and the psychrometric chart
- 1.3. Basic hydraulics: flow, pressure, pressure losses and pump characteristic curves
- 1.4. Materials in the marine environment: PEX, PVC, copper and cupronickel pipes, hoses and corrosion
- 1.5. Through-hulls, seacocks and seawater strainers according to ISO 9093 and safe installation criteria
- 1.6. Energy demand of comfort systems and its impact on generator, batteries and inverters
- 1.7. Regulatory framework studied as content: Directive 2013/53/EU, ISO 15083, ISO 8099 and MARPOL Annex IV
- 1.8. Safety and prevention: flooding risks, refrigerants, legionella and work in confined spaces
Marine air conditioning: principles and equipment
- 2.1. Vapor compression refrigeration cycle: compressor, condenser, expansion valve and evaporator
- 2.2. R410A, R32 and R454B refrigerants: properties, global warming potential and regulatory trends
- 2.3. Self-contained and split marine units: components, power range and typical applications
- 2.4. Centralized chilled water systems with chiller and fan coils on large yachts
- 2.5. Reverse-cycle heat pump operation and limitations at low seawater temperatures
- 2.6. Calculating heat loads by space: glazed area, insulation, occupancy and orientation
- 2.7. Expressing capacity in BTU/h and kW and selecting equipment by volume and use of the space
- 2.8. Variable-speed inverter units and their compatibility with inverters and generators
Installing and maintaining air conditioning
- 3.1. Unit location, sound insulation, anti-vibration mounts and access for maintenance
- 3.2. Seawater circuit: intake, strainer, centrifugal pump, manifold and discharge above the waterline
- 3.3. Designing supply and return ducts, grilles, air flow and noise control
- 3.4. Condensate drainage, trays, condensate pumps and odor prevention
- 3.5. Electrical connection of compressors: soft start, peak current and circuit protection
- 3.6. Digital controls and thermostats, sensors, control networks and common fault codes
- 3.7. Preventive maintenance: cleaning filters, descaling the condenser and checking the pump
- 3.8. Fault diagnosis: refrigerant loss, high pressure, iced evaporator and lack of flow
Water production: reverse osmosis watermakers
- 4.1. The reverse osmosis principle: osmotic pressure, seawater salinity and salt rejection
- 4.2. Watermaker components: high-pressure pump, membranes, pressure vessels and regulating valve
- 4.3. Pre-treatment: 20 and 5 micron sediment filters, carbon filter and oil separator
- 4.4. Modular, compact and energy-recovery watermakers: output in liters per hour and consumption
- 4.5. Product water quality control: salinity meter, parts per million of dissolved solids and diversion valve
- 4.6. Start-up, shutdown, freshwater flushing and the use of biocide during long shutdowns
- 4.7. Membrane maintenance: alkaline and acid cleaning, winter preservation and renewal
- 4.8. Fault diagnosis: low output, high salinity, high-pressure leaks and cavitation
Storage and distribution of drinking water
- 5.1. Stainless steel, polyethylene and flexible freshwater tanks: location, vents and access
- 5.2. Level measurement with resistive, pressure and ultrasonic sensors and integration on displays
- 5.3. Pressure sets: diaphragm pumps, pressure switches, variable-speed pumps and rated flow
- 5.4. Pressure accumulators: pre-charge, sizing and eliminating pump short cycling
- 5.5. Sizing pipework for the simultaneous flow of taps, showers and appliances
- 5.6. Treating stored water: filtration, ultraviolet sterilization and residual chlorine control
- 5.7. Preventing legionella and biofilm: temperatures, periodic disinfection and tank cleaning
- 5.8. Deck filler fittings, non-return valves and separation of potable and technical circuits
Hot water, heating and ventilation
- 6.1. Twin-coil marine water heaters with electric element and engine heat
- 6.2. Thermostatic mixing valves, safety valves and scald prevention
- 6.3. Diesel-fired forced air heating: installation, exhaust and fuel supply
- 6.4. Hydronic heating with boiler, radiators and underfloor heating on large yachts
- 6.5. Natural and forced ventilation: cowl vents, solar extractors and air changes per hour
- 6.6. Controlling condensation and humidity: thermal insulation, dehumidifiers and vapor barriers
- 6.7. Carbon monoxide on board: sources, detectors and exhaust installation criteria
- 6.8. Seasonal maintenance of water heaters, burners and fans with a record of work done
Waste water, bilges and sanitary plumbing
- 7.1. Classification of water on board: black water, gray water and oily bilge water
- 7.2. Manual, electric macerator and vacuum marine toilets: operation and maintenance
- 7.3. Black water tanks according to ISO 8099: materials, carbon-filtered venting and deck pump-out
- 7.4. MARPOL Annex IV discharge requirements and restricted zones in ports and coastal waters
- 7.5. Onboard waste water treatment plants: biological and electrolytic processes
- 7.6. Gray water systems: shower sumps, drain pumps, hair filters and discharges
- 7.7. Bilges: electric and manual bilge pumps according to ISO 15083 and level switches
- 7.8. Diagnosing odors, blockages and leaks: permeable hoses, traps and anti-siphon valves
Integrative project: comfort systems of a motor yacht
- 8.1. Defining the case: 20-meter motor yacht with four cabins, crew and summer use in the Mediterranean
- 8.2. Calculating heat loads by space and justified selection of the air conditioning system
- 8.3. Sizing the shared seawater circuit for air conditioning, generator and watermaker
- 8.4. Estimating daily water consumption, selecting the watermaker and freshwater tank capacity
- 8.5. Designing hot and cold water distribution with pressure set, accumulator and water heater
- 8.6. Designing the black water, gray water and bilge systems in line with ISO 8099, ISO 15083 and MARPOL Annex IV
- 8.7. Electrical demand balance of the comfort systems and preventive maintenance plan
- 8.8. Writing the technical report with diagrams, equipment list, estimated budget and presentation of the project
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Onboard Comfort: Air Conditioning, Water and Plumbing on Yachts
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Onboard Comfort: Air Conditioning, Water and Plumbing on Yachts
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Onboard Comfort: Air Conditioning, Water and Plumbing on Yachts
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Onboard Comfort: Air Conditioning, Water and Plumbing on Yachts
No. The program starts from the fundamentals of thermodynamics and hydraulics. Bear in mind that handling refrigerant gases requires the corresponding official certification, issued by the competent authority, which this diploma does not grant.
Yes. The program ranges from self-contained units for sailing yachts and motorboats to centralized systems with chillers and fan coils, as well as compact and modular watermakers of different outputs.
ISO 15083 for bilges, ISO 8099 for waste water retention, ISO 9093 for through-hulls, MARPOL Annex IV and Directive 2013/53/EU are studied as course content and applied to real cases.
You design the comfort systems of a 20-meter motor yacht: air conditioning, seawater circuit, water production and distribution, sanitation and electrical balance, with a technical report and estimated budget.
Yes. Module 6 covers the sources of carbon monoxide on board, the installation of detectors and the criteria for installing heater and generator exhausts safely.
The professional diploma is taught online and comprises 800 hours of study across 8 modules of about 100 hours each, ending with an integrative project in which you apply what you have learned to a complete technical case.
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Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at marine technicians, refrigeration engineers and plumbers who want to specialize in the marine sector, as well as crew and owners who wish to maintain the habitability systems of their yacht.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: enrollment is open all year round; online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.