Yacht Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Watermakers Course
This course teaches you to maintain and diagnose a yacht's comfort systems: air conditioning, food refrigeration and fresh water production. You will work on the refrigeration cycle, self-contained seawater-cooled units and reverse osmosis watermakers.
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 Yacht Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Watermakers Course?
This short course teaches you to maintain and diagnose a yacht's comfort systems: air conditioning, food refrigeration and fresh water production. You will interpret system pressures and superheat, service self-contained units and seawater chillers, diagnose compressors, thermostats and eutectic plates in fridges, operate watermakers while monitoring membranes, pressure and permeate salinity, and apply a preventive plan to all comfort systems.
What sets this course apart: three systems, air conditioning, refrigeration and fresh water, in a single program; a thermodynamic basis, with the compression cycle explained through diagrams; marine technology, with seawater condensing and chillers; diagnosis through pressures, temperatures and membrane parameters; and an applied case in which you draw up a maintenance plan for a 20 m yacht.
Program highlights
- Three systems: air conditioning, refrigeration and fresh water in one program.
- Thermodynamic basis: the compression cycle explained with diagrams.
- Marine technology: seawater condensing, chillers and fan coils.
- Diagnosis: pressures, temperatures and membrane parameters.
- Watermakers: operation, membrane preservation and chemical cleaning.
- Applied case: a maintenance plan for the comfort systems of a 20 m yacht.
Syllabus of the Yacht Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Watermakers Course
5 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of refrigeration and thermodynamics
- 1.1. Vapor compression cycle: compressor, condenser, expansion and evaporator
- 1.2. Saturation pressure and temperature, superheat and subcooling on the Mollier diagram
- 1.3. Refrigerants common in the marine sector such as R-410A, R-134a and R-32 and the transition driven by F-gas regulations
- 1.4. Diagnostic tools: gauges, contact thermometers, leak detectors and vacuum pump
- 1.5. Safety and regulations in handling refrigerants and the requirement for certified personnel
Marine air conditioning systems
- 2.1. Self-contained seawater-cooled units: compressor, coil, blower and condensate tray
- 2.2. Centralized chilled water systems with chiller, fan coils and freshwater circulation pump
- 2.3. Seawater circuit: seacock, strainer, centrifugal pump and condenser cleaning
- 2.4. Calculating heat loads per cabin in BTU/h according to volume, glazing and cruising area
- 2.5. Heat pump mode, digital thermostat control and electrical consumption versus generator power
Fridges and freezers on board
- 3.1. 12 and 24 V variable-speed compressors and electronic control modules
- 3.2. Air, seawater and keel condensing and their effect on performance
- 3.3. Plate evaporators, eutectic plates and strategies for storing cold while the engine runs
- 3.4. Fridge insulation, door seals and calculating daily consumption in Ah
- 3.5. Fault diagnosis: compressor not starting, short cycling, excessive ice and low refrigerant
Reverse osmosis watermakers
- 4.1. The reverse osmosis principle, osmotic pressure of seawater and working pressures of 55 to 60 bar
- 4.2. Components: pre-filters, low-pressure pump, high-pressure pump, membranes and regulating valve
- 4.3. Permeate quality control with a salinity meter in ppm and the reject valve
- 4.4. Freshwater flushing, membrane preservation with biocide and alkaline and acid chemical cleaning
- 4.5. Diagnosing low output, high salinity and high-pressure pump faults
Integrated maintenance and practical case
- 5.1. Preventive maintenance plan for air conditioning, refrigeration and watermaker by hours and season
- 5.2. Managing shared seacocks, marine fouling and antifouling treatment of circuits
- 5.3. Coordinating electrical loads with the generator and battery bank at anchor
- 5.4. Logging operating parameters and analyzing trends to anticipate faults
- 5.5. Practical case: maintenance plan and diagnosis of the comfort systems of a 20 m yacht
Duration and format of the Yacht Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Watermakers Course
It is 300 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 Yacht Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Watermakers Course
Career opportunities after the Yacht Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Watermakers Course
Questions about the Yacht Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Watermakers Course
No. The course explains the refrigeration cycle and diagnosis, but handling fluorinated gases requires the corresponding official certification, which is issued by the competent authority and is not provided by this course. It is a useful complement to that certification.
The most common cause is insufficient seawater flow due to a dirty strainer, a blocked intake or a scaled condenser. Module 2 explains how to check each cause.
Through periodic freshwater flushing, or with a biocide preservative for long periods. The course explains both procedures and when chemical cleaning is needed.
Yes. The course covers low-voltage compressors, eutectic plates and how to calculate daily consumption to include it in the boat's energy balance.
Module 2 explains how to calculate the heat load in BTU/h from the cabin's volume, glazing and the area where the boat will cruise.
The course is taught online and comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each and ends with an applied practical 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 maintenance technicians, refrigeration engineers who want to specialize in the marine sector, technical crew and shipyard staff who work on yachts.
- 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.