A vertical wafer boat has an upper boat segment and a lower boat segment, with the upper boat segment configured to removably mount on the lower boat segment, and to receive one or more semiconductor substrates. The lower boat segment includes a top plate, a first set of adiabatic plates, and a second set of adiabatic plates. One or more posts connect the top plate, the first set of adiabatic plates, and the second set of adiabatic plates. The first set of adiabatic plates include a first set of gaps separating a first plurality of sections; the second set of adiabatic plates include a second set of gaps separating a second plurality of sections; and the first set of adiabatic plates and the second set of adiabatic plates are interleaved.