A/C on a B361

[bshock]

Hi folks,

When I bought my 2000 model year Beneteau 361 it did not have A/C. I didn't think it'd be that big a deal, but each summer the heat is tough on my wife, so I'm exploring adding A/C before next year. Hopefully I can find an installer, but that's another story.

My marina's service department contacted Beneteau and got the schematic for their recommended A/C unit installation. it's a 16,000 btu unit. I'm having difficulty understanding though, where the vent for the salon is. In the overhead diagram, it shows it along the starboard side. Does anyone with a 361 with A/C happen to have a picture of how it is placed?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[stevemitchell]

I have a 2000 B311 so not exactly the same model. My vent for the salon is at head height when sitting in what used to be a storage door. You can see it on the right hand side in the picture I've attached. The A/C unit was installed a few years ago and is a 16,000 BTU CruiseAir system. The main unit is under the galley sink.

 

[Mechone]

This is location on B351 its inside locker in v berth and 16000 cruise air is under seat starboard just before going into v berth .This is a pic before I bought the boat.

 

[bshock]

Thanks guys, those don't seem to match what the part number for the B361 equivalent looks like on the diagram. but I might not be understanding how it's supposed to be installed.

 

[joker460]

These are b361 Pics and not mine. I have A/C and reverse heating on mine but was factory installed.
I made notes on the pictures.

 

[Gunni]

Joker460! Yes, so there you see the options. I like Version02, and see it done A LOT. You scavenge precious cabin space for your ducting from a little used space behind the saloon cushions, not the forward cabin locker.

 

[bshock]

Joker, that's awesome. Version 2 appears to be the method proposed by the schematic from Beneteau. Thanks so much for clearing that up for me.

 

[Capn John]

Version 2 is what we have on ours; factory installed.

 

[bshock]

Nice, Capn John. I'm still waiting to hear from my marina's service department on the quote. It will likely be a while before I hear from him. Winter haul-outs have begun, and it seems the marine I'm in is where most of the area boats stay in the off season, so I reckon he's rather busy with that. Or it fell off his radar. In any case, I'll start bugging him in a few weeks after the bulk of the boats are out.

Thanks everyone!

 

[bshock]

So I got the quote over the weekend and it turned out to be quite more than I had expected. No integrated A/C for me and wifey. Gonna have to be satisfied with the $100 ghetto window unit. The quote came out to about $10.3k for parts and labor. I was hoping for around $4k. Perhaps I was simply ignorant about what was involved. In any case, if we want built-in A/C, looks like it will mean selling our existing boat, and buying another one with A/C already installed. Not that we'll be doing that any time soon.

Thanks so much to everyone for their input!

 

[DougM]

Any chance that you can get additional quotes?
That sounds like an "I don't want to do it, but if you are willing to pay" sort of a quote.
How capable are you of doing some of the work, and do you have the tools?
Its really not that difficult to do, but would be time consuming, which would drive up the cost.

 

[Gunni]

Back of the envelope math: $2300 for the unit and control, $500 for the seawater pump, thru-hulls, strainer and plumbing, $400 for the soft-start controller, $400 for miscellaneous duct, vents, clamps, and condensator. All up $3600 for parts, $3600 for installation. Should be closer to $7,000. Not cheap, but you would have more than an A/C, you would have a reverse cycle heat pump that would expand your sailing season in the frozen north! Ours easily gives us 2 extra months every year of warm cabin sailing.

 

[bshock]

Doug, I don't think I'll be able to get additional quotes while at the marina. I've not had much luck finding too many folks in the area who can do the install, and the only other one who could theoretically do it already told me he won't do it at MY marina, because my marina management requires forms and environmental compliance and other "red tape." And this guy is just him and his wife, and he is busy enough that he doesn't need to jump through the hoops if he doesn't want to. And sadly, I'm not confident in my own abilities to DIY the project.

Gunni, thanks for doing that math. That's still a bit more than I was hoping it'd be, but a lot easier to accept than $10k+. Oh but one thing I hadn't mentioned. The quote also included running an additional shore power with a dedicated 110 volt system to avoid overloading the other boat's systems. so maybe not too out of whack?

 

[Gunni]

Yes, I did not include the dedicated 120 VAC service for the unit. At 16000 BTU you will need that. It would easily add $1000 to the install.

Ha! The mom and pop likely can't meet the marina proof-of-insurance requirement. I don't call that "red tape", I call that the price of doing business. I would specify that all installations be to ABYC standards, A/C and Electrical. At those prices it should be included. It is easy to get an A/C install wrong, or short-cutted and you end up with a system that does not work well. Done right these things are very reliable, easy to maintain.

 

[bshock]

Sure, i understand what you're saying Gunni. I put the quotation marks around "red tape" because I didn't really know what else to call it. I certainly don't begrudge the red tape, as when it's sensibly applied, it's good for the environment, the economy, etc..

 

[MitchM]

B Shock, you're in Sandusky. call Riverfront Yachts in Cleveland for a quote. They're a big yard, they do good work. Whoever installs your A/C , be sure they leave enough room so that you can winterize the AC pump (by taking off the 6 screws of the face plate to let h 2 0 drain) and clear air locks without impossible contortions of your body.

 

[bshock]

Mitch, thanks so much for the recommendation. I'll certainly look them up.