air conditioner placement

[decktosser]

On my 1985 Hunter 23 (maybe on all Hunters of that period) there is a wooden bulkhead just aft of where the cooler slides under the forward portion of the cockpit. The area behind the bulkhead opens into the under cockpit storage area. It looks like it might be a good place for the permanent installation of a shore power air conditioner. Has this occurred to anyone else? Has anyone done it?

 

[SkookumZac]

Someone did it on a 23.5. Looks like a big job and expensive. https://hunter.sailboatowners.com/mods.php?task=article&mid=8&aid=7290&mn=23.5

 

[decktosser]

Someone did it on a 23.5. Looks like a big job and expensive. https://hunter.sailboatowners.com/mods.php?task=article&mid=8&aid=7290&mn=23.5

No!! I was just thinking of putting a window AC in that space.

 

[kloudie1]

Would require cool air to the condenser side and a way to get the hot air out of that area.. some creative thin bulkhead work to direct air would be in order..
Someone in the Catalina 22 group did an installation kinda like that ..

 

[isaksp00]

As noted by Kloudie how would you ventilate the lazarette side to get the heated air out? Other than some complicated setup of fans you'd have to keep the lazarette hatch open, even if that did provide enough circulation, what about when it rains? Also, isn't there a bulkhead under the cockpit that runs fore-aft that would block the hot side of the unit?

 

[decktosser]

As noted by Kloudie how would you ventilate the lazarette side to get the heated air out? Other than some complicated setup of fans you'd have to keep the lazarette hatch open, even if that did provide enough circulation, what about when it rains? Also, isn't there a bulkhead under the cockpit that runs fore-aft that would block the hot side of the unit?

I did this in a Catalina 22 and a 25 and it works fine if you just have a window fan set over the open cockpit hatch. I would do the same in this instance. I am just trying to find out if anyone else has put AC in this position.

 

[isaksp00]

Check the back of the bulkhead - I am not by my boat but I suspect that the fore-aft divider may block the ability to have the rear of the window unit stick into the lazarette (well, unless maybe you cut a slot out of that, which might affect the structure).

 

[decktosser]

Great point. Will have a look for that possibility.

 

[Benny17441]

Not only do you have to exhaust the hot air but also deal with the condensation in the coils. I tried in the past a couple of alternatives including seating a unit atop a hatch and always kept coming back to the true and efficient way of seating it in a cut out board in the companion way. The only hassle was having to walk over it when entering or exiting the cabin.