Air conditioning for a Hunter 38 -2010

[luv2sail67]

Hi - we are looking at installing AC in our Hunter but have conflicting notes about the size needed. Does anyone have recommendations for a solid performing brand and the size needed? We calculated 16000 BTU but the Hunter owners manual is suggesting they do 18000 in the main cabin and 5K in the aft? This seems excessive... Thanks!

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

It's more a function f where you sail, I.e., ambient temperature.

Here nothing is too big

 

[kloudie1]

You'd probably be comfortable with 16000 BTU in your sailing area. I have a friend with a 37.5 with a 16000 BTU unit here in Louisiana. The boat is comfortable but the unit works hard on those days of 98F and 90% humidity..and condensing water temperature of 85-90 F.. The important thing is to get ducts to circulate and distribute the cooled air throughout the boat..

 

[bananabender]

Water temp plays a part too -shallow marina in the tropics with little flow will affect efficiency of the unit. Also make sure the ducting is insulated - little point in cooling the inside of a locker or under the v berth

 

[luv2sail67]

Thank you

Thanks to all you responded! - especially good point about insulating the ducting - not sure I would have thought of that!.

 

[reraft]

We have a 16000 btu cruiseair unit on our 376 & love it. We are in Mexico & can only use it at the dock but it has ducts in the salon - aft cabin & v berth. it cools the boat well & will actually get chilly inside on 100 degree days. we also have sunshades so it helps to deflect the direct sun.
S/V Hotel California

 

[seadaddler]

Shades

I have a 2007 H-36 and have added Sunbrella as hatch covers and also sunbrella on the top windows and also extra silver reflections blocking like the stuff used for car windshields for the upper side windows and all other port windows around my boat really helps keep the sun out here in Florida,the trick is to help to keep the Hot sun from coming into heating up the boat.
I have a awning type cover for the bow hatch that keeps the sun out and works good keeping the rain out when open at night or day,lots of people use awnings over the boat to keep the hot sun out of the boat but it;s too much work and when windy very noisey too,I block the sun from any window with permanet covers and extra blocking ccovering for all windows and this helps my AC cool our boat with either shore power or Gen.
Sorry not sure what size my factory installed for my 2007 H-36 but mine does a good job here in Florida and run fans at night when sleeping.
Nick

 

[luv2sail67]

You'd probably be comfortable with 16000 BTU in your sailing area. I have a friend with a 37.5 with a 16000 BTU unit here in Louisiana. The boat is comfortable but the unit works hard on those days of 98F and 90% humidity..and condensing water temperature of 85-90 F.. The important thing is to get ducts to circulate and distribute the cooled air throughout the boat..

Thanks to those confirming 16000 btu.
We had it installed two weeks ago and it makes all the difference at dock!
Hunter had pre installed all the ducting in the ceiling which certainly made it easier.