Cruise and Carry Air Conditioner

[Bob4203]

I do not see the Cruise and Carry Air Conditioner advertised on West Marine anymore. Are they still manufactured?

I am not sure either if this unit will fit well on the forward hatch of the Catalina 30 considering the angle of the rising foredeck.

Anyone have any expereince with these units? 5,000 or 7000 btu variety? Just looking for a comfortable nights sleep in the v-berth not necessarily full cabin cooling.

thanks

Bob
'88 Mark II

 

[Bob4203]

I do not believe that the Cruise N Carry portable air conditioning unit is available anymore. I could not trace down the manufacturer. Several used ones can be found on the market but parts might be tough to find.

If this is indeed true, too bad...........for a third of the cost of a central marine AC unit, these great hatch mounted systems are excellent. we spent a weekend on a friends Hunter 34 and used the V-berth and hatch AC unit. We about froze those nights!!!!

 

[CPH]

I added a standard window unit to our Catalina 30 that we have used a few times with god success. I removed the plywood panel that separates the galley from the starboard lazarette locker and cut out a section wide enough to fit a small window unit. Its a tight fit and the height was the limiting factor, I want to say right around 12" but its been a few years. After carefully measuring I went online to find an AC unit that would fit (getting both me and it into the lazarette locker and into position was no small feat). We only use it while at a dock and when we are on board. I was concerned about heat build up in the locker and thought of adding a fan to circulate air but so far so good (the locker hatch is obviously kept open when the AC is used). For about a $100 it knocks down the humidity and lowers the inside temp about 10 degrees.

I'll try and take some pictures this weekend and post them.

 

[Bob4203]

Thanks,

Ineresting place for a small AC unit; however, I built my microwave into that space. The back of the microwave rests on the ledge in the port locker leaving lots more room in the galley.

 

[Admiral]

I have a friend who did the window air in the same location. He loves it.

 

[Bob4203]

Even if I could install a small ac unit in the galley space, a reduction of 10 degrees in temperature would not do much during these hot summer days in Georgia. I was using a 9K btu Heier standing unit for awhile, which was bulky and after 10 - 11 in the morning when it started to heat up we had to leave the boat .

The Cruise and Carry is the best option for a comforatable nights sleep in the v-berth. At 7K btu it will do liittle to cool off the cabin during the day. Down here, its 16K btus or nothing!!!!!!

Bob
'88 Mark II
"hotlanta"

 

[Steve Walsh]

There is a 7k BTU Cruise and Carry for sale in the Florida Keys for $300 on Craigs List. Ad says it is 2 years old. I've had one for 12 years and it works great, beats climbing over a window unit mounted in the companionway. BTW, many years ago, I looked at a C30 for sale in Cortez, FL and the owner had mounted a 10k BTU window A/C in a hole he cut in the port cockpit bulkhead. Inside, it was right over the galley and the outside part extended into the cockpit. It worked great, but looked odd. Guess he was desperate for A/C

 

[Bob4203]

Thanks Steve....
It would be pricey to ship to Atlanta, GA but my concern is over parts availability. I do not know why they discontinued the line, but nothing is comparable unless its a roof mounted unit similar to what you would use on an RV.

Mounting a small AC unit through the galley bulkhead is not the way I would want to go here in the south. Cost of a 16000 BTU reverse cycle central system is north of $3000 when its all said and done. Ouch

Bob