Expecting a cooler summer on the water. My boat is in the water for the summer, so I added an A/C unit for use at the docks. I turn it on for the 15 minutes prior to sailing to cool everything off including me, and for the 15 minutes after I come back to again cool everything off prior to going home. Its also great for overnighting at the Marina. Its a 9000 BTU unit that vents through a hole cut in the companionway hatchboard. I made a new hatchboard with the hole in it for when I use the A/C unit.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
B
BwanaTheIguana
Looks good!!!
9000 BTU's should get you cooled down in a hurry!!! Where did you find this unit?? What did you pay for it? I can only find one like it (Lowe's) in TX size (14000+ BTU's, close to 3 feet high!!) and it sure doesn't fit on my 260 boat. I have a 6000 BTU window unit that I built into a 1/2 inch piece of plywood that's exactly the same size as my bottom two companionway slats. I slide that bad boy into the companionway, add the top two slats and close the companionway slide. It still takes a good hour or so to cool down my 260 to where I can sleep comfortably. This looks way nice!
9000 BTU's should get you cooled down in a hurry!!! Where did you find this unit?? What did you pay for it? I can only find one like it (Lowe's) in TX size (14000+ BTU's, close to 3 feet high!!) and it sure doesn't fit on my 260 boat. I have a 6000 BTU window unit that I built into a 1/2 inch piece of plywood that's exactly the same size as my bottom two companionway slats. I slide that bad boy into the companionway, add the top two slats and close the companionway slide. It still takes a good hour or so to cool down my 260 to where I can sleep comfortably. This looks way nice!
J
Jack h23.5
I bought it on line..
http://www.compactappliance.com/xq/JSP.jump/itemType.CATEGORY/itemID.964/qx/Portable_Air_Conditioners.htm?mtcpromotion=Google>Portable Air>NEWAD See if this link works, if not google compactappliance. Its now $379 with free shipping. What I found, is that without insulation, my H23.5 needs all 9,000 BTU's to keep it cool. It is very quiet, and I like the idea of not tying up the companionway. It was hard for me to pay that much, when Wal Mart sells small A/C's for $89, but it fits so nice. When I'm sailing, I push the unit back under the cockpit like this.
http://www.compactappliance.com/xq/JSP.jump/itemType.CATEGORY/itemID.964/qx/Portable_Air_Conditioners.htm?mtcpromotion=Google>Portable Air>NEWAD See if this link works, if not google compactappliance. Its now $379 with free shipping. What I found, is that without insulation, my H23.5 needs all 9,000 BTU's to keep it cool. It is very quiet, and I like the idea of not tying up the companionway. It was hard for me to pay that much, when Wal Mart sells small A/C's for $89, but it fits so nice. When I'm sailing, I push the unit back under the cockpit like this.
AC and Generator
Jack: I have a 5,000 btu wall unit that I bougth at Walmart for under $100.00 and I run it with a 1,000 watt Yamaha generator and a 3/12 extension cord. The generator weighs only 27 lbs. and its easy to store. The generator will run about 8 hours on .6 gallons of gasoline. I have no other place for the AC but the companionway. I am in St. Petersburg, Florida and the AC brings down the cabin temperature to the low 70's. I tried a 5,200 btu AC but the little Yammie was not able to start it so I changed to a 5,000. 9,000 btu's will cool in a hurry but the compressor will kick off rapidly and it will not remove the humidity which is the most important thing in Florida. Lowering the 100% himidity to at least 70% is more important than dropping down 20 degrees. Too many btu and you will feel like in a cave, cold and humid. After being in the sun all day, with night temperatures in the 80's and 100% humidity, the only other option in Florida is to sweat and complaint and my wife has a Phd at that! I have a CO2 detector just in case. The little Yamaha is a life saver.
Jack: I have a 5,000 btu wall unit that I bougth at Walmart for under $100.00 and I run it with a 1,000 watt Yamaha generator and a 3/12 extension cord. The generator weighs only 27 lbs. and its easy to store. The generator will run about 8 hours on .6 gallons of gasoline. I have no other place for the AC but the companionway. I am in St. Petersburg, Florida and the AC brings down the cabin temperature to the low 70's. I tried a 5,200 btu AC but the little Yammie was not able to start it so I changed to a 5,000. 9,000 btu's will cool in a hurry but the compressor will kick off rapidly and it will not remove the humidity which is the most important thing in Florida. Lowering the 100% himidity to at least 70% is more important than dropping down 20 degrees. Too many btu and you will feel like in a cave, cold and humid. After being in the sun all day, with night temperatures in the 80's and 100% humidity, the only other option in Florida is to sweat and complaint and my wife has a Phd at that! I have a CO2 detector just in case. The little Yamaha is a life saver.
J
Jack h23.5
That hasn't been my experience..
It seems that the heat loss through the windows, hatch and fiberglass comes close to equallizing the 9,000 btu's. The unit does not cycle on and off and stays on for quite some time. This past weekend, it was 95 in the shade and easily 100 on the boat, but with the A/C unit running on high it was a comfortable 75 degrees inside. I have several of those 5,000 btu window units that I bought for hurricane supplies, and they seem to be more powerful than this 9,000 btu unit. Not sure why, but to me, it seems this puts out closer to an equivelent of 4,000 btu's. Maybe there is some loss due to venting thru a tube?? It also seems to create a negative pressure inside, forcing some hot outside air to force its way inside. Either way, I like the mounting of the unit out of the way, and being able to use it with the cabin open while getting the boat ready to sail, and while putting the boat away.
It seems that the heat loss through the windows, hatch and fiberglass comes close to equallizing the 9,000 btu's. The unit does not cycle on and off and stays on for quite some time. This past weekend, it was 95 in the shade and easily 100 on the boat, but with the A/C unit running on high it was a comfortable 75 degrees inside. I have several of those 5,000 btu window units that I bought for hurricane supplies, and they seem to be more powerful than this 9,000 btu unit. Not sure why, but to me, it seems this puts out closer to an equivelent of 4,000 btu's. Maybe there is some loss due to venting thru a tube?? It also seems to create a negative pressure inside, forcing some hot outside air to force its way inside. Either way, I like the mounting of the unit out of the way, and being able to use it with the cabin open while getting the boat ready to sail, and while putting the boat away.
Neat!
Very interesting why it takes 9,000 BTU unit to cool the boat. As you said the unit by design is more portable but maybe uses a different process that makes it less efficient. I have a 5,200 BTU window unit with a custom insulated sheet metal plenum that fits over the forward hatch on my 23.5 while I am at the dock. It essentially works like a Cruisair but it is more heavy and bulky than a cruisair but WAAAAAY more efficient. I have to put the thermostat on 5 and on low fan or I freeze the Captainess. If I crank it up I could hang beef in my 23.5 at night. I really need to post pictures of it. Glad to hear it is working for you.
Very interesting why it takes 9,000 BTU unit to cool the boat. As you said the unit by design is more portable but maybe uses a different process that makes it less efficient. I have a 5,200 BTU window unit with a custom insulated sheet metal plenum that fits over the forward hatch on my 23.5 while I am at the dock. It essentially works like a Cruisair but it is more heavy and bulky than a cruisair but WAAAAAY more efficient. I have to put the thermostat on 5 and on low fan or I freeze the Captainess. If I crank it up I could hang beef in my 23.5 at night. I really need to post pictures of it. Glad to hear it is working for you.
R
RB
hey Bwana !
If you have an ACE hardware (Westlake) in your town, right now they have a 9000 BTU, built in humidifier, evaporator (no draining), 2 speed fan, remote for $399 also a 8000 without the evaporator for $299 If you have a 260 the first one will fit where your cooler goes and vent out the side port. If you don't have a Westlake ACE, Target has a nice 7000 BTU for $299 that will fit nicely (18x12x24). All of these are also on wheels if you chose to leave it on the floor. Yours looks good Jack, how tall is it.
If you have an ACE hardware (Westlake) in your town, right now they have a 9000 BTU, built in humidifier, evaporator (no draining), 2 speed fan, remote for $399 also a 8000 without the evaporator for $299 If you have a 260 the first one will fit where your cooler goes and vent out the side port. If you don't have a Westlake ACE, Target has a nice 7000 BTU for $299 that will fit nicely (18x12x24). All of these are also on wheels if you chose to leave it on the floor. Yours looks good Jack, how tall is it.
Cavitating
I do plan to post some pics of my portable monstrosity soon. I'll post them to the projects section under 23.5 and post a note on the forum to check it out. Jonathan
I do plan to post some pics of my portable monstrosity soon. I'll post them to the projects section under 23.5 and post a note on the forum to check it out. Jonathan
J
Jack h23.5
RB, my A/C unit is
28.5 inches high. It is on wheels so I left the unit on its styrofoam packing base so it won't roll around. I don't use the bed under the cockpit, so it works well to stand it up under there. I shove it back when sailing, and pull it forward to turn it on.
28.5 inches high. It is on wheels so I left the unit on its styrofoam packing base so it won't roll around. I don't use the bed under the cockpit, so it works well to stand it up under there. I shove it back when sailing, and pull it forward to turn it on.
Best Buy
Just and FYI to all you folks out there who are sweating like me this summer. Saw this thread and started looking around and found an 11,000 btu model at Best Buy. Made by Whirlpool and cost $347.00. On my way now to get it and take it to the boat this afternoon to give it a try. It's in the 90's here today so if it works it'll be a good purchase. I've tried the 7000 btu hatch air from Cruisair and it just won't do the job on a 35 foot boat. For the money I thought I'd give this a try. If anybody is in the market for a 2 year old 7000BTU hatchair let me know.
Just and FYI to all you folks out there who are sweating like me this summer. Saw this thread and started looking around and found an 11,000 btu model at Best Buy. Made by Whirlpool and cost $347.00. On my way now to get it and take it to the boat this afternoon to give it a try. It's in the 90's here today so if it works it'll be a good purchase. I've tried the 7000 btu hatch air from Cruisair and it just won't do the job on a 35 foot boat. For the money I thought I'd give this a try. If anybody is in the market for a 2 year old 7000BTU hatchair let me know.
Crusiairs are inefficient
I have never owned one but have a friend that did. They are horribly inefficient because of the "one size fits all" approach. I don't fault Cruisair because you can't make a different cover for each model of boat made. The problem with Cruisairs are that the "tent" that covers the hatch is not insulated therefore you lose a lot of cool air through the tent (and let heat in). Additionaly, because the "tent" is not insulated condensation forms on the inside of it and drips all over the place. They may work in a dry climate like the south west.
I have never owned one but have a friend that did. They are horribly inefficient because of the "one size fits all" approach. I don't fault Cruisair because you can't make a different cover for each model of boat made. The problem with Cruisairs are that the "tent" that covers the hatch is not insulated therefore you lose a lot of cool air through the tent (and let heat in). Additionaly, because the "tent" is not insulated condensation forms on the inside of it and drips all over the place. They may work in a dry climate like the south west.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.