I have been using a 5000 btu home a/c in the companionway of my 79 h33 in Fl. and during the day it is marginal but bearable. It seems that 12000 btu would be all I need but everyone is saying they have 16000btu. I am thinking about a Mermaid 12000 because of the size and cost. Anyone install self contained units on the 33's? What size and where did you put it. I have searced the archives and found little about a/c and the Cherubini 33. Thanks Kevin
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Ed Schenck
Mermaid A/C.
You are correct, I have also seen very little H33 cooling info in the three years I have been tracking this site. I can suggest that if you find space for a 12K that the 16K will probably fit. There is little difference in size. I can also tell you that my 12K Mermaid can freeze you out on a 90 degree day in my H37C. But also know that I am on Lake Erie with 70 degree water at the intake. A standard cardboard box with one inch cut off the top makes a great template for the 12K. Now you can go around the boat finding a fit. Some have simply built a cover and installed under the Nav table. Or somewhere on the salon floor and built a bookcase over it. I don't believe your boat has the q-berth cabinet which is where mine is installed.
You are correct, I have also seen very little H33 cooling info in the three years I have been tracking this site. I can suggest that if you find space for a 12K that the 16K will probably fit. There is little difference in size. I can also tell you that my 12K Mermaid can freeze you out on a 90 degree day in my H37C. But also know that I am on Lake Erie with 70 degree water at the intake. A standard cardboard box with one inch cut off the top makes a great template for the 12K. Now you can go around the boat finding a fit. Some have simply built a cover and installed under the Nav table. Or somewhere on the salon floor and built a bookcase over it. I don't believe your boat has the q-berth cabinet which is where mine is installed.
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Tim Schaaf
Cruisair Carry-on
For what it is worth, the Cruisair might well have been designed with the H33 in mind. It fits in the salon hatch very nicely and cools the boat, even way down here in tropical, desert, Cabo San Lucas. It is rated at a little less than 5,000 BTU's, by the way. Of course, you do have to take it off when you go sailing, and it is certainly bulky. You will probably leave it in your dock box.
For what it is worth, the Cruisair might well have been designed with the H33 in mind. It fits in the salon hatch very nicely and cools the boat, even way down here in tropical, desert, Cabo San Lucas. It is rated at a little less than 5,000 BTU's, by the way. Of course, you do have to take it off when you go sailing, and it is certainly bulky. You will probably leave it in your dock box.
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steven f.
cruise air
We live in Pt. Charlotte FL.(feels like we live a quarter mile away from the sun in July and Aug.) and have a cruise air carry-on. We bought it used and have found that if we give it a couple of hours to cool the boat down it does fairly well, even in July. It helps to have fan's in the boat to move the air to the far front and back but overall it works well and is not in the way like some of the home style AC units. I must admit however that we rarely use a marina, it is used here at our house when I'm doing maintance on her, I'm not the best judge on these units in fla. but for us it works well.
We live in Pt. Charlotte FL.(feels like we live a quarter mile away from the sun in July and Aug.) and have a cruise air carry-on. We bought it used and have found that if we give it a couple of hours to cool the boat down it does fairly well, even in July. It helps to have fan's in the boat to move the air to the far front and back but overall it works well and is not in the way like some of the home style AC units. I must admit however that we rarely use a marina, it is used here at our house when I'm doing maintance on her, I'm not the best judge on these units in fla. but for us it works well.
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Adam B. Feder
H33 - Air Conditioner
In late June of this year, I purchased the AquaCal Kruizin Kool 7 Portable Air Conditioner from West Marine ($950.00). It's wonderful. Unlike the Cruisair, it's 7,000btu and water cooled. The main unit is built into a Samsonite suitcase (with wheels) and fits perfectly in the galley area over/near the icebox. Two hoses (one pick up and one return) go out a portlight and over the side. Both hoses and the main unit have valve locks so if disconnected after use, no water will leak in the cabin.
In late June of this year, I purchased the AquaCal Kruizin Kool 7 Portable Air Conditioner from West Marine ($950.00). It's wonderful. Unlike the Cruisair, it's 7,000btu and water cooled. The main unit is built into a Samsonite suitcase (with wheels) and fits perfectly in the galley area over/near the icebox. Two hoses (one pick up and one return) go out a portlight and over the side. Both hoses and the main unit have valve locks so if disconnected after use, no water will leak in the cabin.
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Thad
Once again, I agree with Ed
I'd go with the 16k Mermaid - you should be able to find room for it under the port settee, but you'll lose some storage and will have to do some cutting/fabrication. The 12K unit will have to work too hard in FL and will likely freeze up. If you put the unit under teh port settee, you should be able to run a duct through the head and into the V-Berth, and one to the bottom of the Nav Station blowing toward the captain's berth - the main duct would blow into the main salon.
I'd go with the 16k Mermaid - you should be able to find room for it under the port settee, but you'll lose some storage and will have to do some cutting/fabrication. The 12K unit will have to work too hard in FL and will likely freeze up. If you put the unit under teh port settee, you should be able to run a duct through the head and into the V-Berth, and one to the bottom of the Nav Station blowing toward the captain's berth - the main duct would blow into the main salon.
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Barry
I bought and installed a mermaid 12,500BTU A/C unit on my 82 H33 a year ago. I was able to install it under the sink in the galley. It was not able to fit under any settee in the boat. I then ran the duct into the hanging locker on the port side. Once there I put the large square vent on the side of the locker facing into the main cabin, and I installed the smaller round vent on the side of the locker facing into the V-berth. I ran the duct for all of this under the port settee. I originally had a cruise-air that worked ok if it wasn't too hot outside. As soon as it got hot, the cruise-air became ineffictive. I can't imagine it would be very effictive in Florida.
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Terry Arnold
awning and air
I have used a Cruisaire in the forward hatch of my H33 while in a slip for a couple of years and have found: 1. As Steven F mentioned, you need to give it time. To come to the boat at the end of a Florida panhandle day and expect it to be cool for night sleeping is a little much. On the other hand, if it runs all the time, it'll do an ok job. 2. Use an awning. That alone, probably cuts the ac load by 2/3. 3. any air conditioning kills the feel of a sailboat. It turns the cabin into a kind of den and the noise cuts the outside world completely away. Thus, an awning which can be quickly set up is worth at least as much as an air conditioner in my experience. And on a mooring or at anchor, the H33 hatches open correctly to scoop the wind and send it below.
I have used a Cruisaire in the forward hatch of my H33 while in a slip for a couple of years and have found: 1. As Steven F mentioned, you need to give it time. To come to the boat at the end of a Florida panhandle day and expect it to be cool for night sleeping is a little much. On the other hand, if it runs all the time, it'll do an ok job. 2. Use an awning. That alone, probably cuts the ac load by 2/3. 3. any air conditioning kills the feel of a sailboat. It turns the cabin into a kind of den and the noise cuts the outside world completely away. Thus, an awning which can be quickly set up is worth at least as much as an air conditioner in my experience. And on a mooring or at anchor, the H33 hatches open correctly to scoop the wind and send it below.
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