Where to mount non portable AC system for Hunter 23 and what type to buy.

[scott hall]

I live in Nashville area. Have slip on marina. Can buy a Cruisair portable for hatch but wondering if I can get self contained unit and place it in lazzareth in cock pit area, Can add a blower to vent hot air outside if needed. Have a 22' by 18' opening. Only need about 5k BTU.

Anyway. I see some with water intake but don't they have anything like a heat pump style on homes just a lot smaller. I have searched the internet but not many economical choices (under $2000 and all I have seen take use water.

Not sure if I can put one inside cabin. Have a generator and nice to have a AC system that can use also when sailing.

Any ideas or info helpful.

Thanks Scott

 

[P100D]

There's definitely plenty of room on the H23 to add one. Don't know if it would be worth the cost. I have a H23 on Percy Priest.

 

[kloudie1]

Toughest part is running the ducting and finding a good place for the unit itself.. A small unit like this :
https://www.defender.com/product.js...th=-1|2061076|2061077|2061083&id=3207249would be fine provided ya measure carefully and think about power and water requirements.. You'll need a couple of through hull fittings and pump and hoses and a strainer and some electrical wiring savvy to install one safely .. The "kits" for those parts are convenient, but if you buy the stuff separately at good prices, you can save a lot! Some folks put them under the Vee birth and some in settees or in the lazarette.. Worth their weight in gold on a humid 90 F night at the dock!

 

[Benny17441]

I do not know anything about Nashville's climate, but heat pumps will not work in high humidity areas and require quite a bit of ventilation, as they function through evaporation.
.

You may be mistaking a Heat Pump with an evaporative cooler (swamp cooler). A heat pump is quite effective in removing humidity from the area being cooled. They can switch from cool to heat and their only weakness is operating in low temperatures where heating efficiency is lost. I have tried all types of A/C units on boats and can also say that those contained portable units are not very efficient for use in boats; the reason is that the hose used to exhaust the heat from the compressor radiates heat into the cabin fighting the cooling effect. But the worst culprit is that the hot air being pumped out from the inside of the boat creates a small vacuum which will draw in hot and humid air from the outside through every nook and cranny. So the unit is trying to remove heat and humidity from the air but at the same time is drawing hot and humid air from the outside. Was only able to use one at night after the ambient air cooled some. Cruise airs and window air conditioners do a good job and are more efficient since they do not pull air from the cabin. I even had a antique unit that came in a Samsonite luggage with a water pickup hose to be thrown overboard to cool the compressor. It worked pretty good. For a 23' boat with a hatch I would recommend a Cruise air.