Okay! Uncle! UNCLE! I need AC

[aidkarau]

Have you noticed that it gets hotter and hotter every year? Today you can not do without air conditioning. It is especially problematic that they work worse and often fail.

 

[OldDan1943]

I replace both of my AC units about 8-10 years ago. This month I popped the 12K compressor. I still have my 16K AC and it is doing a pretty good at keeping the boat 'tolerable'. (10-15F lower than outside.) Of course I have it set on 68F so the AC is playing catch-up all day. Took 2 days but "they" found a 12K unit. It was an unexpected 'loss'. I asked for and got a Veteran's discount. ($215) Bet you never thought about that one. Now, I have to schedule 3 projects. I still need new canvas and have the carpets cleaned. Wish me luck.

 

[Gdavid]

I just replaced my failing cruise air 16,000 but with a marine aire 14,000. I went this route because it was available quickly, i received it in two days. The cruise air was still working intermittently and I am hoping to have it repaired but didn't want to spend the summer fighting with it. My father installed a marine aire in his saloon 2 years ago and it is holding up well.

 

[sailormike]

I agree with a lot of what is said. The micro starts are an awesome product. there digital WiFi thermostats are too. I like them so much I became a dealer for them after using them on my boat and my camper. RV A/C units are indeed loud and are not designed for harsh marine environment. They are not marinated and will rust and they aren't designed to be run while moving.

 

[Wayfarer]

Well fancy that. This thread happens to come back from the dead just as I'm making some progress. I put in at Lamb's in Jacksonville a week or so ago, and have charged the good folks there with installing me some AC, along with a bunch of other projects. I'm planning to upgrade my electrical service to a 50 amp inlet, and I'll most likely be going with Dometic AC units, since they're dealers. I'll be going with soft starts as well.

I also finally got around to having some Soltis window shades made for the big heat trap windows, and they make a pretty substantial difference. The windows are no longer hot to the touch, even in prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. They also give me a little more privacy inside, and they don't look too bad either.

 

[cardude01]

Well fancy that. This thread happens to come back from the dead just as I'm making some progress. I put in at Lamb's in Jacksonville a week or so ago, and have charged the good folks there with installing me some AC, along with a bunch of other projects. I'm planning to upgrade my electrical service to a 50 amp inlet, and I'll most likely be going with Dometic AC units, since they're dealers. I'll be going with soft starts as well.



I also finally got around to having some Soltis window shades made for the big heat trap windows, and they make a pretty substantial difference. The windows are no longer hot to the touch, even in prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. They also give me a little more privacy inside, and they don't look too bad either.

Any pics of the window shades?

And welcome to Jacksonville! Our boat is at the Marina at Ortega Landing, C dock. I’m currently stuck in Texas however, for various lame reasons.

 

[OldDan1943]

IF you upgrade your boat to a 50amp service, please get it done by a qualified marine electrician. You may need to upgrade some internal wires too.

 

[rgano]

Well fancy that. This thread happens to come back from the dead just as I'm making some progress. I put in at Lamb's in Jacksonville a week or so ago, and have charged the good folks there with installing me some AC, along with a bunch of other projects. I'm planning to upgrade my electrical service to a 50 amp inlet, and I'll most likely be going with Dometic AC units, since they're dealers. I'll be going with soft starts as well.

I also finally got around to having some Soltis window shades made for the big heat trap windows, and they make a pretty substantial difference. The windows are no longer hot to the touch, even in prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. They also give me a little more privacy inside, and they don't look too bad either.

Dave, you definitely are on the right track for southern survival! Attached is a photo of my old Calypso at my brother's pier with all of its sunshades (bow, boom, and extended flybridge) rigged. Your boat's superstructure arrangement might lend itself to a hooped sort of rig covering much of the boat if you were of a mind to do so.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

Yep, window covers work very well. Our boat came with Phyfertex covers, but were badly faded. We had new ones made (Phyfertex 92%) using the old ones as patterns - I installed the snaps to match the existing studs on the boat - look great and really keeps the heat down.

 

[OldDan1943]

I do like your 'house' cover. It has been on my list for a few months. Bet it helps reduce the heat in the fwd cabin.
I mounted my pilot house canvas on the inside, lasts forever. This time, I am going to get new cockpit canvas WITH side curtains. Just not sure where and how big to make the 'see through' part.
I am temped to wait to hurricane season to be over but that was my excuse for last year and the first part of this year.

 

[Wayfarer]

Any pics of the window shades?

And welcome to Jacksonville! Our boat is at the Marina at Ortega Landing, C dock. I’m currently stuck in Texas however, for various lame reasons.

LAAAAAAAAAAME! Thank you most kindly for the warm welcome, sir I'm pretty sure I saw Bijou on my way in. She was still floating wet-side-down, so that's good, lol.

I don't have any decent pics at the moment, but if I ever get around to making a new blog post, they'll be in there.

IF you upgrade your boat to a 50amp service, please get it done by a qualified marine electrician. You may need to upgrade some internal wires too.

Absolutely! I wouldn't touch that job with a 19 foot pole, lol. The fella at the yard seems to know what he's doing, though I didn't ask to see his credentials.

Dave, you definitely are on the right track for southern survival! Attached is a photo of my old Calypso at my brother's pier with all of its sunshades (bow, boom, and extended flybridge) rigged. Your boat's superstructure arrangement might lend itself to a hooped sort of rig covering much of the boat if you were of a mind to do so.

Well that's something I hadn't considered. I could rig her up like a chuck wagon from the ol' Oregon trail, and rename her the SS Conestoga, lol. Actually, I was recently parked next to a beautiful sailboat with a full canopy like that, except hers was suspended from the halyards. I was a little envious of the shade, but didn't think I'd be able to work something like that. Hoops could do it though.

Yep, window covers work very well. Our boat came with Phyfertex covers, but were badly faded. We had new ones made (Phyfertex 92%) using the old ones as patterns - I installed the snaps to match the existing studs on the boat - look great and really keeps the heat down.

I was originally planning to use Phifertex, but the canvas folks I used recommended Soltis. Apparently it's designed specifically for sun shade applications. It's not weaved like Phifertex, and is more of a flat grid, if that makes sense. Apparently it's easier to keep clean. I dunno, we'll see. So far I'm happy with it.

I do like your 'house' cover. It has been on my list for a few months. Bet it helps reduce the heat in the fwd cabin.
I mounted my pilot house canvas on the inside, lasts forever. This time, I am going to get new cockpit canvas WITH side curtains. Just not sure where and how big to make the 'see through' part.
I am temped to wait to hurricane season to be over but that was my excuse for last year and the first part of this year.

Well if you start now, you MIGHT have some new canvas by the end of hurricane season, lol. Seems like everything is backordered, and even if it's not, It'll still take an age. My shades took several months, and they're about as simple a project as I could have asked for.