Securing a Cruise-n-Carry AC Underway

[thinwater]

Off-shore - no question, it needs to be moved below.

However for Chesapeake Bay sailing, what is common practice? It is in the way below, I have a bad back, and the side decks are narrow. I have experimented with moving it a short distance forward, where I have good place to secure it, though I am not sure that is necessary. I think the primary reason I move it and close the hatch because it leaks some rain. My boat has a very dry ride and we never take water in the area of the hatch.

Genoa sheet are also something of an issue when we tack. As though there are not already enough thing to hang a sheet on.

No, I would not run it underway. Even on a cat, there is too much heel, I think, and no need, as there is a breeze.

So, what are your practices?

[hellosailor]

Remember the main halyard and boom are identical to a crane. Use them as a lift instead of your back, stow big heavy things at the base of the mast if you can.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Remember the main halyard and boom are identical to a crane. Use them as a lift instead of your back, stow big heavy things at the base of the mast if you can.

Yes, I could. I have done a good bit of rigging in my day and craning it around is easy, but well, time consuming and pointless I think. I have sailed on many small craft advisory days without getting spray on that part of the boat. Cats do move up and down, but heel very little. The mass, though not very significant, is already overlapping the mast base.

Does anyone leave them in place, well strapped in?

[Pblais]

It needs to be secured. The Bay has it's quirks and 35 gusting to 40 still comes in summer. It needs to be tied down so it can't fly. It may never get that bad but if it did the damage and injury potential is serious.

There are a lot of things I do in summer that normally won't be a problem but normally isn't the same as when it really happens. Common practice is not to do the thing you should have done. It's knowing it probably won't happen, but doing it anyway because it might.

Last summer did a short 12 nm trip home. Easy motor, not much wind and a bit overcast. Suddenly T Storm comes up. I have 45 knots blowing off the bow. No sails up all bundled tight. Heeling 35 degrees on bare poles. Add some waves and we have weather. Unsecured items are deadly projectiles. An AC unit in the head and you are dead or will die before medical help arrives!

You do the right thing all the time because you don't really know when you need to. It's a lot of extra work. Commonly people don't do it and they are the ones that suffer most.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Pblais

It needs to be secured. The Bay has it's quirks and 35 gusting to 40 still comes in summer. It needs to be tied down so it can't fly. It may never get that bad but if it did the damage and injury potential is serious.

There are a lot of things I do in summer that normally won't be a problem but normally isn't the same as when it really happens. Common practice is not to do the thing you should have done. It's knowing it probably won't happen, but doing it anyway because it might.

Last summer did a short 12 nm trip home. Easy motor, not much wind and a bit overcast. Suddenly T Storm comes up. I have 45 knots blowing off the bow. No sails up all bundled tight. Heeling 35 degrees on bare poles. Add some waves and we have weather. Unsecured items are deadly projectiles. An AC unit in the head and you are dead or will die before medical help arrives!

You do the right thing all the time because you don't really know when you need to. It's a lot of extra work. Commonly people don't do it and they are the ones that suffer most.

Good points.

I have been sailing the Bay and Atlantic coast for over 25 years and have been through all of its moods. I haven't been "surprised " by a storm since the first season - you always get clues. Following those clues, I prepared, and never had any deck cargo wander about. I weather such as that - and I have been thought worse - it would be moved to a better spot on deck, secured, an the hatch closed.

But my question is, what is the expereince of those that have these units? The PO bought the unit, but I'll sell it on e-bay before I take it below each time.

[Steve W]

I drilled two holes thru the cold air ductwork, slid a wooden dowel ( about 4 " longer than the hatch opening) thru it with cotter pins on each end. This prevents the A/C unit from lifting up off the hatch and being stolen. We have sailed in 10-15 knot winds with the A/C in place on our 28' mono and it stays in place. Have never seen it even attempt to lift up, I guess because it is so heavy. Hope this helps.

Steve

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Steve W

I drilled two holes thru the cold air ductwork, slid a wooden dowel ( about 4 " longer than the hatch opening) thru it with cotter pins on each end. This prevents the A/C unit from lifting up off the hatch and being stolen. We have sailed in 10-15 knot winds with the A/C in place on our 28' mono and it stays in place. Have never seen it even attempt to lift up, I guess because it is so heavy. Hope this helps.

Steve

Thanks

[redcobra]

Not to hijack the thread, but I bought one of these used and find it does not really cool my boat very well. She is a 39 ft. monohull.

[Pblais]

Not to hijack the thread, but I bought one of these used and find it does not really cool my boat very well. She is a 39 ft. monohull.

They seem to do fine on much smaller boats. In the under 30 ft mono group they do much better. In the end, the desire to lug them around is moderated by the cost of installing something that requires no lugging at all. They only deliver 7,000 BTU's. A 39 ft boat would easily require 16,000 BTU's.

[thinwater]

It works OK on my 32' cat, but that is the upper limit, I think. I thin a 34-36' mono might get by, but not in a hotter climate.

[Pblais]

MY 33 ft mono did not do that well with an installed 12,000 BTU system and my current 36 does do well with a 16,000 BTU system. Our 33 didn't cool well at all if the sun was out as the decks were not cored and our 36 is cored. Once the solid glass deck on the 33 hit the sun there was not much cooling power going on unless the awning was up.

Water temperature makes a huge difference too not just air temperature. These were/are both water cooled installed reverse cycle AC units. Our water right now is 82 F. It takes a lot more to overcome the water against the hull by the end of the month it will be near 85 F. Could be worse, we could live in Tampa, FL.

[ksmith]

Nothing worse than living in Tampa Bay. It is hot, people are unfriendly, no good marinas etc. Stay in Va area. It is so much nicer.

I have had a 7000 on a 27 and now a Columbia 8.7 about 29 feet. Biggest problem is getting the cold air aft to the solon. The v-berth is just fine but need a fan to move the air aft. Never thought of leaving it on board or even storing it below deck. Usually just leave it on the finger dock.