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26-06-2013, 19:06
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 406
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Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
I would like comments on using a free standing air conditioning unit. They are so much cheaper than a marine unit. Also we are not full timers and the electronic air cleaner on some units would be nice.
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26-06-2013, 19:40
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Myrtle Beach SC
Boat: S2 9.2C
Posts: 29
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I just put one on my boat yesterday. $270 from Lowes. Installed in an hour. Cool sweet air. Ahhh.
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26-06-2013, 19:45
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#3
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cat herder, extreme blacksheep
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: furycame alley , tropics, mexico for now
Boat: 1976 FORMOSA yankee clipper 41
Posts: 18,967
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Re: Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
i use a window unit in my formosa--works great and lot more efficient than marine air--pops into my formosa window with minor blocking, and cost me only 140 usd. 5000 btu.
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26-06-2013, 19:51
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#4
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cruiser
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Tampa Bay area
Boat: Hunter 31'
Posts: 5,731
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Re: Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greggegner
I would like comments on using a free standing air conditioning unit. They are so much cheaper than a marine unit. Also we are not full timers and the electronic air cleaner on some units would be nice.
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My slip neighbor has one -- blowing into his main salon hatch, sitting on the cabin top. He built a triangular "case" for it. The back part sticks out; the front part is vented down into the cabin. Very clever, and he says, very efficient, and he doesn't have to climb over it in the companionway.
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26-06-2013, 20:06
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: "Out There" (mailing Austin TX)
Boat: Lafitte 44
Posts: 418
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Re: Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
I got a 10BTu free standing from HD for 299 it is great... i got some additional ducting and it is great. If i was a full time liveaboard i would invest the $$$ on an inboard fancy unit.. but for now.. this is fine. And I am in Texas where it is actually HOT.
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26-06-2013, 21:50
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Cruising the Eastern Caribbean
Boat: Beneteau 473
Posts: 779
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Last fall my husband got us one from Home Depot -- what a godsend. We could have never gotten so many boat projects done at the marina as we did and it got us out of the marina quicker. However, since we are spending most of our time anchoring out now, it is useless. We still have it on board for the rare times we are in marinas. We keep it in place with bungie cords while sailing between islands in the Caribbean, but we have both agreed it will have to go before we cross an ocean (hopefully the end of next spring). We just do not see a good way to totally secure it on our boat during a crossing.
__________________
Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived. JEAN LUC PICARD, Captain of the Starship Enterprise
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26-06-2013, 23:32
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#7
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cruiser
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Tampa Bay area
Boat: Hunter 31'
Posts: 5,731
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Re: Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SmartMove
Last fall my husband got us one from Home Depot -- what a godsend. We could have never gotten so many boat projects done at the marina as we did and it got us out of the marina quicker. However, since we are spending most of our time anchoring out now, it is useless. We still have it on board for the rare times we are in marinas. We keep it in place with bungie cords while sailing between islands in the Caribbean, but we have both agreed it will have to go before we cross an ocean (hopefully the end of next spring). We just do not see a good way to totally secure it on our boat during a crossing.
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But on the other hand, the window-unit type AC's really don't cost that much. Sell the one you have before you cross to another boater. You'll have valuable tips for the new owner and it will be a win-win for everyone. Then just buy a new one when you get back.
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27-06-2013, 00:22
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 128
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I just got one of the portable 8k BTU units from Lowes...works great and it is quiet . Has a wireless remote so you can control it from bed at night if you need to.
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27-06-2013, 07:05
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Portland, Maine
Boat: Caliber 40LRC
Posts: 609
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Re: Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
Check with your marina too. They are not allowed at ours.
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27-06-2013, 07:08
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#10
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cruiser
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Tampa Bay area
Boat: Hunter 31'
Posts: 5,731
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Re: Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim R.
Check with your marina too. They are not allowed at ours.
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ROTFL they don't dare do that in Florida -- they would have no tenants! Well ... SOME of the boat have built-in, but built-in air on a boat requires a lot of maintenance. I don't want a whole new mechanical system to have to learn. With a portable unit if it malfunctions you put it in the car and get it fixed (or fix it yourself if you have those skills, but everything will be very accessible).
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27-06-2013, 07:33
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,909
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Re: Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
Quote:
Originally Posted by xeon_tsd
I got a 10BTu free standing from HD for 299 it is great... i got some additional ducting and it is great. If i was a full time liveaboard i would invest the $$$ on an inboard fancy unit.. but for now.. this is fine. And I am in Texas where it is actually HOT.
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Those do look like a good way to get A/C easy. Just duct it out one of the portholes and run the condensation drain to the bilge and looks like it would be better than worrying about a hose popping a leak on the regular system and sinking the boat.
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27-06-2013, 07:36
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Onboard
Boat: Pearson 323
Posts: 84
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Re: Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
I am in Marathon, FL and instead of a water cooled unit I installed a commercial grade Dometic 13,500 BTU RV style AC on my cabin top. I removed the main cabin hatch reduced the opening to 14-1/2 inch square and bolted down the unit. The total cost was a little over $800.00 when completed but my boat a Pearson 323 stays a comfortable 76 degrees. I have also made a cover for the unit so when cruising or sailing it is protected from the salt. Even if it last for three or four years I figure that for the price I am ahead of the game and don't need extra through hulls strainers, etc.
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27-06-2013, 07:37
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SW Florida
Boat: FP Belize, 43' - Dot Dun
Posts: 3,823
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Re: Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rakuflames
...but built-in air on a boat requires a lot of maintenance. I don't want a whole new mechanical system to have to learn. With a portable unit if it malfunctions you put it in the car and get it fixed (or fix it yourself if you have those skills, but everything will be very accessible).
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Hmm, cleaning a raw water strainer is a lot of maintenance?
I have 32k btu of AC on boat. Not practical/possible with portable units.
Water cooling the condenser coil is much more efficient than air cooling.
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27-06-2013, 08:17
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Seattle WA
Boat: Roughwater, pilot house, 58 ft
Posts: 485
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Re: Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
We have 4 land window AC’s, $650.00, that I made wood enclosure, stain to match the teak, that are butted up against the salon window and 3 state room port holes. Total of 18,000 btu. In the winter we use on fan mode to clean/circulate the air. The boat come with on RV AC on the pilot house roof that we use only when away from the dock. With only 50 amps on 4 of the 5 AC units can be used.
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27-06-2013, 11:28
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#15
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cat herder, extreme blacksheep
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: furycame alley , tropics, mexico for now
Boat: 1976 FORMOSA yankee clipper 41
Posts: 18,967
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Re: Sad New ---Marine Air is dead....anyone use a free standing air conditioner?
i am in a 5 star resort marina in a 5 star resort tropical area. i am allowed to use wtf kind of air conditioner i want to use.
dog, homeowner groups and such so restrict the abilities one has to remain cool in hot times..lol...where visit that you are not allowed to have and use air conditioners....
i will make sure i do not participate in places that do such severe restricting of comfort options.
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