Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 03-06-2022, 15:58   #1
Registered User
 
Cheechako's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,747
Rethinking A/C

Having Air Conditioning on the boat comes up often. Oft not mentioned are today's smaller or different options.

This is more spendy than it should be but nice and small:
https://www.kapsulair.com/products/k...QaAnhMEALw_wcB

These are a great idea, move it around where you want it. The hot air could duct out a port:
https://www.amazon.com/MAP08R1CWT-Po...671766487&th=1
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard











Cheechako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2022, 16:43   #2
Registered User
 
wingssail's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: On Vessel WINGS, wherever there's an ocean, currently in Mexico
Boat: Serendipity 43
Posts: 5,549
Send a message via AIM to wingssail Send a message via Skype™ to wingssail
Re: Rethinking A/C

The Kapsul looks clever but I don't see anywhere in the specs what cooling capacity it has. From the 480kw I'd guess less than 5000BTU. Not enough for most boats in tropical conditions but for one small cabin it would help. Of course the price is impossible. A good 5000BTU unit would be about $250

The Midea 8,000 BTU is more like the right capacity however it takes up space on your salon floor, and where to do you put it and thew ducting when you go sailing (if you do).

Our solution, not much better but it works for us, is a window unit which sits in the companionway when in use (others put them over an open overhead hatch). No ducts but you have to climb around it to enter or exit your boat. It fits in a locker during the cooler months when we don't need it. 8000BTU is under $500.

We learned years ago that we could not live in a hot/humid climate w/o air conditioning. Of course it requires shore power, so at the dock only. At anchor we usually stay cool enough with out it
__________________
These lines upon my face tell you the story of who I am but these stories don't mean anything
when you've got no one to tell them to Fred Roswold Wings https://wingssail.blogspot.com/
wingssail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2022, 17:11   #3
Registered User
 
Ballsnall's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 514
Re: Rethinking A/C

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheechako View Post
Having Air Conditioning on the boat comes up often. Oft not mentioned are today's smaller or different options.
Very hard to beat a residential split system on cost and performance.
Ballsnall is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2022, 19:17   #4
Registered User
 
Cheechako's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,747
Re: Rethinking A/C

Quote:
Originally Posted by wingssail View Post
The Kapsul looks clever but I don't see anywhere in the specs what cooling capacity it has. From the 480kw I'd guess less than 5000BTU. Not enough for most boats in tropical conditions but for one small cabin it would help. Of course the price is impossible. A good 5000BTU unit would be about $250

The Midea 8,000 BTU is more like the right capacity however it takes up space on your salon floor, and where to do you put it and thew ducting when you go sailing (if you do).

Our solution, not much better but it works for us, is a window unit which sits in the companionway when in use (others put them over an open overhead hatch). No ducts but you have to climb around it to enter or exit your boat. It fits in a locker during the cooler months when we don't need it. 8000BTU is under $500.

We learned years ago that we could not live in a hot/humid climate w/o air conditioning. Of course it requires shore power, so at the dock only. At anchor we usually stay cool enough with out it
I was mostly trying to consider alternatives to those considering hatch mounted and rv units etc rather than extremely expensive inboard installed marine AC units.
Yes the Kapsul is 5k btu.
My 1100 sq ft house has a 6500 btu. Is it as frigid as a Florida drug store on a 90 degree day? No. Is it cool enough in the main rooms? Yes.

I had a rented larger home unit on the overhead of our 38 footer when aboard in Trinidad on the hard. Based on that, I would not want much more than 5k, We had to turn it off and on as the boat was so frigid. Thermostat didnt seem to do the job until you were freezing.
But like you, other than that one time on land in the boatyard, I never felt I needed AC on a boat. But we never spend time in the marina where you have no wind to cool.

You put the portable where you yourself have to put the home unit, or anyone with a hatch unit has to put it when they sail.... in the locker.

A home unit is a bargain for sure. Just a bit more complicated to use on a boat, and if you ARE going to store it in a locker, then the portable for a couple hundred more $ seems to me a better way.

These just seem like a cleaner solution than home units on boats, and still less than a 'boat buck".
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard











Cheechako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2022, 20:08   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Rochester, NY
Boat: Chris Craft 381 Catalina
Posts: 6,869
Re: Rethinking A/C

We generally cool our 1300 sq foot house with about 12k btu in the hot part of summer. The boat takes significantly more. It's not nearly as well insulated as the house and absorbs far more solar heat through the decks and windows. Plus the boat is less airtight than the house even with everything closed up.
rslifkin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2022, 23:38   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 126
Re: Rethinking A/C

I just installed a unit from Home Depot....cost about $250.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0163.jpg
Views:	89
Size:	437.4 KB
ID:	258894   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0168.jpg
Views:	99
Size:	417.1 KB
ID:	258895  

Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0170.jpg
Views:	96
Size:	423.0 KB
ID:	258896  
Fatbob is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Rethinking power management Na Mara Electrical: Batteries, Generators & Solar 129 08-11-2021 14:03
Rethinking attitudes towards fire suppression Jammer Health, Safety & Related Gear 90 17-09-2021 17:49
Well, I am rethinking my life raft purchase GILow Health, Safety & Related Gear 13 31-10-2019 04:48
Rethinking the outboard choice Fishspearit Auxiliary Equipment & Dinghy 17 12-06-2008 05:26
Rethinking Hobbyhorsing/Pitching ssullivan Multihull Sailboats 73 13-05-2008 14:26

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:08.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.