[C320-list] Air Conditioning

[wflowe3 at aim.com]

Sounds like an interesting project.  I assume you have to remove the screens to fit them into the opening?

Thanks for sharing.
Bill
#1146


-----Original Message-----
From: John Frost <john at frostnet.net>
To: C320-List <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Mon, Jun 17, 2013 11:32 am
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Air Conditioning


We have Alabama sun so this was a big deal for me. I went to Home Depot and
bought a 4 by 8 insulating foam panel covered in aluminum foil on both sides
and a roll of the shiny aluminum foil tape used for sealing ducts. I used a
knife to cut out "plugs" that fit snugly inside each overhead hatch. I
wrapped the edges with the tape to protect the foam and used the tape to
make a pull tab in the middle of one side of each plug to make removal easy.
The shiny foil reflects the sun and the insulation stops the heat. It
dropped my temps about 10 degrees.

Happy Sailing!

John
2007 C320MKII
Hull 1118
Guntersville, AL


-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Allan S Field
Sent: Friday, June 07, 2013 7:03 AM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Air Conditioning

Warren - I am quite anal about keeping boat-breath out of the boat.  We do
many tricks to prevent this.  There are Nicro solar vents installed in the
mid and fore hatch (one brings air in, the other takes it out).  Of the 8
cabin fans on Sea Shadow, 3 are left running at low speed when we are not on
the boat.  We don't leave wet sponges or towels on board when we leave, the
3 drains have large flat rubber stoppers covering them, the bilge is
wet-vac'd when we leave (our A/C does drain to the bilge), I put an ozone
machine in the bilge about every 2-3 months, we only flush with fresh water,
the head door is propped open with a reverse hook-and-loop,  the bimini and
connector between the dodger and connector are deployed through the summer
when we are not sailing, we have never pulled the speedo as it lets sea
water in (and have never used it), the hatches and port lights are always
dogged closed when we leave the dock and stay that way until our return, and
the port shades are down during the summer when we leave.  So the mylar idea
would not work for us but might for others!

Allan S. Field
Sea Shadow - #808
Columbia, MD

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Warren Updike
Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2013 10:13 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Air Conditioning

Allan, I used some thin sheet insulation (mylar reflective with plastic
honeycomb inside,) and made hatch covers with corner elastic straps to hold
the sheets on the hatches.  I put these on when I leave the boat.  They help
a lot in reducing the inside heat load, especially when I leave the AC on
which I do a day before we are planning on arriving at the boat.  They do
cut down the light inside the boat; but, most things in life present a
trade-off.

Warren & Pattie Updike
1994 C320 #62 "Warr De Mar"

-----Original Message-----
From: Allan S Field [mailto:allan.field at verizon.net]
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2013 3:10 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Air Conditioning

Kirk - We went with Annapolis CruisAir about 10 years ago and have never had
a problem with the unit.  We went with a 12,000 BTU unit.  The compressor is
in the port side locker.  The outflow vent is above and to port of the
cabinet above the refrigerator.  The return is at the foot of the aft cabin
bunk.  The pump and water inflow thru-hull are under the aft cabin bunk
close to the fresh water pump.

When it gets really hot, like over 95 degrees, we close off the V-berth. (We
removed the aft cabin door years ago.)  But the A/C will cool the boat down
even on those days with the V-berth cabin door open.  It just won't get it
much below about 72 when the sun is shining brightly and it's over 95.  We
recently bought the Hatch-Hoodie to put over the forward hatch but have not
yet tried it out on the really hot days.  Regardless, very few people, other
than our grandsons when they were younger, ever sleep in the V-berth.

We had a choice between a 16,000 BTU system (which we looked at on another
C320) and the 12,000.  The 16,000 is a "split-system" meaning there are 2
compressor units and it takes up  a lot of space, plus needs ducts.  We have
never regretted going with the 12,000.  As for the head, several years ago
we put a hook-and-eye on the door with the eye on the inside frame and the
hook on the inside of the door so we can prop the door open a few inches
when we are off the boat plus cool or warm the head when the AC/heat pump is
running.

This upgrade was the best thing we ever did on the boat.  It really turned
the boat into a summer home for us with a view that if we get tired of, we
can change!  The heating cycle also opens up March and November for staying
on the boat.  August is not a particularly sailor-friendly month on the
Chesapeake but that does not stop us from going down to the boat for the
weekend.

Hope this helps!

Allan S. Field
Sea Shadow - #808
Columbia, MD

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Kirk Mueller
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2013 11:44 AM
To: C320-list at catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Air Conditioning

Hi All,

Has anyone recently installed A/C in their boat.  If so, what type and size?
Where did they put the unit, the supply ducts and the return?

Thanks,

Kirk Mueller
Second Chance #361
Rock Hall, MD