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Air Conditioning

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:25 am
by bg5w
I recently purchased a PDQ 32 without any air conditioning. I could sleep in the middle od summer in Florida without it, but my wife has higher standards. (in air conditioning -not in choice of husbands). I know many have the built-in units, and some use the portable place-on-the-hatch units. I would only use it while connected at the dock.
The portable units are much cheaper, and no installation headaches. Anyone with the portable units wish they had gone with built-in A/C?

Thanks,
Bob Gruber
Island Time 32

Re: Air Conditioning

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 4:10 pm
by SecondWind
I have an old portable Cruisair that I'll let go cheap. In Punta Gorda. It isn't perfect but it works. Send me a P.M.

Re: Air Conditioning

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 11:23 pm
by Allezcat
Bob,

We used a Cruisair to cool our PDQ36. While it would not cool the entire boat it would do an adequate job of cooling just a stateroom or just the salon. I liked the simplicity of the unit and the fact I could even use it at anchor with the Honda EU2000i generator. I did not like having to lug it around and on/off the boat.

Chet

Re: Air Conditioning

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 11:35 pm
by thinwater
The cruise-n-carry unit has limitations. It's loud, cools unevenly, and is a pain on-deck. It really snags lines.

But when it's stinking hot and humid, it does the job. Anything you can do to reduce the cooling load (window covers, sun shades, sealing) helps.

http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2009/ ... it-on.html

Re: Air Conditioning

Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:09 am
by sailjumanji
Hi Bob, I have a Seawind 1000 and used the Cruisair hatch model for many years. It was one of the newer 7000 btu models. It was installed in hatch midships and cooled the port hull of the Seawind adequately, from bow thru to the bathroom in the stern. Although most times it ran on dock power, I also think we used a friend's Honda 1000 to run it as well (but I would have to confirm that). The portable unit was fairly heavy/clunky to move around, and when not in use took up a lot of space stored in the cockpit. (I really could not leave it on the hatch while away, as the cloth hatch cover blows around in a storm, and allows rainwater to get in. Wet bed!) But otherwise, they are well built units, specific for marine, and you see a lot of them for use for years. I purchased mine used when about two years old for ~$550, and sold it four years later to a happy soul for $450.

I eventually did install permanent ac in the owners hull - a Dometic Turbo unit (8,000 btu). It is great, always ready, has a humidity function that keeps everything fresh by coming on intermittently. The downside is cost, plus the installation was a challenge trying to run ductwork. My boat did not have shorepower, so installed that in the process as well. By the time I was done, I think the total cost was about three times the cost of the Dometic unit. Put a sharp pencil to it beforehand, and don't forget the ductwork, vents, starboard, circulating pump, strainer and plumbing parts, etc.

Finally, some friends have opted for the cheap (<$100) window units installed in either a large hatch, or a companionway door. Same btu, but much less investment. Eventually they rust, but here in brackish Clear Lake and Galveston Bay they are getting about three years before rusting. Something else to consider.

Re: Air Conditioning

Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 5:30 pm
by 36041
bg5w,

We've been living on board 36041 since 2000 and have tried virtually every conceivable way to utilize air conditioning. We've had the drop in hatch units (2 x 7,000 btu), a free standing, self evaporating, house hold unit (12,000 btu) , a standard house window unit(9,000 btu), an older style, (12,000 btu) marine reverse cycle setup and now finally 2 modern Dometic marine AC units (12,000 and 9,500).

In my opinion, if you're going to be using them regularly and can afford the expense, save yourself the head ache and get two new, smaller units and be done with it. 21,500 btu is a bit overkill for our 36, but I suspect a 9,500 and a 5,500 would easily cool a 32. I'm not familiar with the inside layout of the 32, but maybe a single 16,500 or possibly a 12,500 would fit somewhere inside on your boat.

Of course having said that, if you decide to go with a marine air installation, once you decide on the unit you'd like, call the manufacturer and talk to them. I did so with our last install and not only did they talk me out of putting a single 22,000 btu unit on board (apparently bad for the large inside volume of cats), they also gave me a "huge" price break buying direct, not to mention some invaluable technical assistance.

Just my two cents worth. Good luck.

Tom
www.tendervittles.net
36041

Re: Air Conditioning

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 8:25 pm
by Kitehawaii
Hi,
I have a central AC system in my PDQ 36 that I would like to sell. The boat is located the Stuart area. I have some photos of the unit if you are interested. I also have the original manual and invoices from the installer.

Kevin