Air Conditioning for the TomCat

Mike...":2oj9d7l1 said:
If only there was a TomCat 29. :)
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There is, or was, a 30' ChillKat built in Juneau that was the original Tom Cat. It appears the builder, Blackfeather, is no longer in business. Another option is the 32' SeaSport cat, and I understand only one of those has been built.

Warren
 
Doryman":khhk736c said:
Mike...":khhk736c said:
If only there was a TomCat 29. :)
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There is, or was, a 30' ChillKat built in Juneau that was the original Tom Cat. It appears the builder, Blackfeather, is no longer in business. Another option is the 32' SeaSport cat, and I understand only one of those has been built.
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I have seen the Seasport Pacific 3200 on their site. It looks very nice. Who knows. Might be my next boat. :)

They have definitely built more than one of these; there are quite a few for sale now on the web.
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mike
 
Mike,

If you didn't mind the cabin door opening only about 90 degrees and not the total the 180 degrees, you could put an A/C unit out in the cockpit, under the aft Port back cabin window and build a raised top surface on the inside cabinet to allow a cold air duct function into the cabin. i.e., cut out the top of the aft dinette cabinet and re-install it 3-4 inches higher with an opening in the newly created space so you can run the cold air duct from the A/C unit through that. Then cut grill opening either in that cabinet door below or into the cabinet frame below that for the return air to be sucked back into the A/C unit.

Depending upon the unit, maybe you could run a small window A/C unit mounted under the current Port aft cabin window so that it's top cold air output air blew through the cabinet back into the cabin and then allow the cabinet itself to act like a "Hollywood return", where the cabinet walls act as the return duct and you put return air vent openings into the cabinet door or frame.

You might be able to find a window unit that could sit partially inside that cabinet and still be blowing the hot air off the coils out the back and the cold air though a small vent custom sized to fit the output vent on the window unit. Then you'd use the rest of the cabinet as a cabin return air duct.

Of course, this would blow loud, hot air into the cockpit!!!

Maybe a portable A/C unit could be found where you could run that exhaust out the port wall of the cabinet or thru a right angle duct exit cowling.

As I have mentioned earlier, though, you could just set a portable unit atop the aft dinette cabinet and run the input/output hoses through the window or 3 inch ports in the sidewall or aft cabin wall.

John
 
There are a number of the SeaSport 32's. I saw 3 last summer in Alaska. Two were being used daily for charter fishing. The Chilcat 30 was made in a cruising model--and I was aboard it also. But neither of these are practically trailerable. So there are trade offs.
 
thataway":1naox448 said:
There are a number of the SeaSport 32's. I saw 3 last summer in Alaska. Two were being used daily for charter fishing. The Chilcat 30 was made in a cruising model--and I was aboard it also. But neither of these are practically trailerable. So there are trade offs.
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Hello Dr. Bob.
How did you like the SeaSport 32? I am just curious.

I looked for more info on the Chilcat, but could not find any.
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mike
 
drjohn71a":3b0euia5 said:
Of course, this would blow loud, hot air into the cockpit!!!
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Not any more loud than the generator. Still, this would be closer to head level.

drjohn71a":3b0euia5 said:
As I have mentioned earlier, though, you could just set a portable unit atop the aft dinette cabinet and run the input/output hoses through the window or 3 inch ports in the sidewall or aft cabin wall.
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Or out through the roof maybe. I keep pondering the Portable atop the galley idea. It has merit.

Did I mention that the Admiral wants me to rip out the galley in favor of more seating/berthing? :shock:
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mike
 
Mike,

The generator is in a box, set below the aft transom so most of what noise there is is reflected behind the boat. It is not very loud in the cockpit. Hondas are very quiet without any baffling, but even quieter with that big door deflecting the exhaust and I have 1/2 inch felt pads as cushions and sound absorbers inside the aluminum box.

You can easily listen to the radio or visit in your normal voice while it is running. There is absolutely NO hot air blown into the cockpit, especially while at anchor. The hot air from the genset is deflected aft over the water, not up and over the transom into the cockpit.

It is less vibration and quieter than two of my dockmates' water cooled gensets, but I do hear the neighbor's exhaust more than my own when I'm on my boat.

You ought to go to a Honda dealer and run one of their gensets to hear the low noise level.
John
 
The seasport Pacific 32 cat is a well built and designed boat. If I wanted an in the water cat, of that size, it would be fairly high on my list.
 
Mike,

I guess you know that, originally, C-Dory made a 22 footer with benches Port and Starboard. One model had a sunken galley sink/stove UNDER the sofa cushion.

Also, someone on this site has lowered the galley on their 22 footer and placed a cushion over that. So, it is possible to do that.

I rarely use my Wallas stove in the summer. I do use it when temps are freezing or below, so I'd not want to totally eliminate it. However, any cooking in the cabin in the Spring and Summer months heats up the cabin to an uncomfortable level.

Also, the longer cats, to my experience are not as nimble and short turning as the shorter TomCat, so there are trade offs to longer hulls.

Keep on brainstorming! John
 
drjohn71a":c0thxe2v said:
I guess you know that, originally, C-Dory made a 22 footer with benches Port and Starboard. One model had a sunken galley sink/stove UNDER the sofa cushion.

Also, someone on this site has lowered the galley on their 22 footer and placed a cushion over that. So, it is possible to do that.
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I didn't know about either!

By the way, I don't have a Wallas. I have the other thing that we will never use. The sink will be useful, though. I'll have to look for pictures to see if I can find how the sink under the cushion works out.

In the end, it isn't my preference to change the galley, but the Admiral out ranks me. :)
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mike
 
Mike,

There is a thread on a sofa conversion of the dinette in a 22 C-Dory here:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t= ... ken+galley

This would add a lot of seating and bedding to a TomCat also.

Follow all the links and you'll see the double bed conversion of tfhe dinette to which I was earlier referring.

I had actually considered mounting a portable A/C unit in the head on a track that could allow it to be slid forward over the stove when someone needed to use the head.

John
 
drjohn71a":wu2u1slk said:
Mike,
There is a thread on a sofa conversion of the dinette in a 22 C-Dory here:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t= ... ken+galley

This would add a lot of seating and bedding to a TomCat also.
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That's interesting. If only I could find a faucet that retracts down into the cabinet when a cushion needs to be atop the sink. Hmm.

drjohn71a":wu2u1slk said:
I had actually considered mounting a portable A/C unit in the head on a track that could allow it to be slid forward over the stove when someone needed to use the head.
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That's a neat idea. So, you would vent the unit through a flexible hose out the side or top?
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mike
 
Mike...":2z51kzj0 said:
drjohn71a":2z51kzj0 said:
Mike,
There is a thread on a sofa conversion of the dinette in a 22 C-Dory here:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t= ... ken+galley

This would add a lot of seating and bedding to a TomCat also.
Click to expand...
That's interesting. If only I could find a faucet that retracts down into the cabinet when a cushion needs to be atop the sink. Hmm.

drjohn71a":2z51kzj0 said:
I had actually considered mounting a portable A/C unit in the head on a track that could allow it to be slid forward over the stove when someone needed to use the head.
Click to expand...
That's a neat idea. So, you would vent the unit through a flexible hose out the side or top?
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mike
Click to expand...

As long as we're conjecturing...............

How about a sink with a faucet that turns into a bidet that converts to a seat with a cushion along side the head that makes into a two-seater/love-seat or a bed with another cushion, and an air conditioner overhead to keep you cool? (Sorry, couldn't resist!) :lol:

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Mike,

Much like the shower faucet box in the head with a flush cover, they make sunken faucet boxes for use on the outside of boats and camper trailers. I suppose a faucet with an extendable hose would work.

Relating to air hoses for portable a/c units, I like the De Longhi with both intake and exhaust hoses since there is definitely no need for draining or secondary openings, BUT, if you had the unit in or near the shower compartment, there is a drain in the floor there so a short tube could run the condensate down there.

The provided 3 inch hoses are about 3 foot long, extendable to 6 foot long and one or both should fit into the head window. Note that those old fashioned flexible air scoop type vents (like miniatures of the old cruise ship vents) are available in 3 inch diameters.

I initially built a tight fitting plastic window replacement for my bow window vent tube, but now just pack a towel around the two 3 inch vents when they are sticking out the forward berth window to Port.

Most portable a/c units with a single hose have a condensate drain, but are cheaper anyway. The single hose would easily point out the window. If you wanted a more permanent exhaust opening, those pre-made vent systems of any good brand name should do the job.

Again, my thought it that I rarely use the stove in the cabin in the summer, so that is dead space, and I would not mind sliding the a/c unit forward to use the head either. So, either space could be put to better use.

Mike, you are definitely making us all use our noodles here!

ps, I have some old school bus seats in my barn...

John
 
Reviving this thread to say that I am very grumpy on a Saturday morning!

I decided to move ahead with the Carrier AirV install, and guess what?

Carrier has discontinued all AirV models! Apparently they have gotten out of the RV air business.

So, now I need to take a look at the alternatives. :(
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grumpy mike
 
Discovery":3alvic3b said:
Even though it's discontinued I bet you can still buy one.
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Yeah, but when it fails, I'll have a hard time getting it fixed. And, the hole in the roof may not be the right size to easily switch to another unit.

I think the Coleman Polar Mach is the way to go now. I'm going to order one up tomorrow.
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mike
 
*
We just completed the installation of a water cooled
Dometic/Cruiseair STQ8-410A (110V, 8000BTU) Heat Pump.In the cooling mode it is rated at 5.5 FLA (full load amps)

I have posted pictures on Lady KC of this installation on the floor of the port side hanging locker.

I still have to test this a/c operation one day while we are
sitting at the dock.....by operating it off of our inverter
using our 3 - Lifeline AGM (absorbed glass)
Marine House Batteries. Initial indications from the
Xantrex control panel is that under compressor operation, water pump pumping water and set to the highest fan speed,
the panel LED lights show that it is pulling 50--70 DC amps.

My initial thoughts it that it should operate for several hours in this mode while at anchor, but we will need to do some more serious ohms law calculations.

*
 
Very nice looking installation. What size are your batteries? You want to be cautious about not pulling them below 12.2 volts. We ran a 5000 BTU unit in an express cruiser off 4 golf cart batteries--and it pulled a little over 50 amps. That gave us about 4 hours of good air conditioning run time. Generally we would cool the boat down and then shut the unit off.

Of course then you have to recharge the batteries--If you run enough the charging system of the outboards will do the job. It looks as if you have Honda 135's--I believe somewhere between 35 and 40 amps charging per engine.

Will this AC unit run on the Honda i 2000 EU generator?
 
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