[C38] spreader droop and AC

Tue May 31 17:42:19 EDT 2011

When I installed an air conditioner on my 38, I used a standard 12k BTU window unit with remote hand control that I converted to marine use with a water cooled condenser.  I mounted the A/C and a small microwave oven in the wasted space of the navigation table foot well.

I mounted the cooling water pump under the quarter berth between the fuel tank and hull.  I tee 'd off of the engine thru-hull and strainer.  I put a water discharge thru-hull just a few inches above the boot stripe so I could see the water discharging from the cockpit for a quick visual check for flow.

Modifying a window air conditioner is very easy.  R-Parts in California will sell you a ready made heat exchanger condenser if you don't want to make your own.  Any air conditioning technician should be able to make the conversion for you if needed.  I wanted to make use of the wasted space under the navigation table and the air conditioning and microwave did that.  I also kept the board under the microwave to hold can foods for pantry storage.

I sold my 38 but I have made several of these A/C conversions in the past and all worked well.  With the conversion like I made, you lose no storage space because the foot well on the 38 is essentially wasted space anyway.  

Tom Troncalli

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Max Soto 
To: Catalina 38 Listserve
Sent: 5/31/2011 3:00:20 PM 
Subject: Re: [C38] spreader droop and AC

Bill and Marci, 
I have a 16000 BTU Marine Air installed forward of the starboard settee, It took the space of the two upper drawers and some space on the hanging locker.   The discharge thru hull is located behind the ac unit on the same locker and the intake thru hull,  500gph March pump and the  strainer are located under starboard settee..

I wouln't recommend a larger unit... For the heat here in Costa Rica, during the day it works great, but at night, when the themp drops a few degrees, the unit keeps cycling a lot...
Will send pics soon.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Max

2011/5/31 Marci Brown <mb at seafor.us>

We had a new, portable (and properly vented) 12,000 BTU AC on our boat when
we lived in Virginia. It didn't cut it! With the lack of boat insulation, I
don't believe anything is going to work short of a permanent 18,000 BTU
heating/AC system.

Marci J. Brown
PO Box 520549, Winthrop, MA 02152 USA
Ph: 757-502-7422 | Email: mb at seafor.us

-----Original Message-----
From: William Knowles [mailto:whk1965 at gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 12:48 PM
To: listserve at catalina38.org
Subject: [C38] spreader droop and AC

Hello all. After a great weekend of sailing I have two questions. First
whenever we sail in wind over about 15 to 20 and the windward shrouds get a
little slack our spreaders droop about 5 degrees I think it may be because
our shrouds are a bit to loose, but would like some input.
Also we took our freestanding ac unit off the boat, it worked ok but took up
a lot of space and was always fighting against itself with the exhaust hose.
We have used window unit into the cockpit on other boats, but very hard to
get in and out. Would like ideas on the porta cool and permanent mount
reverse cycle units. As always thanks in advance for your help. By the way
it was in the nineties on the Chesapeake yesterday.

Bill Flying Goose   324

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-- 
Max Soto
C38 #198 ESTANCIA
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
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