Auckland Boat Projects 2

March 13, 2021

And another of the five major Auckland projects is done: Air conditioner installed!

    1. New Galley Counter
    2. Install an Air Conditioner
    3. Repair Dry Rot in Head Bulkhead
    4. Install Lithium Batteries
    5. Replace Transmission Damper Plate

We plan to head to Indonesia when Covid permits and we’re worried about the heat, in that we don’t handle it well. We’re thinking that if we can get cool (or at least cooler) for an hour a day, it might make it manageable for us. This MarinAire 6K BTU unit will draw about 45 amps when run from our inverter and we think we can handle that load for an hour or so a day, or more on intensely sunny days or when we make a long run under power.

Here’s the unit we bought – from Coastal Climate Control in the US.

The reason item #4 is on our to-do list is to supply this unit with power. We also installed a new Dometic 1600 watt, 230 volt inverter to run the aircon from batteries. If we’re at a marina, since the unit is 230 volts, we can just plug in and run it all day.

Fitting everything in was a challenge. The project required several shoehorns!

Here’s the unit installed in its new home under the galley counter.
We printed the vents on our 3D printer. We can aim one vent at me and one at Cyndi when we’re lying in bed.
Remind me to speak to HR about the working conditions on this boat!

Update: July 23, 2021

Covid-19 has postponed our cruise to Indonesia (the reason for the air con install) but we have found a use for the air conditioner that we hadn’t anticipated – it’s our new heater! As a heater, it’s great (when we’re plugged into shore power which is most of the time these days).  It keeps the boat at a wonderfully constant temperature and is actually quieter than our little space heater (which we gave away).

We’re also using it in dehumidify mode when we’re away from the boat to dry things out and that is really helping with mold and mildew. The reason we only use it that way when we’re away for a few hours is that it makes the boat really cold. When we get home, we switch it to heat mode and in five or ten minutes, the boat is cozy again.

Liked it? Take a second to support TwoAtSea on Patreon!
Become a patron at Patreon!