Med Airconditioning Yes or No?

[Pinnacle]

Jimmy

How difficult would it be when the boat is next out of the water for routine work, to add an underwater outlet with seacock? Is the pipework able to accommodate such a change of position? Then you could just take off the scupper and fill in the hole.

 

[DavidJ]

With a 37 ft (S37) boat in the Med I am mostly alongside folk without a/c, I fixed up an outlet diverter valve and a second outlet to the other side (utilising a separate second sink outlet and joining both sink outlets together into one)
Generally one or the other side is away but occasionally I have to choose who gets it! I won't reveal my selection criteria!!

We are in the north Med and find that one unit in the saloon of 9000 Btu's is ok (The Sealine Med spec is for two 7000 units) and we just keep the bedroom door open.

 

[Nigelpickin]

Jimmy

How difficult would it be when the boat is next out of the water for routine work, to add an underwater outlet with seacock? Is the pipework able to accommodate such a change of position? Then you could just take off the scupper and fill in the hole.

I'm probably not going to get this right but when I asked the service engineer who came out to look at my chilled water unit he said that the system was set up to be self draining and as such the water from the outlet all the way down to the inlet needed to be in the correct descending order so that the system drains properly when you lift the boat.

Having said that the discharge from my unit is near the water line and I would say that the noise is not intrusive even at close quarters.
And re the OP, yes...I wouldn't be without it in Falmouth let alone the Med!

 

[Nick_H]

Answering my own question, perhaps - is it 'scupper'?

A hose (or maybe even just a hole) that allows water to drain from an otherwise enclosed cockpit is called a scupper, so I don't think it just refers to the external fitting, although it may be called a scupper fitting or scupper outlet or suchlike

 

[MapisM]

could we get away with a good Fan or is Aircon essential, staying 3 to 4 weeks onboard at a Time.

Define get away/essential.
In the last years, I spent more time onboard than at home, and I turned on the AC very, very rarely.
Maybe 5 or 6 times this summer, which wasn't very hot on average, but I don't think I ever used it more than a dozen of times per season, also in the past.
Otoh, the last time I turned it on was just a few days ago, before going to sleep...!
So, yes, there will be occasions in which you won't regret the money spent.
But I wouldn't say it's absolutely essential. Even pleasure boating as a whole isn't, arguably...

 

[MapisM]

Is there some reason why they install the raw water outlet above the waterline? Is it just to avoid another seacock or something?

I would think it has more to see with avoiding backpressure on the raw water pump, but I agree that a more silent solution is desirable.
My outlet is on the stern, well above w/l, and in a few occasions, coming back onboard after a very late dinner, I would have turned it on for a while but I didn't, because an aft cabin boat was moored just next to it...

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Define get away/essential.
In the last years, I spent more time onboard than at home, and I turned on the AC very, very rarely.

Yes Mapism, you are Italian and therefore accustomed to the heat. We, on the other hand, are northern Europeans for whom any temperature above 20degC is considered a heatwave! Apart from that most of us have got 2 bloody great big lumps of metal in our engine bays radiating heat for many hours even after they're switched off. I haven't used my aircon this year as much as previous years because as we know it's been a lousy year weatherwise in the Med this year but I still wouldn't be without it

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

The water discharge should be discharged under the w/line, then it is silent

I agree in principle but it is useful to be able to see the discharge from the seawater pump to check its operation. Once on our boat a few years ago, we had a couple of days when the aircon kept shutting down for no apparent reason. I could hear the discharge from the seawater pump overboard but it wasn't until I actually looked at the discharge that I realised that the flow was significantly diminished. Sure enough when I (carefully!) removed the inlet pipe from the seacock, I found that there was hardly any flow through the seacock and it turned out that there was weed blocking the intake grille. Had the boat been fitted with an underwater discharge, I probably wouldn't have sussed the problem

 

[Hurricane]

I agree in principle but it is useful to be able to see the discharge from the seawater pump to check its operation. Once on our boat a few years ago, we had a couple of days when the aircon kept shutting down for no apparent reason. I could hear the discharge from the seawater pump overboard but it wasn't until I actually looked at the discharge that I realised that the flow was significantly diminished. Sure enough when I (carefully!) removed the inlet pipe from the seacock, I found that there was hardly any flow through the seacock and it turned out that there was weed blocking the intake grille. Had the boat been fitted with an underwater discharge, I probably wouldn't have sussed the problem

Another symptom of a bag over the inlet (with Cruisair Units anyway) is that they "drop out" on HP on the inside controllers.
With a small bag (or partial blockage) only some of the A/C units will operate but not all at the same time.
Just an observation that happens to us and may be useful to people reading this.

 

[DougH]

I'd struggle without a/c in the Med. We use it most afternoons, but not overnight. On the "considerate" thing I'm constantly amazed how many a/c systems are installed with the seawater discharge above the w/line, so making a noise in the marina. The water discharge should be discharged under the w/line, then it is silent

100% agreement.

The manufacturers that install water outlets above the water line should be forced to sleep next to a boat that has this type of outlet.

What is even more annoying is owners who leave the air con running when not on board. In a peaceful marina the racket of running water drives me crazy because I like to sleep with the port holes open.

FAIRLINE ARE THE WORST.

Naturally Sunseeker are the best with underwater outlets.

 

[jfm]

FAIRLINE ARE THE WORST.

You may be correct DougH across the model range in general - I have not checked - but that comment doesn't apply to allthe models. Of the 2 models I know very well, Fairline have done it well: the standard build of the Squadron 78 has midships under water discharge and the classic 58 discharged into the semi underwater engine exhaust chute which created a silent discharge.

 

[wakeup]

You may be correct DougH across the model range in general - I have not checked - but that comment doesn't apply to allthe models. Of the 2 models I know very well, Fairline have done it well: the standard build of the Squadron 78 has midships under water discharge and the classic 58 discharged into the semi underwater engine exhaust chute which created a silent discharge.

I am very sure that the Fairline Targa 50 is the same as the Squaddie 58 in this respect from what I remember from being on one only a few weeks ago.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

What is even more annoying is owners who leave the air con running when not on board. In a peaceful marina the racket of running water drives me crazy because I like to sleep with the port holes open.

Oh bugger, guilty as charged, your honour! I tend to leave the a/c running when we go out to dinner. I promise I won't park next to any SS Manhattans in the future just in case

 

[jfm]

Oh bugger, guilty as charged, your honour! I tend to leave the a/c running when we go out to dinner. I promise I won't park next to any SS Manhattans in the future just in case

Your a/c discharge is properly noisy Mike! Sounds like it is 1m above the w/line, and nicely aft so as to line up with your neighbour's aft deck dining table

 

[DougH]

Oh bugger, guilty as charged, your honour! I tend to leave the a/c running when we go out to dinner. I promise I won't park next to any SS Manhattans in the future just in case

Now I feel like a grumpy old f**t.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Your a/c discharge is properly noisy Mike! Sounds like it is 1m above the w/line, and nicely aft so as to line up with your neighbour's aft deck dining table

Yup guilty again, jfm! The discharge on this particular Ferretti seems purpose designed to be as annoyingly dribbly and splashy as possible. Its on my winter jobs list to do something about it

 

[wakeup]

Your a/c discharge is properly noisy Mike! Sounds like it is 1m above the w/line, and nicely aft so as to line up with your neighbour's aft deck dining table

Isn't that what those soft wooden bungs are for in the swinderly, just lean over the side and bang one into your neighbours ac outlet and all goes quiet

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Isn't that what those soft wooden bungs are for in the swinderly, just lean over the side and bang one into your neighbours ac outlet and all goes quiet

Yeah but how do you deal with a neighbour who's got questionable taste in underwater lights and lights his boat up like a '70s disco every night

 

[wakeup]

Yeah but how do you deal with a neighbour who's got questionable taste in underwater lights and lights his boat up like a '70s disco every night

You have to join them Mike because you can't beat em

 

[jfm]

Join 'em

Party weekend coming up. Forecast is sunshine. New SeaBob arrive on board the boat yesterday and is ready to be christened, there is a models meet up on board this Saturday (female models, not Airfix) and I just got one of these for the flybridge http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Music-Act...ec_LightingLEDsStrobes_RL&hash=item53ff238eea

I'll post pictures next week