adding A/C to a 1993 22' Seafarer

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tpd

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i just purchased a 1993 22 Seafarer I want to add A/C is there anyone that has done this to their model?
 
Not a small job to make it built-in. Requires a generator (MANY safety issues with this that need to be addressed)... lot's of wiring (marine wiring is not cheap)... A/C system itself is not cheap. Could end up costing as much, or more, than the worth of the boat. For the safest use, it should be a built-in genny - but you won't have the room for it. A portable unit carries with it many inherent risks that a built-in does not. Plus, there's really no good place to run the genny on a small boat. This would NOT be a job for the average Joe - one wrong step that's missed and people die.

How/where do you want to use it? Only in a slip? Then get a portable unit like a CruisAir carryon.
 
The unit would be for overnight not just mooring at a Marina. I have seen the built in in a 22' almermarle
from a friend of mine and he powers it with a honda eu 2000. Works great! I was thinking of the dead space in the floor between the tank and the bulkhead, and wiring and mounting generator in rear in transom area.
The units are really compact and the duct kits seam to be really easy to install. I doing a lot of research before I pull the trigger. I am a safety buff so no worries on a safe install!! Thanks for feedback
 
TPD, read through the post I made in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21825&p=133807&hilit=generator#p133807 I can't take credit for the bulk of the information in it, but I can tell you that the person who wrote the info (that I simply copied and pasted) is EXTREMELY knowledgeable about anything boat related - puts me to shame!

One thing I'll add... keep in mind where you are putting the genny has a decent chance of blowing the CO back into the cabin. An installed genny will typically have the exhaust exiting the side of the boat. As such, the wind will blow the exhaust away (since an anchored boat always points into the wind). Having a portable one back at the transom could invite the "station wagon" effect to happen and pull the CO right back into the cabin.

Also, you're going to want to mount the A/C unit in a dry area with a good supply of fresh air. A damp area is bad for the machine (corrosion) and for you.

I'm not directing this statement specifically at you, but just offering it as something to think about in regards to portable genny's and the "it worked great" mindset... How about this statement: "I drove without my seatbelt the other day and I was totally fine. Since nothing happened that time, I will continue to not wear my seatbelt since I'm sure nothing will happen in the future".
 
i thought i saw a small 12volt by dometic. you might want to look into that. a dedicated battery would probably weight about as much as the genset, but be a lot safer. good luck, ron
 
A good 12V fan, or two, does wonders. We had a 28' Sea Ray for about 6 seasons that didn't have A/C. Contemplated adding it, but even on hot nights, the fans kept proving to be enough. Never installed the A/C.
 
Oh, something else to think about - and it just dawned on me that you are planning the install in the same area as a gas tank. That may not even be allowed. Typically, if electrical things are to be installed in a gasoline bilge they need to ignition protected. Now, I usually deal with sterndrives and inboards so there's also an engine involved - but I would "assume" (for whatever that's worth) that this safety requirement holds true for a built-in gas tank compartment, too. The A/C unit, for sure, isn't ignition protected - which is why I've never seen one mounted in a bilge (and I get a chance to see A LOT of boats).
 
Finest Kind said:
WHY would anyone want to overnight on a 22 Grady? :huh LOL!
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Well Finest, That is the length of boat owned and enjoyed. We do a lot of boat camping on our 208 and may I suggest, the boat length has very little to do with the enjoyment level. Yes bigger would no doubt give a little more comfort, but in our case we enjoy being the 208 owners not the bank. May we all enjoy the summer ahead spending time in and around our floats. Cheers, trapper
 
trapper said:
Finest Kind said:
WHY would anyone want to overnight on a 22 Grady? :huh LOL!
Click to expand...
Well Finest, That is the length of boat owned and enjoyed. We do a lot of boat camping on our 208 and may I suggest, the boat length has very little to do with the enjoyment level. Yes bigger would no doubt give a little more comfort, but in our case we enjoy being the 208 owners not the bank. May we all enjoy the summer ahead spending time in and around our floats. Cheers, trapper
Click to expand...


Didnt mean my comment to come off nasty, it's just that I TRIED over-nighting on my 25 Trophy Pro with my then 12 year old son a long time ago, and swore I'd never do THAT again. Being 6'2" and 250 lbs, it's just not comfortable at all for me...

I believe my Grady is best used as a day trip FISHING BOAT. Overnighting on anything less than my buddy's 40 foot Viking is just not for me, but if you and your family enjoy roughing it, ENJOY!
 
My wife and I spent many nights aboard our Overnighter and older Seafarer. I don't recall ever getting much sleep though. Too confined, wet, and noisy from hull slap at anchor or at a mooring. Don't think that AC would have helped much.

I can't envision where you could mount a Honda 2000 near the stern of an older Seafarer. Down on the deck would be dangerous as noted above.
 
I have overnighted on the lake and during a cruise up the mighty St. John's River. I did it with 5 people. My kids were much smaller then. I go backpacking and my backpack tent is much smaller than my cabin. So for me doing a lite boat camping can be fun. It is not 40 ft Viking with a salon and state rooms, but the cabin on the 228 is ok for a weekend boat trip.

I vote for 12 volt fans. Give that a whirl. I have camped in the late spring and early summer and without fans I slept pretty comfortable. The cabin stayed comparatively cool versus the outside air.
 
SmokyMtnGrady said:
I vote for 12 volt fans. Give that a whirl. I have camped in the late spring and early summer and without fans I slept pretty comfortable. The cabin stayed comparatively cool versus the outside air.
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I agree, I mounted a 12v oscillating fan in the cabin of my Overnighter so if the summer heat gets the better of my wife she could take a nap in the cabin under the fan. If I were to camp overnight it'd probably be in the spring or fall. Despite my boats model name being the Overnighter it's realistically more of a Grady White Napper. I couldn't see two people sleeping comfortably in the cabin.
As for A/C, for all the expense and bother installing it would you really use it enough to justify it?
I'd get some early and late season overnight trips in first to see if its really something you want to do.
Also if you run a generator on the boat deck you'd better have a good working CO detector. That hull is gonna hold that carbon monoxide like a bowl.
Mike.
 
Thanks for all of the replies! To answer some of the comments we are in south Louisiana
and we have a few islands left believe it or not and we anchor behind the islands and do a lot of night fishing
along with gigging flounders.
I appreciate all of the comments, but
we are just in the stages of gathering some info if anyone had installed
a a/c unit in the model Grady!
 
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