AC / Heat ???

jmbbop · 04-11-2006, 06:23 PM

I'm new to boating, and looking for a 26-27' Sea Ray / Rinker with the arch

Have found many, but none w/ AC/Heat

Is AC/Heat really needed?
Anyone know what it cost to put it in after?

Any advise would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Silver Duck · 04-11-2006, 06:39 PM

Hi jmbbop

It depends on how you will be using the boat. If, like my wife and I, you want to spend every weekend aboard it, I wouldn't even recommend considering a cruiser without AC. (In most cases, the AC is a recerse-cycle heat pump, so you get heat as part of the package).

If it will be primarily a day boat with an occasional sleepover, AC isn't quite as necessary.

As for retrofitting an AC, there are carry-on units that work well (if you have a strong back). You can have a marine AC installed, but it is a lot of work to do it right unless the air ducts are already in place. It would cost several thousand dollars to do that by the time you were done.

Silver Duck

tmm366 · 04-11-2006, 06:40 PM

I personally have never seen AC in a 26 ft boat. I'm sure you could install it but it would be expensive and would require a generator to use it out on the lake. Without the generator it could only be used with shorepower. I currently own a boat with AC and a generator and believe me it's great but we live on the boat all summer. If you're just doing day boating I don't think the cost is worth it. JMHO

Lakewinniboater · 04-13-2006, 08:49 AM

To be honest.... i never needed AC in my 28ft Larson! A fan occassionally did the trick. Heat would have been nice... but a space heater was sufficient.

You can buy a portable A/C that goes on top of the hatch on the bow if you really feel the need.

jmbbop · 04-15-2006, 08:13 PM

Thanks to all for the advise, I put a deposit down on a boat this afternoon.

With AC thank god

Happy boating

NightWing · 04-20-2006, 02:48 PM

I had a 25' Sea Ray Sundancer that I ordered with cockpit heat from the factory. It was basically like the heating system in your car, circulating hot water from the engine, only the cooling system for the engine used raw water from the lake and the thermostat was around 160*.

It worked OK to take the chill off in the spring and fall, as long as the canvas was up during cruising. Of course, they don't advise running any boat with the canvas on because of the potential for fumes to enter the boat. One problem is that the heater didn't put out much heat when running slow, since not much water was circulating.

That being said, I liked having that extra bit of warmth near the helm. The downside was that the heater core was buried in the hull, with access through the mid cabin. Part of the wall covering had to be removed and the opening to service the core was very difficult to work in. When would it need service? When it rotted through and leaked, silently filling the mid cabin and forward living space with water. I went through that three times. The first time was when the boat was a couple of years old. There had been a problem with bad cores, and Sea Ray replaced it. The second time was when the first repairman got the screws for the wall covering mixed up and a long screw was driven into one of the hoses connected to the core. The dealer repaired that and took care of sucking the water out and cleaning the carpets and mattresses. The next failure was due to freeze damage when the marina did not drain and blow out the core when doing winter service. At that point, I removed the core and bypassed the hoses. No more heat. I contacted the company that made the core and they sent me a brand new one. I never used it. I just didn't want to take the chance of flooding again. I sold the boat a couple of years ago, but I still have the new heater core.

04-11-2006, 06:23 PM	#1
jmbbop Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	AC / Heat ??? I'm new to boating, and looking for a 26-27' Sea Ray / Rinker with the arch Have found many, but none w/ AC/Heat Is AC/Heat really needed? Anyone know what it cost to put it in after? Any advise would be greatly appreciated Thanks

04-13-2006, 08:49 AM	#4
Lakewinniboater Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Westford, MA and Alton Bay, NH Posts: 225 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	a/c To be honest.... i never needed AC in my 28ft Larson! A fan occassionally did the trick. Heat would have been nice... but a space heater was sufficient. You can buy a portable A/C that goes on top of the hatch on the bow if you really feel the need. __________________ Wendy "Wasn't Me!"

04-15-2006, 08:13 PM	#5
jmbbop Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the advise Thanks to all for the advise, I put a deposit down on a boat this afternoon. With AC thank god Happy boating

04-11-2006, 06:39 PM	#2
Silver Duck Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Billerica, MA Posts: 364 Thanks: 40 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Hi jmbbop It depends on how you will be using the boat. If, like my wife and I, you want to spend every weekend aboard it, I wouldn't even recommend considering a cruiser without AC. (In most cases, the AC is a recerse-cycle heat pump, so you get heat as part of the package). If it will be primarily a day boat with an occasional sleepover, AC isn't quite as necessary. As for retrofitting an AC, there are carry-on units that work well (if you have a strong back). You can have a marine AC installed, but it is a lot of work to do it right unless the air ducts are already in place. It would cost several thousand dollars to do that by the time you were done. Silver Duck

04-11-2006, 06:40 PM	#3
tmm366 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Laconia, nh Posts: 31 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I personally have never seen AC in a 26 ft boat. I'm sure you could install it but it would be expensive and would require a generator to use it out on the lake. Without the generator it could only be used with shorepower. I currently own a boat with AC and a generator and believe me it's great but we live on the boat all summer. If you're just doing day boating I don't think the cost is worth it. JMHO

04-20-2006, 02:48 PM	#6
NightWing Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 410 Thanks: 4 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	I had a 25' Sea Ray Sundancer that I ordered with cockpit heat from the factory. It was basically like the heating system in your car, circulating hot water from the engine, only the cooling system for the engine used raw water from the lake and the thermostat was around 160*. It worked OK to take the chill off in the spring and fall, as long as the canvas was up during cruising. Of course, they don't advise running any boat with the canvas on because of the potential for fumes to enter the boat. One problem is that the heater didn't put out much heat when running slow, since not much water was circulating. That being said, I liked having that extra bit of warmth near the helm. The downside was that the heater core was buried in the hull, with access through the mid cabin. Part of the wall covering had to be removed and the opening to service the core was very difficult to work in. When would it need service? When it rotted through and leaked, silently filling the mid cabin and forward living space with water. I went through that three times. The first time was when the boat was a couple of years old. There had been a problem with bad cores, and Sea Ray replaced it. The second time was when the first repairman got the screws for the wall covering mixed up and a long screw was driven into one of the hoses connected to the core. The dealer repaired that and took care of sucking the water out and cleaning the carpets and mattresses. The next failure was due to freeze damage when the marina did not drain and blow out the core when doing winter service. At that point, I removed the core and bypassed the hoses. No more heat. I contacted the company that made the core and they sent me a brand new one. I never used it. I just didn't want to take the chance of flooding again. I sold the boat a couple of years ago, but I still have the new heater core.