Need more A/C

[Just Limin']

We've just moved from Maryland to Florida. We took our first cruise on our Ranger 25 SC to Boca Grande, Gasparilla Island ( it's just fun saying that) It was hot! The AC unit just wasn't keeping up. Especially with the limited vents and no real vent in the V berth. Suggestions? Can't afford to stay in a hotel room too often and with building a new home, there's no way the admiral would agree to a bigger boat..

Thanks

The Eggert's
Just Limin'

 

[CAPTCRUNCH]

Maybe a drop-in-through-the-hatch unit?

 

[Boatdreamer]

Hi Just Limin:
We have a 2012 R27 with two very small vents on either side of the helm seats. Living in south Florida we couldn't even begin to cool Gratitude on a hot day. We needed to do something to make the the A/C work so here's what we did. We added a third vent under the microwave by running a "T" off the port side vent. We also had the windows tinted with 13% tint. We just did two weeks in the Bahamas and our mods seemed to work very well. The only issue we still have is the A/C unit will shut down if we run over 8 knots. I think the A/C water pump is too small and this has been an ongoing issue since we bought the boat. I know that Ranger Tugs started installing a larger pump in the later model boats and that seem to solve that problem. At the dock we are very happy, but underway we aren't. Maybe it's time I give Andrew a call and see what he has to say.

Tim and Donna
Gratitude

 

[knotflying]

We cover all the hatches with windshield reflectors that I cut to fit above the screens. Keeping the sun out helps. I also had my pump switched out to double the volume and that helped. Recently I had my unit serviced and they replaced the coolant with R-22 and that made a difference as well. With all that, my experience has been that in very hot weather, say 85 and above, I can achieve a 10 degree differential. However, the humidity is reduced greatly and that makes the difference as well.

 

[captstu]

Tim and Donna,

The Shearwater also experienced a shutdown, for us the generator, when running over about 8 knots. Looking into the engine uncovered two tiny pump protectors, one for the engine and one for the generator. Both used 5/8" hose resulting in a reduction from the 3/4" entry thru hull and ball valve.

The are around the reduction served as an unintentional pre-protector, trapping crap before it could get into the protector where I could clean it every few days.

I replaced the tiny pump protector and inlet hose with a 3/4" hose and larger screen. This should improve the flow and hopefully end the shut down.

I also removed the externals screen on the generator since that acts to restrict inlet flow at speeds above about 5 knots.

/Stu