Duct routing

[Lance Jones]

I am not coping too well without the search engine. What is the best side to route air conditioning ducting to get to the aft cabin.

[waterdog]

Where is your cooling unit?  In vberth?

I have heater duct 4" running port side through cabinet (made 1 drawer a little shorter to fit), behind the seat backs up high, under nav desk top in plain view but never seen, through hanging locker, in cavity behind head (pull toilet roll cabinet to work in there) and into aft cabin.  A couple of ours of sweaty work with a hole saw and itchy fiberglass particles. 

[Lance Jones]

Thanks Steve! That's the way I'm cogitating about; but, switching to 3" at the drawers and back to 4" aft of that. Any other ideas?

[Ken Juul]

Not ideal for aft cabin cooling, but works well enough for Virginia heat and humidity.  Our 4" comes down the stbd side under the settee, across to midships under the galley sink and exits in the angled section aft of the water heater door across the isle from the head door.  Use a fan to blow it back into the aft cabin.

[Lance Jones]

Thanks Ken.

[RobertSchuldenfrei]

I am not coping too well without the search engine. What is the best side to route air conditioning ducting to get to the aft cabin.

Stu's suggestion of using Google's site:C34.org duct works well.  For example http://www.c34.org/projects/projects-air-conditioning-2.html It is not perfect, but it is a whole lot better than nothing.  Good luck,  Bob

[Lance Jones]

Thanks for all the input! AC was fired up yesterday and we have been happy ever since!!!

[WTunnessen]

For what its worth for others, I had orginally planned to run duct work to the aft cabin on via duct work running along the port side as some other have done.

However, I have found that its not really necessary.

The 16000 BTU Dometec (Cruiseair) Vector Turbo unit I installed with one big vent in the main salon and a smaller vent in V-breth does an amazingly good job in cooling or heating the entire boat. 

Remarkably, this system cools the entire boat down with just 2 vents. 

This unit works great even on the hottest days here in Maryland, which these days are pretty hot.

The unit has a variable speed air handler, so you an adjust the fan. On really hot days we run the fan on high and it blows cold air all the way back to the aft cabin plus dehumidifies the whole space.

So now I'm thinking, why bother?  Cutting holes thru the bulk heads and glassed compartments is a major task. I'd rather go sailing.

[Lance Jones]

Ours too. BUT!!!!!!!! What happens when you have friends over and the sleep in the aft B and shut the hatch for privacy?

[Ken Juul]

There is no privacy on a 34' boat.  To help circulation we removed all the doors except the the head.  We hang a beach towel on an spring rod if someone really needs a door.

[lazybone]

Me have kids, me like door.

[chuck53]

Our AC unit is in the hanging locker next to the nav station.  It only has one vent to cool the whole boat.  On hot sunny days, the sleeping cabins get warm, but then, we're not in them anyway.  At night, all doors are open even when we have quests.  We can close doors to change clothes but open back up for sleeping.  Not a problem having the one vent.

[WindyT]

Currently routing duct work to the aft cabin - have a new mermaid 16.5k in the port locker! 

Phenomenal tutorial was quite helpful!  Thanks a ton (and would recommend to anyone interested): http://www.c34.org/projects/projects-air-conditioning-2.html

The question before I start whacking away with a jig saw - did anyone else have trouble putting the head cabinet / toilet paper holding thing back in place?  Seems like the space is too small to accommodate the full frame and 4" ductwork. 

[Roc]

You need to push the duct to the bottom of the cavity, or tie it and suspend it to the utmost top of the cavity.  I have two ducts running past that area.  One tied above that leads all the way to the v-berth.  The other pushed all the way down leading to the salon area.  What I did is this.  The toilet paper holder has two square, vertical pieces of wood that the spindle mounts to.  Take the assembly off the door.  With a jig saw, round those so they are elliptical (not square anymore).  Finish off the raw edge and round it with sandpaper, so it looks OEM.  Seal the end with varnish.  Screw it back on the door.  Now, you can close the door, with rounded/elliptical vertical mounting pieces, and itwill fit since the duct is pushed far upwards, or totally down in the cavity.  Did it with mine, closes with no problem.