I hoped to splash the boat in October 2022, but it’s not going to happen. I’m shifting the target to November because there’s just too much to do, and unplanned problems keep popping up and taking time to resolve.
Closing up shop
I missed my October target, but I’m still serious about splashing in 2022. So serious that I started moving shop equipment from the tent back to my house. In the picture above, that’s my Craftsman table saw, ShopSmith bandsaw and jointer, and the dust collector loaded up and going home.
With the air conditioner raw water pump and manifold installed, I started installing the air conditioners so the hoses from the raw water manifold would have things to attach to. I started with the aft stateroom.
New Flagship Marine air conditioner is ready to install
I don’t recall why I had the fan output oriented at a 45° angle. Whatever I had in mind back in 2018, when I bought them, it won’t work with the way the boat is in 2022.
Aluminum plate leftover from the aft deck enclosure will be the mounting base for the AC unit
AC mounting base sanded, epoxy coated, and with vibration dampeners installed
These vibration dampeners are softer than the ones Flagship uses for their compressors
Back on the boat, I cut an access panel in the closet wall
Test fit
I’ll have to make a transition box to direct the output upward
The fan output angle isn’t easily adjustable, and nothing at the hardware store would fit in the space available to direct the output up. So I cut up some scrap 1/8″ aluminum plate and made a transition box that fit.
Turning scrap into an AC transition box
Tack welding it all together
Is it an AC duct part…or a birdhouse???
BTW, these Harbor Freight TIG gloves are excellent
The birdhouse is almost done
Test fit back on the boat
I used a jigsaw to cut the openings
Perfect!
Drill, tap, and apply TefGel to the screw holes
Install the duct transition piece
I used contact cement and applied two layers of foam subfloor insulation to the aluminum transition box
Repeat the insulation process on the duct Tee
Test fit
Duct Tee is installed
With the insulation I’ve got on this boat, the 12k BTU aft stateroom AC unit is probably overkill. So I installed the 4″ duct on the right, which goes through the bulkhead wall and will have an outlet in the salon.
The 6″ duct on the left will go to three outlets in the aft stateroom.
Ready to install
Long wires make future maintenance easier
Access to the terminal blocks isn’t good when the AC unit is installed. So I left the wiring long enough for it to stay attached if the AC unit ever has to be removed.
AC unit is bolted in and the duct Tee is ready to be screwed and taped to it
Access to the hose connections is pretty good
I oriented the unit this way because I figured the hoses will need maintenance (e.g. clearing the condensate drain line) more often than anything electrical.
The raw water “out” hose will attach to this valved thru-hull standpipe
This thru-hull was originally for toilet output. I’m repurposing it into an underwater outlet for the AC raw water. The mid-point of the valve is at the OEM waterline. So when the boat is floating, water will naturally come up as high as the valve. Which means there won’t be any splashing water when the AC is on. This boat should be nice and quiet when it’s done.
Next up in our 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Salon AC Unit
1969chriscraftroamer46 
Looking good, keep up the hard work, finish strong, it is going to look great on the water!!!!
How loud is the unit, and will you have to add any sound insulation to the closet?
I won’t know how loud it is until I turn it on, but the electrical system isn’t commissioned yet. But marine AC units are designed to be installed under bunks and in other living spaces. They’re generally pretty quiet. These from Flagship are especially quiet, since they use scroll compressors. I doubt I’ll need sound insulation, but if I do it’ll be easy enough to add later.
Cheers,
Q