IP38 A/C

Hello IPYOA - First post! Happy to finally be an IPYO...

I see that I'm not the first seeking advice on installing A/C on my IP38. Has anyone out there personally done the upgrade themselves?

Defender is having a deal on "MARVAIR" units for Activecaptain subscribers, and I was wondering if now was the time to get an A/C installed.

Information I'm seeking:
- Where best to install the unit (Consensus seems to be port side behind settee)
- 1 or 2 Units? (I'm thinking a single 16,000 BTU would be enough to cool most spots on the boat)
- BTUs recommended for each case?
- Raw Water Source (Not thrilled about cutting a new thru-hull - thinking head intake or possibly salt water washdown)
- Duct Routing options
- Recommended Brands (If not the MARVAIR)

Thanks for any insights you can provide - I need to get cracking on this project before the weather (Finally) turns nice.

-JP

i'm looking at the same thing for my IP31. i have the same questions. my buddy warned me there is still about $500-800 more parts and stuff to install the entire thing, pump, ducts, grills, plumbing supplies- existing inlets sound good to me too.

I think that with the price at which Defender is selling these units(Sub $1000), the extra $500 - $800 seems reasonable, considering a comparable 12-16k BTU Mermaid, Dometic, or Cruisair will set you back some $2000 without even the installation kit. But I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with the Marvair units and can either attest to their quality or lack thereof. In my experience, especially with boat/yacht stuff -just because you can't find it on the interwebs doesn't mean it's of low quality or value.


I'll probably be asking a similar question when Electric Windlasses go on sale...

Just a thought on raw water intake. It is always best not to use the raw water intake for the engine for anything else. It should be dedicated only to the engine. A leak in any other component, such as the pump seals for the head, could allow air int the system, and suction loss resulting in engine overheating. I took the factory installed raw water intake for the head shared with the engine off my seacock.

I believe (not on the boat at the moment) that the only consumer of the engine raw water seacock is the engine. Perhaps I should have chosen my words more carefully with regard to my use of the word "raw water ." What I had meant to ask was where is a good source of cooling seawater that doesn't involve me cutting a new through hull?

My thanks to emergpa1 for reminding me not to do something stupid in the effort to find the best source.

Yep- the IP31 intake is shared by the engine and the head