AC for flybridge

So, Marine air has been bought by dometic. This is a timely thread as I ordered a 30BTU split system through viking for replacement of my salon unit. Ordered in september, expecting hopefully by may. I have started to look at alternatives like CTM, not sure there quality. Have been asking around on other forums trying to get alternatives as well.

All the comments about CTM that I've seen have been positive... except some about their delivery packaging, which is apparently pretty shakey. Sound like if you get an undamaged unit delivered, all OK from there.

-Chris

Reminds me of the old boat that had a Pompanette bait freezer in the cockpit with a self-contained compressor. It was an endless rust caused replacement issue until one service man suggested putting a new compressor in the engine room instead. It remained new looking for the next decade after which boat was sold. Just replaced 2 of the 3 AC units and the cockpit freezer unit in current boat. Units were 26 years old and all located in engine room. If the replacements last half that I won't complain. Salt air is tough on equipment which cheap units are not designed for.

Just got back from Miami, drove up from Key West, where we picked up 2x16k and a 1x6k unit. Plan to install them tomorrow, likely a two hour job that will take a few days, haha! So far impressed with their staff and also the unit themselves. They have a much higher gallon/hr requirement than most recommendations but I suspect that is because they are expecting much higher input water temperatures. I couldn't justify the 2x$ for the Mabru so will have to replace my water pump with a more efficient model so I can run off of batteries.
They do have a very strange sales technique, we have USA credit cards but the address is based in Canada, they couldn't accept that, had to move $$ around to enable our other USA CC to work. Also with pickup we had to have a USA drivers license, again we don't have such a thing anymore, but do have USA passport. Apparently they got scammed a few years ago and now very super careful who they sell to.
Will let you know how the install goes.

What brand? Who's "they"?

-Chris

Sorry, bought direct from MarinAire in Miami, picked up at their warehouse and brought back to Key West. Install starts this morning.

Have put in two of the three units, putting off the third as it is a very tight location. The first two went in relatively easy, the hardest part was interfacing the 6" round outputs on the new A/C with the 6" square existing ducting. Couldn't find anywhere in Key West that sells duct connections so had to do a little kludging. Units are significantly quieter than the older units. Quit happy and exhausted after three days, only three trips to hardware store.

For the audience, we found that to be the case when we replaced the smaller 16K and 12K BTU Cruisair Stowaways with Dometic DTGs. The 27K BTU Dometic replacement is somewhat quieter than the original 24K BTU Cruisair unit on our bridge,

In case that matters to anyone.

-Chris