AC on the cheap
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 3:04 pm
The whole reason for us even having a Triton is so the dog, Grover, can go sailing with us.
Grover, being a bulldog with all the breathing problems bulldogs have, doesn't do so well in hot weather. This weekend was 85-90 degrees with 85-90% humidity. Grover was not a happy camper.
My solution: plunk him down on the starboard setee (after removing cushions), and set a 5-lb block of ice in front of his face, with this little battery-powered fan behind it.
This worked about ten times better than I'd expected. Instead of just keeping the dog from overheating, it cooled the whole cabin. There was at least a 3 or 4 degree difference, and that's with a 200lb guy in there grunting groaning and straining to get nuts and washers onto bolts up in the toerail recess.
1 block of ice, plus 30% of the life of 4 D-batteries.... $4
Added to The List: Construct a bulkhead-mounted ice block holder box with vented sides, find a way to drain the melt down into the sink or something, and mount a hardwired fan onto the front of it. $75
Grover, being a bulldog with all the breathing problems bulldogs have, doesn't do so well in hot weather. This weekend was 85-90 degrees with 85-90% humidity. Grover was not a happy camper.
My solution: plunk him down on the starboard setee (after removing cushions), and set a 5-lb block of ice in front of his face, with this little battery-powered fan behind it.
This worked about ten times better than I'd expected. Instead of just keeping the dog from overheating, it cooled the whole cabin. There was at least a 3 or 4 degree difference, and that's with a 200lb guy in there grunting groaning and straining to get nuts and washers onto bolts up in the toerail recess.
1 block of ice, plus 30% of the life of 4 D-batteries.... $4
Added to The List: Construct a bulkhead-mounted ice block holder box with vented sides, find a way to drain the melt down into the sink or something, and mount a hardwired fan onto the front of it. $75