www.iFourWinns.com

Our boat is a little larger than yours and it's no different - they still put the generator inches from the mid berth and there is still quite a nice little rumble throughout the boat, even in the cockpit. We do have the Kohler sound shield for what it's worth. I would be interested to see any mounts you come up with and if they help.
Even with the CO detectors in the boat, I wouldn't feel comfortable sleeping with the gen running, even if it was whisper quiet. I know many do it, but I've read too many stories of people who don't wake up, in boats and RV's. Now if we could just make the AC quiet for when I do have power...

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1969 Chris Craft Commander 47
1999 Four Winns 328 Vista - SOLD

Like "weather" I too am uncomfortable with sleeping with our generator running. When needed I run genny with A/C until we go to bed, then if the cabin heats up to much I will get up run genny and A/C for a bit to cool cabin, shut her down and go back to bed.

Reminds me though, our two CO detectors are now 11 years old. I should replace both at next spring's launch time.

Mike.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

I dont like sleeping with it running either, not just the CO but the risk of fire makes me nervous. I have a couple Kidde Nighthawk battery operate CO detectors on HD velcro I move from the cockpit to cabin. Not that I'm paranoid but if you have parts of the canvas up just cruising around off plane or the generator running its amazing how much CO gets in the cockpit even with what you would think was good ventilation.

What sort of inverter setup would be required to take the place of the generator at night

Possibly too:
Expensive
Weighty
Little room

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2008 210SS 6.2L DTS Bravo 1 Now featuring MercMonitor w/SmartTow

Two 6v 200ah agm batteries 12inx6x8. 65lb each. 100 amp hours of available power. A modern marine heat pump that draws 7-8 amps so that's my calculations. Secondary high amp charging alternator to charge battery bank (optional but not expensive if you don't have shore power). 2000w inverter. That would provide 12 hours of constantly running A/C and recharge during the day quickly. AC doesn't run constantly so longer. Make sure all other accessories are power efficient. LED TV's, ability to shut down radio amps at night, LED lighting, etc.

If you own a boat without a genset it's not even a big investment. Under a grand and you have a full nights worth of power. Shop around for battery wholesalers. I have a Deka outlet near me that will sell the sealed AGM 200ah 6v batteries for around $100.

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

You are forgetting that the AC current draw is 7 amps, that 70 amps of DC, even more since inverters are not 100% efficient. Even at 70% duty cycle, and figuring the batteries are designed for 50% discharge repeatedly you are going to need a lot more battery to run everything on a small cruiser for 12 hours with AC use.

Even if it could be pulled off it has to be charged the next day, even if you had an alternator that could handle it would you rather run the main engine to charge and run the AC for hours or just fire up your generator at 1gph and let that run the AC all day..

Ha, oops. Forgot the whole 120 to 12v thingie.

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

Happens.

Maybe one day someone will come out with a 7K BTU AC unit that draws 15amps DC for everything including the fan, or someone will get a 400AH 12v battery down to 50lbs where four of them plus cables will weigh the same as a 5KW marine generator.

But for now even a $10,000.00, stinky, noisy and expensive to maintain marine generator wins

Well...

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-EF2400iSHC ... +generator

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

I'm not going to get into the whole portable generator on boats debate, I've tried it on a boat (EU1200 on my 248) and yes it worked, but it was noisy and a PITA to have to add fuel to it all the time. Then there is the whole transporting fuel thing, and the generator carb that would leak out the bowl vent in rough water.

The one in our 348 is loud too. From what I gather the best route is better engine mounts and a pad under it. I seem to recall someone did this and wrote about it, but probably on some other boating forum. I toyed with the idea of doing that for our AC unit, which is likewise a bit louder than I'd like it. Neither of them are conveniently located on the 348 so I really didn't pursue the idea. But if you've got better access and can lift the genset out then I'd look into a pad and/or better engine mounts.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista