One problem, do you have a generator? If you don't have a generator then you can't have a/c while on the water, only when you are on shore power. Seems to defeat the purpose of having air conditioning in a boat.

No generator but we sleep on the boat sometimes and the marinas have shore power. While I'm out on the water I don't need it. Just for sleeping pretty much on those hot summer nights

Gotcha. You could also do a portable air conditioner.

Did that for a while. It worked but pain in the butt setting it up and what not. And still didn't work all that great. I already bought the self contained unit. The idea of plugging in and flipping a switch sounds so nice.

Well your going to love it when it's hot. That was the reasons we got ours, my wife wanted air, she hated going out and getting into the muddy water when he was baking.

I installed a reverse cycle unit under the counter in place of the cooler and it works great, even in the August heat at LOTO. I decided not to put it under the V berth because you would have to cut holes in the stringers to run the vents, plumbing and power. My install looks very similar to the pictures that Cash Bar posted.

GF?

The 6500 fits in the cabinet under top no problem also no need to delete cooler, I gutted old top, installed unit, duct, control box and replaced top with corian top. Ran duct behind port couch and put one vent up in that corner facing up. The other 2 vents I did in the custom pillar I made to replace the factory one. Also did all new white LED lights to replace the old heavy fluorescents (13 of them!) and replaced all the yellow stripper lighting with red LED.

Joe. Bills cabin looks awesome with the updates. Get some pics bill

Send some pics of the new counter top also. I have a 38 Fever I'm doing a custom stereo in with big power, but I'm adding more batteries to add some run time. Also would an inverter run the A/C unit under the counter while on the sandbar? Also curious if a Honda EC2000 plugged into the shore power would run the 6500 BTU A/C?

Mermaid specs a 1000W Gen would run my 6500 Btu air. A 2000 would be a walk in the park, plus you can hit your battery charger too at same time with a 2000.

No experience with an invertor powered AC unit, but a couple on here have done such a thing and it works. Guess just depends on your battery bank.