CoolBreeze system blows chilled air

[LuckyLady]

The CoolBreeze system blows chilled air through high-velocity directional jets aimed at people at the helm station, in the cockpit or other topside locations. Rising temperatures may force passengers into the air-conditioned saloon or cabin. But they can now stay on deck and continue fishing, lounging or sunbathing, according to the company.

CoolBreeze includes a compressor, electrical box with temperature control unit, two high-velocity blowers and directional jet diffusers. The company uses small-diameter PVC piping to keep the system unobtrusive. Only the diffusers are visible. “We designed this system to meet the special request of Viking Yachts, who wanted a cost-effective and efficient way to cool people when enjoying a boat’s outdoor areas on hot days,” says Frank Marciano, president of Dometic Corp.’s environmental division. “This was a major engineering challenge since it is impractical to use traditional air-conditioning techniques in an outdoor area.”

CoolBreeze’s two-stage automatic operation is based on two user-defined set points. When the temperature rises to the lower set point, the controller activates the blowers. The second stage activates the compressor to chill the jetted air. “We’ve used the CoolBreeze while fishing in 95-degree heat and you can really feel the strength of the air coming down on you from the small ducts,” says Aubrey Dauterive of New Iberia, La., who recently purchased one of the first Viking 60 Convertible yachts with the CoolBreeze system installed. CoolBreeze is available as factory-installed OEM equipment and can be retrofitted on existing boats as an aftermarket product. CoolBreeze uses environmentally safe R-417A refrigerant, the company says. Retail pricing ranges from $5,000 to $10,000 depending on the application and installation. Contact: Dometic Corp., (800) 321-9886, www.dometicusa.com.