Generator or not...Small Cruiser

[sbbamafan]

I have been a runabout guy all my life and am moving up to a small cruiser +/- 28'. I was set on finding one with a generator but have realized that it is a really tough thing to find in that size boat. I am losing patience - not that I had much to start with according to my wife. I am in the Atlanta area and I really planned on spending some nights on the boat. I have no real cruiser experience. Is it miserable without air conditioning to try to sleep. What else will I not be able to do without a generator? Am I crazy to forego the generator and give up or should I keep looking?

 

[alldodge]

Look at the higher end boats and you will find Gen's. My 27PC Formula has one and most do. The issue is many came with a Gen option but most did not have them installed due to cost. Looking at the higher end boats gets a better chance of finding one

That said, unless your going to spend the nights out , there is no need. Gen allows battery recharge, stove, Fridge, A/C and stove (many stove use alcohol or electric). Also have to deal with the noise, which may not be bad, depends on how it was installed, and most do not run at night because of CO

 

[Scott Danforth]

Atlanta in the summer..... I would want AC on the boat

down here in FL, where it is 20 degrees cooler in the summer than Atlanta, its "tolerable" but you do sweat

alternative is to find the boat you want and add a genny

 

[mr 88]

Are you talking about sleeping at the dock or on the hook ? At a slip ,transient as well , you can run the AC off shore power. On the hook you have 3 options , find your boat with a generator . Buy a boat with a swim platform and the get a 2,000+ watt quiet generator -Honda- Yamaha and put it there with some bungee's or ratcheting straps ,then aim exhaust away from the boat . Any wind and the boat should be pointing into it and fumes should be taken away with the boat. Have a good carbon dioxide detector set up in your cabin. Buy a couple of Milwaukee 18 volt cordless fans with bigger batteries and run them in the cabin all night , they are quiet ,create a little white noise and move a ton of air. On board generators can be expensive to maintain and many ,not all , have a tendency to break down for whatever reason.