Dometic Marine HVAC Offers Outstanding Reliability for Live-Aboard Fireboat
Canadian-based shipyard collaborates with Dometic Marine to overcome the challenges of supplying reliable HVAC to Massport fireboats.
Family-owned A.F. Theriault & Son Ltd. has built vessels for both recreational boating and commercial applications since 1938. During this time the company established a reputation for the production of high quality, robust vessels built from a variety of materials including steel, aluminum, fiber glass and advanced composites.
“Building in a wide range of materials enables us to be extremely versatile and supply boats to a wide range of sectors including yachting, fishing, passenger vessels and patrol boats," explains Graham Oakley, VP of New Construction, A.F. Theriault & Son Ltd. “We don't specialize in one sector, so we offer the flexibility to take on a range of different projects that come our way.”
One of the company’s latest projects is the construction of a fireboat for Massport, the Massachusetts Port Authority. Oakley continues: “The Massport fireboat 31 will be based in Boston and the crew will live aboard, so reliable heating and cooling is a must. Having worked with Dometic Marine for several years on various projects for the pleasure boat market, the company was a natural choice for HVAC equipment on this occasion.”
The fireboat has a Marine Air 10-ton, 2-stage MCG chiller onboard, providing heating and cooling to five accommodation areas including the crew lounge, transport room and lower deck. In addition, the chilled water HVAC equipment also cools the sensitive electronics on-board, protecting them from overheating.
“Based in Boston, the vessel will operate in cold winters and warm summers and on-board crew members prefer to keep the temperatures consistent, so they don’t fluctuate up and down too much. The vessel has lots of doors and windows, which can present its challenges when trying to maintain comfortable temperatures in the cabin,” adds Oakley.
Supplying HVAC equipment aboard vital commercial vessels such as fireboats presents unique challenges. Since the boat must respond quickly to emergencies that may be anywhere on the docks or shore side, it must be lightweight to maintain the high speeds required for a fast response.
Oakley explains: “The fireboat is a high-speed vessel produced from aluminum, so weight has been a critical consideration for us. Luckily, in working with Dometic Marine, we have been able to be creative in terms of where we place the HVAC equipment. We kept the weight out of the wheelhouse so the vessel’s performance is not affected. And with the crew living aboard the vessel, we also had to create as much space as possible, which meant placing equipment out of sight, behind stairs and running duct work behind furniture.”
According to A.F. Theriault & Son Ltd, it is Dometic Marine’s ability to provide reliable, high-performance systems that are backed by exceptional customer service that makes Dometic Marine its first choice for HVAC equipment.
Oakley concludes: “We have installed Dometic’s Marine Air systems on several yachts and we know it is equipment we can trust. One project dates back to 1999 - we’ve never had a warranty or service claim and the air conditioning system is still running! Dometic is also on hand throughout the duration of the project to offer great technical support and peace-of-mind to ensure everything will run smoothly. From the initial brief through to installation, they handle BTU load/capacity calculations, are able to design the systems in accordance with our specifications and can also advise on system placement to maximize performance if required, so they are very easy to work with.”