We are planning to buy a 28 foot boat (for example: Compass 28) and we want to install a diesel dive compressor (Bauer Junior II) somewhere on the boat.
We were thinking about putting the compressor in one of the aft berths and running an exhaust hose onto the deck and intake hose up the mast. The dimensions of the compressor are 78cm x 34cm x 42cm (30" x 13" x 16") and it weighs 44kg (97 pounds).
Is there any better location to store the compressor on a boat of this size or is it very impractical to expect to fit a compressor on a boat of this size?
It is possible to put the compressor into one of the cockpit lockers? We prefer to not have to run the compressor inside the cabin.
There is enough room to store the compresser in either of the qtr berths on a Compass 28.
If you stored it at the forward end of the berth, there would still be some room to poke things alongside and behind it. 44kg is a hefty weight to be moving around a small boat but do-able with 2 people, from the qtr berth.
There is no cockpit lockers as such on aCompass 28, just a small hatch approx 350 x350 at the aft end of cockpit, which is open to the cabin anyway.
Thanks for the response.
Do you foresee any issues with running the compressor inside the cabin, at the aft berth? The intake and the air and the exhaust will be through two separate hoses to the outside.
Do you foresee any issues with running the compressor inside the cabin, at the aft berth?
Have a think about storing it in the berth area and and moving it above deck to run?
You could rig the boom and mainsheet to handle the weight,
Not sure, but I think those things need to run for a fairly long time.
Doing anything below (sleeping, cooking, resting, navigating) would be quit a task with the background noise.
gary
Can the compressor be rigged to run off the yachts motor? seems ashame to be running two heavy engines on such a small boat
Select to expand quoteHevene said..
Thanks for the response.
Do you foresee any issues with running the compressor inside the cabin, at the aft berth? The intake and the air and the exhaust will be through two separate hoses to the outside.
Hi, is the compressor's diesel engine an air cooled model or water cooled, if it is air cooled there will will be insufficient airflow in that small space, the compressor will need to be very securely mounted to mitigate any risk of it becoming a damaging force in heavy weather and the heat/sound/fumes while it is operating inside means that the cabin becomes virtually uninhabitable.
There is also the question of weight placement affecting the boats trim.
The other question is, in the nicest possible way, how much experience do you have with and living on a small yacht?
Select to expand quoteUncleBob said..
Hi, is the compressor's diesel engine an air cooled model or water cooled, if it is air cooled there will will be insufficient airflow in that small space, the compressor will need to be very securely mounted to mitigate any risk of it becoming a damaging force in heavy weather and the heat/sound/fumes while it is operating inside means that the cabin becomes virtually uninhabitable.
There is also the question of weight placement affecting the boats trim.
The other question is, in the nicest possible way, how much experience do you have with and living on a small yacht?
Thanks for the information. It seems we will have to haul the compressor into the cockpit to use.
What is the best way to mitigate the trim issue?
We are fine with living in small spaces, we have been doing that for a few years already.
Not sure it's a great idea. Presuming you get a petrol version, there will always be fumes from the unit even if exhaust is outside, and inside your boat....not good....If i need to explain, this hasn't been thought through, and Darwin award winner is......
The units also get very hot, both motor and compressor.....and even bottle for that matter. The overheating of the motor would be my concern, I used to put the bottle in the water to get more air inside.
You also need good access at compressor to drain off the condensation from the compressor. There are many reasons why not too on a small boat, and not many reasons to put one in a small boat, how much diving do you want to do? Take a few bottles, or plan on having the compressor on deck to use, with lots of vibration, fumes, noise, and filling generally takes 20-25 min per bottle.
As a solution, what about a Hookah dive system????
What is the best way to mitigate the trim issue?
Stow it at the base of the companionway with a box covering it.
This will put the weight low and in the centerline.
45 kilo is not so bad when you consider the weight of crew moving about.
As Uncle bob said. secure it properly.
How many tanks, wetsuits, fins etc.?
I have a feeling that your 28 footer will be too crowded for comfort.
Compasses don't have a lot of beam and therefore less internal volume.
Gary
Select to expand quotegarymalmgren said..
What is the best way to mitigate the trim issue?
Stow it at the base of the companionway with a box covering it.
This will put the weight low and in the centerline.
45 kilo is not so bad when you consider the weight of crew moving about.
As Uncle bob said. secure it properly.
How many tanks, wetsuits, fins etc.?
I have a feeling that your 28 footer will be too crowded for comfort.
Compasses don't have a lot of beam and therefore less internal volume.
Gary
Thanks Gary for all the information. We will look more deeply into it. If needed, we will get a bigger boat.
Select to expand quoteCabron said..
Not sure it's a great idea. Presuming you get a petrol version, there will always be fumes from the unit even if exhaust is outside, and inside your boat....not good....If i need to explain, this hasn't been thought through, and Darwin award winner is......
The units also get very hot, both motor and compressor.....and even bottle for that matter. The overheating of the motor would be my concern, I used to put the bottle in the water to get more air inside.
You also need good access at compressor to drain off the condensation from the compressor. There are many reasons why not too on a small boat, and not many reasons to put one in a small boat, how much diving do you want to do? Take a few bottles, or plan on having the compressor on deck to use, with lots of vibration, fumes, noise, and filling generally takes 20-25 min per bottle.
As a solution, what about a Hookah dive system????
We are experienced divers and we try to dive everyday. Taking tanks are just not practical if we want to go out for a week at a time, 2 dives a day for 2 people, our boat will be filled with tanks 
. Hookah is out also, it's too restrictive, it's won't suit our diving style. Hopefully we can come up with a suitable dive compressor setup.
Select to expand quoteHevene said..Cabron said..
Not sure it's a great idea. Presuming you get a petrol version, there will always be fumes from the unit even if exhaust is outside, and inside your boat....not good....If i need to explain, this hasn't been thought through, and Darwin award winner is......
The units also get very hot, both motor and compressor.....and even bottle for that matter. The overheating of the motor would be my concern, I used to put the bottle in the water to get more air inside.
You also need good access at compressor to drain off the condensation from the compressor. There are many reasons why not too on a small boat, and not many reasons to put one in a small boat, how much diving do you want to do? Take a few bottles, or plan on having the compressor on deck to use, with lots of vibration, fumes, noise, and filling generally takes 20-25 min per bottle.
As a solution, what about a Hookah dive system????
We are experienced divers and we try to dive everyday. Taking tanks are just not practical if we want to go out for a week at a time, 2 dives a day for 2 people, our boat will be filled with tanks . Hookah is out also, it's too restrictive, it's won't suit our diving style. Hopefully we can come up with a suitable dive compressor setup.
As an experienced diver myself (though not for a long lime 
) I understand your predicament, a compressor is the logical solution, however on a small boat perhaps not so. As Garry has said, low and on the centerline, or as close as possible is the ideal stowage position. If not possible then you really need to look at roughly balancing the boat, fwd/aft, port/starboard. A compass 28 is a good little boat, but perhaps a little small for your application.
As a long-time Compass 28 owner, I am struggling to see how you would fit your compressor, tanks, dive suits and gear etc, plus all the other stuff for 2 people for a week without it being horribly cramped and uncomfortable. But good on you if you can pull it off.
Given the low price of smaller and older boats these days, I'd encourage you to look at something a couple of feet longer and wider than a cosy little Compass 28. Remember internal volume increases at roughly the cube of length, so a 30 footer will have something like 30 - 50% more internal volume and make life much more civilised for you and your dive gear.
Cheers, Graeme
Just one last point Hevene.
You might be able to put up with (the noise of ) the compressor running for for hours to refill the tanks each evening, but the boat anchored downwind of you has come to where you are for a little peace and quiet.
gary
Select to expand quotewongaga said..
As a long-time Compass 28 owner, I am struggling to see how you would fit your compressor, tanks, dive suits and gear etc, plus all the other stuff for 2 people for a week without it being horribly cramped and uncomfortable. But good on you if you can pull it off.
Given the low price of smaller and older boats these days, I'd encourage you to look at something a couple of feet longer and wider than a cosy little Compass 28. Remember internal volume increases at roughly the cube of length, so a 30 footer will have something like 30 - 50% more internal volume and make life much more civilised for you and your dive gear.
Cheers, Graeme
That's a good point, there is a fair bit of paraphalia with scuba diving.
I have conveniently kept a large scuba tank in the forward part of the bilge of a Compass 28, I'm sure a second tank would fit in the rear half, maybe a bigger boat with thought of how easily you can get back onboard with gear, although you could remove it and hoist it aboard with any boat, I guess.
Select to expand quotewongaga said..
As a long-time Compass 28 owner, I am struggling to see how you would fit your compressor, tanks, dive suits and gear etc, plus all the other stuff for 2 people for a week without it being horribly cramped and uncomfortable. But good on you if you can pull it off.
Given the low price of smaller and older boats these days, I'd encourage you to look at something a couple of feet longer and wider than a cosy little Compass 28. Remember internal volume increases at roughly the cube of length, so a 30 footer will have something like 30 - 50% more internal volume and make life much more civilised for you and your dive gear.
Cheers, Graeme
Wongaga, thanks for the info. We also looked at Clansman 30, we will definitely keep our options open.
Select to expand quotegarymalmgren said..
Just one last point Hevene.
You might be able to put up with (the noise of ) the compressor running for for hours to refill the tanks each evening, but the boat anchored downwind of you has come to where you are for a little peace and quiet.
gary
Hi Gary, that's for sure. We are thinking of going to areas that are not so busy
