Marine Air Conditioning — Gold Coast
Authorised Frigomar dealer — self-contained, chilled-water and reverse-cycle marine air conditioning sized, supplied, installed and commissioned at Gold Coast City Marina. Service, repair and fault-finding on every major brand, with mobile teams across South East Queensland.
Marine air conditioning on the Gold Coast
Marine Solutions Australia sizes, supplies, installs and services marine air conditioning from Gold Coast City Marina, Coomera — for recreational boats, commercial vessels and superyachts across South East Queensland. As an authorised Frigomar dealer we fit self-contained, chilled-water and reverse-cycle systems, and we service and repair every major marine brand.
We start with the part most installers skip — proper heat-load and BTU sizing — then handle the whole job: unit selection, ducting and raw-water plumbing, the electrical tie-in, commissioning and thermostatic testing. Most servicing is done dockside by our mobile teams, with full installs and chilled-water plants completed from the Coomera workshop.
Whether your aircon has stopped getting cold, is dripping water into the cabin, or you’re fitting climate control as part of a wider refit, we diagnose it properly, size and fit it to suit your vessel, and sign the system off — then support it for the life of the boat.
Air conditioning engineered for the boat, not just bolted in
Most marine aircon complaints trace back to a system that was never sized right or was fitted without thinking about raw-water flow, ducting and condensate. We’re an authorised Frigomar dealer with the engineering team to do it properly — heat-load calculations before we quote, clean installs with the raw-water and electrical side done right, and commissioning and thermostatic testing before sign-off. We back it with mobile service across SE Queensland and repair every major brand, supplied by us or not.
Authorised Frigomar dealer · GCCM workshop + mobile · BTU-sized · All brands serviced
The air-conditioning systems we supply, install and service
From a single self-contained unit in a cabin to a multi-zone chilled-water plant on a superyacht — sized to the vessel, fitted cleanly, and set up to stay cold and dry in Queensland heat.
Frigomar supply & install
As an authorised Frigomar dealer we size, supply, install and commission Frigomar marine air conditioning — the right unit for your cabin volume, glazing and how you use the boat, fitted cleanly and set to actually hold temperature in a Queensland summer, not just run.
Self-contained units
Compact self-contained air conditioners — compressor, condenser and blower in one raw-water-cooled box — for single cabins, trailer boats and smaller cruisers. A neat drop-in install with ducting and a thermostat, ideal where a single zone needs reliable cooling.
Chilled-water systems
Central chilled-water plants for larger motor yachts and superyachts: a chiller cools water that is pumped to fan-coil air handlers in each zone. Many cabins, quieter accommodation and even temperatures — designed, plumbed, installed and balanced as one system.
Reverse-cycle heating & cooling
One system that cools through summer and reverses to warm the cabin on cool mornings and winter passages — practical for the way boats are used in Australia, from the tropics to a cold start on the Broadwater, without a separate heater.
12V / 24V DC & off-grid
DC self-contained air conditioning for trailer boats, sailing yachts and anyone who wants to run aircon at anchor on the battery bank without firing up the generator — sized to your house batteries, solar and how long you need it to run.
Sizing & BTU calculation
The most common reason marine aircon disappoints is that it was never sized properly. We calculate the heat load from cabin volume, glazing, insulation and climate, then specify the BTU capacity that keeps up — so the system cycles and dehumidifies instead of running flat-out and losing.
Self-contained or chilled-water — which suits your vessel?
The right type depends on how many spaces you’re cooling and the size of the boat. Here’s how the two main approaches compare — we’ll help you choose, size it and do the work.
| Consideration | Self-contained | Chilled-water |
|---|---|---|
| Best suited to | Single cabins, trailer boats and smaller cruisers — one or two zones | Larger motor yachts and superyachts with many cabins and zones |
| How it works | A self-contained box — compressor, condenser and blower — cools its zone directly | A central chiller cools water pumped to fan-coil air handlers in each zone |
| Zones / cabins | Best for one or two spaces; add a unit per zone | Scales cleanly to many independently controlled zones |
| Install | Simpler drop-in — unit, ducting, raw-water and a thermostat | More plant and plumbing; engineered and balanced as a system |
| Upkeep | Occasional servicing — strainers, gas check, blower | More components — chiller, pumps and air handlers — to maintain |
Whichever type suits, the system only performs if it’s sized to the actual heat load — cabin volume, glazing, insulation and climate — and most run reverse-cycle so they heat as well as cool. We do the BTU calculation as part of every quote, and tie aircon work into electrical and lithium or generator upgrades while the boat’s already in.
Keep it cold, keep it dry
When aircon stops cooling or starts dripping, the symptom rarely shows where the fault is. We diagnose across the whole circuit — refrigerant, raw-water, pumps, blowers and controls — fix the cause, and recommission the system.
Low cooling & fault-finding
Aircon not getting cold is rarely just “low on gas”. We check the whole circuit — refrigerant charge, raw-water flow, blocked strainers and through-hulls, the pump, the blower and the controls — find the actual cause, and tell you what we found rather than guessing.
Condensation & water management
A system that drips into the cabin or the bilge usually has a blocked drain, a tired condensate pump or under-insulated ducting. We sort drains, trays, ducting and insulation so the unit takes humidity out of the air instead of dumping water where it shouldn’t go.
Service & repair — all brands
Routine servicing and repairs across Frigomar, Dometic, Webasto, Cruisair and the other major marine brands — compressors, pumps, gas, blowers and controls. Refrigerant handling is done by appropriately licensed technicians, on systems we supplied or not.
Commissioning to spec
Every install and major repair is charged correctly, raw-water flow set, controls configured and the system run and thermostatically tested before sign-off — so it’s cold, quiet and dry the day you take the boat back.
Authorised Frigomar, and brand-agnostic on service
We sell and install Frigomar, and we service whatever’s already aboard — so the recommendation is about what suits your boat, not what we’re tied to selling.
Authorised Frigomar dealer
As an authorised Frigomar dealer we supply, install and service Frigomar marine air conditioning, with access to genuine parts and factory support. Frigomar’s self-contained and chilled-water systems cover everything from a single cabin to a full superyacht accommodation plant.
Brands we install & service
Beyond Frigomar we install and service the major marine air-conditioning brands — Dometic, Webasto and Cruisair among them — without being tied to one badge, and we service systems whether or not we supplied them. We recommend what fits your vessel, your zones and your power setup, then stand behind the work.
Reverse-cycle & Australian conditions
We fit reverse-cycle as standard on most jobs so one system cools through summer humidity and warms the cabin on cool mornings and southern trips. Sizing accounts for tropical heat and glazing load, with DC options for owners who want to run aircon at anchor without the generator.
Documented and commissioned
Every install and major repair is charged, flow-set, configured and thermostatically tested, and we record the work — the same rigour we bring to insurance repairs and superyacht work, so it stands up to a surveyor, an insurer and a long, hot summer.
Climate & engineering in action
Install, refit and servicing work from our Gold Coast City Marina workshop and mobile teams — the same crew that handles engineering, refits and insurance repairs.
Marine air conditioning — common questions
Cost, the types of system, BTU sizing, running on 12/24V, reverse-cycle, why a unit stops cooling or drips, the brands we service, and how we work.
How much does it cost to put air conditioning on a boat?
There’s no flat rate — marine air conditioning is quoted to the vessel, because a single self-contained unit in one cabin is a very different job to a multi-zone chilled-water system across a motor yacht. The main drivers are the system type and capacity (BTU) needed, the number of zones, how much ducting, raw-water plumbing and electrical work the install involves, and how accessible the spaces are on your boat. We size the system properly first, then quote in writing before any work begins. Call 07 5612 7161 with your vessel and which spaces you want cooled and we’ll talk you through the right approach and likely cost.
What are the main types of marine air conditioning?
There are three broad types. Self-contained units put the compressor, condenser and blower in one raw-water-cooled box and cool a single zone — ideal for cabins, trailer boats and smaller cruisers. Chilled-water systems use a central chiller to cool water that’s pumped to fan-coil air handlers in each cabin, which suits larger vessels and superyachts with many zones. And DC (12V/24V) self-contained units let smaller craft run aircon off the battery bank without a generator. Most also run reverse-cycle, so they heat as well as cool. We’ll recommend the type that suits your hull, your zones and how you use the boat.
How many BTU — what size air conditioner does my boat need?
Sizing is the single most important decision, and it isn’t just cabin length. We calculate the heat load from the volume of each space, the amount of glazing and how much sun it takes, the insulation, and the climate you cruise in — then specify the BTU capacity that comfortably keeps up. An undersized system runs flat-out, never dehumidifies and still feels warm; an oversized one short-cycles and leaves the cabin clammy. Getting the BTU right is why a properly specified system feels better than a bigger one fitted badly. We do this calculation as part of every quote.
Can I run marine air conditioning on 12V or 24V without the generator?
Yes — DC self-contained air conditioners run on 12V or 24V and are designed exactly for running at anchor on the battery bank without starting the generator. The catch is runtime: aircon is a heavy load, so it only makes sense when it’s matched to your house batteries, charging and solar. We’ll work out realistic run times for your setup, and where it stacks up we size and install a DC system — often alongside a lithium and charging upgrade handled with our electrical team — so you can stay cool overnight quietly.
Is reverse-cycle (heating and cooling) marine air conditioning worth it in Australia?
For most owners, yes. Reverse-cycle systems cool through summer and reverse to gently heat the cabin on cool mornings, winter nights and southern passages — all from the one unit, with no separate diesel or electric heater to fit and maintain. Even on the Gold Coast the heating earns its keep on a cold start or an early-season trip south, and it adds very little to the install. Unless you only ever boat in the tropics, reverse-cycle is the sensible default and we fit it as standard on most jobs.
Why isn’t my marine air con getting cold, or why is it dripping water?
Poor cooling usually isn’t just low refrigerant. The most common causes are restricted raw-water flow — a blocked intake, strainer or weed in the through-hull — a tired pump, a dirty condenser or blower, or a control fault, and sometimes a genuine gas leak. Water dripping into the cabin or bilge is almost always a blocked condensate drain, a failed condensate pump or under-insulated ducting sweating in the heat, not the unit failing. Either way the symptom rarely shows where the fault is, so we diagnose across the whole circuit, fix the root cause and recommission the system rather than just topping up gas.
Do you service and repair all brands of marine air conditioning, including Frigomar?
Yes. We’re an authorised Frigomar dealer, and we service and repair all the major marine air-conditioning brands — Frigomar (sometimes searched as “frigoma”), Dometic, Webasto and Cruisair among them — whether we supplied the system or not. That covers compressors, raw-water pumps, refrigerant, blowers, condensate pumps and controls, with gas handling done by appropriately licensed technicians. We carry common parts and can source genuine spares, so an older or unusual unit is generally repairable rather than an automatic replacement.
Can you install and service marine air conditioning on the Gold Coast — mobile or at the marina?
Both. A lot of air-conditioning work — servicing, gas and pump checks, fault-finding and condensate repairs — is done dockside by our mobile teams across the Gold Coast and South East Queensland. Bigger jobs, such as a full system install, a chilled-water plant or a multi-zone retrofit, are run from our Coomera workshop at Gold Coast City Marina with the rest of the engineering team on hand. Either way you get the same engineers, the system sized properly, and a documented sign-off.
Get your marine air conditioning sorted
Tell us about your vessel and which spaces you want cooled — a new system, a reverse-cycle upgrade, a unit that’s stopped getting cold, or one that’s dripping into the cabin. We’ll size it, fit or repair it, commission it and sign it off. Mobile across SE Queensland.