Our Story

I have been on boats my entire life.  Growing up on an archipelago of islands, using the water as a primary means of transportation was part of a daily life.  I started to pilot our family boat single-handedly at around age 12.  Along with the freedom of island life, I also understood the constraints that came with it, such as an unreliable supply of power coming from the mainland.  Blackouts were common and accepted, and back-up plans for generating power were always sought after.  Everyone in the community took turns motoring back and forth with their skiffs from the main land to fill jerrycans with gallons of gas or diesel. The end result of all this - the poor quality of electricity being provided - was many burnt out refrigerator compressors.

Cruising is an exhilarating experience, but so was the heat when at anchor in the hot, still summer months.  Installing air conditioners on boats is a serious investment and commitment.  Did we want to purchase one, costing nearly $2000, just to enjoy it at the dock? Most marine air conditioning units currently on the market are 110V.  Did we want to add a noisy generator to run when off the dock - not to mention the additional costs? The few direct current A/Cs on the market are very expensive ($5K+).

Necessity is the mother of invention. I started to brainstorm with mechanical engineers that have expertise in residential and commercial air conditioner design. We wanted to develop an air conditioner which can quietly run on batteries, utilizing the latest technology for energy efficiency, at an affordable price.  Kingfisher series air conditioners were born.

A little more about me...

I have been sailing for over 35 years and I am a US Coast Guard Merchant Marine Captain. I have piloted many different kinds of vessels, both sail, and power, from 15 to 85 feet. I am an ABYC certified technician for Marine Electric, Marine Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration, and hold an MBA in Operations.