BOAT HEATER

[Guest]

I am trying to choose a heater for my Contessa 32. I cant decide between a Taylors or an Eberspacher/Minuki any advice / feedback much appreciated.

 

[Guest]

I have had a Mikuni for 2 years. So far it has proved to be an excellent piece of kit, quiet and very effective.

 

[Guest]

Well we've got an Eberspacher and for heating it's been fine, no problems. But the really great thing about it is that when it's running, outside the boat it sounds like a Jet Engine and really pissed off some yachties who were tied up to us last year. They had the nerve to ask me to turn it off. So I told them to **** off. So that's a plus point eh?

Oops I see you're a yottie. Sorry, didn't mean it.

 

[Guest]

I second that, third year now for my mikuni, does a great job. Seems pretty much the same as an Eberspacher but cheaper. Dick James

 

[Guest]

Had Eberspacher for 4 yrs now no probs great heater and runs forever on 1/2 ltr of diesel.

 

[Guest]

I'm not that familiar with a Taylor's, I assume it is a pressurised diesel/paraffin type with no electrical requirement? We looked at various makes of this type of stove before making a decision, as the battery saving aspects appealed. In the end, for a whole variety of reasons, we went for an Eberspacher. The electrical consumption has turned out to be miniscule, apart from a couple of minutes when the heater is running. The unit has turned out to be excellent, heating all three cabins very effectively, plus the bonus of being completely automatic, including programming if required.

Before buying a blown air system we enquired of a company that sells and fits all makes to trucks. Their advice was that there is nothing to choose between Eberspacher and Webasto, equally reliable, effective, etc. Wallas have lower blower power. Mikuni are almost as good as E and W but spares are far less readily available in more remote countries.

 

[Guest]

Mine's an ARDIC,(made by Eberspacher I think) stainless steel, blown air, simple installation, only one hole to drill through the hull if you can put it into a decent sized cockpit locker, fairly quiet,adequately heats my Warrior 40, modest fuel and power consumption and,so far, absoloutely reliable after one season. From other replies, I guess I would be as happy with any of the makes. We sail through the winter and it really is a great pleasure to be warm.

 

[Guest]

I installed an Eberspacher Hydronic in my Co32 about three years ago. No major problems (perhaps a bit noisy and electrical consumption a little high) and it's great to have hot water as well as a warm cabin. Make sure you fit a silencer, otherwise you definitely will certainly upset the neigbours. Perhaps have a switchable bypass for the silencer in case you end up mooring next to the correspondent above. My installation takes up almost no useable space (great advantage of the hydronic and mainly why I chose it - there's not much space to spare on a Contessa).

Good luck,

Jim.

 

[Guest]

Dickinson!!

Buy a Dickinson! I've had one in my First 38 for the past three years and wouldn't have anything else. I've had to modify the saloon seating a bit to fit it but was worth it for the warmth and dryness it gives. Also I can run it for days and not worry about the battery..

Wully.

 

[Guest]

Colin, you sound like a complete jerk. Your sort should be confined to dry land.

 

[Guest]

I'd go for the Eberspacher or a Webasto - but even more successful and far cheaper is an electric fan heater.

I've tried them all in the past, when all else fails the oven does a great job.

 

[Guest]

Re I agree with Charles

My last boat had an Ebersbacher. Nice unit but the service cost me around £300. Current boat had an aircon system that also produced heat. At least that was the theory. After much knob twiddling and head scratching it was consigned to the skip.

Now we have a variable heat 240v fan heater. Only cost a few quid and there is nothing to maintain.

 

[Guest]

How much did 10 miles of cable cost?

We have sailed many weekends this winter, with up to 4 inches of snow on deck, sometimes breaking ice as we went. The heating has been running constantly.

In the berth I agree, a 2kW fan heater supplements the Eberspacher but is insufficient on a cold day. 2kW exceeds the current we are supposed to use, so we cannot double up.

In over-winter yards used previously it has been quite common for the electrical system to fail due to massive over-use of boat heaters. It's nice to be independent.

 

[Guest]

Vyv - had the same problem

French powerpoints ostensibly 5 amp (they actually trip at 7.2 continuous). So I run two cables back to the pontoon - one for the heater and one for the boat domestic electrics.

When I kept the boat in the UK the main trips were always going - but this nuclear electricity is so much cleaner!!!

 

[Guest]

Re: Dickinson!!

Can you tell us address of company

 

[Guest]

Re: Dickinson!!

someone else you can check if any one has? Stroco e-mail: info@vehvac.com

 

[Guest]

Re: Dickinson!!

I try with no success. Thank you anyway Boris

 

[Guest]

Re: Dickinson!!

Look at www.dickinson.com

Try not to buy it in the UK (if you live here) as the price is a total rip off. Canada is a third of the price.

Wully

 

[Guest]

I've had 11 years trouble free running with my Eberspacher. The new ones offer even better power consumption and you can even set it to come on at a certain time in the morning if you really want to spoil yourself.

 

[Guest]

ever thought of the danish reflex i have had one for 5 years now no power drain leave on for weeks quiet cheap to run and boil a kettle