CABIN HEATING

[ALAN_PROBYN]

I HAVE A HUNTER DUETTE WHICH IS 23FT.IWOULD LIKE TO FIT SOME SORT OF CABIN HEATING.MY ENGINE IS AN OUTBOARD, SO DIESEL IS OUT.ANY SUGGESTIONS. I WONDER IF GAS WOULD PRODUCE TOO MUCH CONDENSATION?

 

[longjohnsilver]

Why dismiss diesel, these heaters only use a miniscule amount of fuel so you could install say a 5 gal tank, this will keep you going for ages.

 

[Danthegorrila]

Gas does make a small boat very damp. You could try this out by putting the cooker on (assuming its gas).

Do you have shore power? use a small fan heater.

Or there are small garage style portable parafin or even diesel heaters. In inovations type catalogues

PB

 

[Joe_Cole]

Gas will produce lots of condensation unless it is fully vented to the outside world. If you really don't want diesel (and I think that Long John S. is right) you might want to think about one of those charcoal stoves.

There's been several write ups on heaters in PBO and ST over the last year or so.

Joe

 

[dickh]

Or how about a gas powered hot air heater? Similar to diesel but run off propane gas - half the price of diesel units but more expensive to run... PBO or ST has just done a comparison between gas & diesel powered hot air heaters. Propex is the name I believe of one of them - vented to the outside so no problem with condensation.


dickh
I'd rather be sailing...

 

[chriscallender]

My boat has a Taylor's paraffin heater which works well. I believe that you can pick up older ones from boat jumbles for not too much money. These will be better than a standalone parrafin heater since the fumes go out of a chimney. Make sure that you get all the bits that are needed to make it work, including the pressurised tank. Also make sure that you get instructions, because it needs to be preheated before you light it up, using methylated spirits or a blowtorch.

Its great in winter except that I am out of the water with an electric hookup, so its a lot easier just use a fan heater to keep me and the boat warm!!! But next year...

Whatever kind of heating you install, make sure that you also fit a carbon monoxide alarm at the same time, these cost about £30 and are great for peace of mind. And anyway make sure there is good ventilation when burning anything.

Chris

 

[SimonD]

I tried a fan heater - no good. Too noisy and got the cabin too hot before allowing it to get too cold. I bought (for £20) a briefcase sized oil filled radiator from Homebase a couple of weeks ago. It gives just enough background heat. Maybe worth a try?

 

[SimonD]

I tried a fan heater - no good. Too noisy and got the cabin too hot before allowing it to get too cold. I bought (for £20) a briefcase sized oil filled radiator from Homebase a couple of weeks ago. It gives just enough background heat. Maybe worth a try?

 

[SimonD]

That's what happens if you press the button twice!!

 

[PaulAG]

I've found that a 500watt fan heater keeps my Centaur quite warm enough even in the coldest day / nights. Maybe need about 30 mins warming up at 1Kw. There are also some 250 or 500 watt tubular heaters for greenhouses / background heating that should be sufficient.

PaulAG

 

[Gordonmc]

Several routes you can take:

1. Use shore power for an electric fan or ceramic heater and be cold when away from the pontoon;

2. Use a gas direct flame heater for condensation, carbon monoxide poisoning and risk of explosion from leaky propane/butane;

3. Spend more and go for a direct gas or diesel heater, such as Propex/Webasto/Eberspacher. These work by the fuel burning through a heat exchanger with hot air being blown through a network of ducts to the cabin, exhaust going out through a hull or deck fitting. These will draw power from your battery and need some expertise to fit. You also need a fuel source.

4. Install a "proper" cabin heater with an outside venting flue. These can use paraffin (Taylors) diesel or solid fuel. Bengco make a charcoal burning unit.
Colin Frake does The Faversham which burns smokeless coal. The Americans go big on the range of stoves by Dickinson Marine, including a small multi-solid fuel unit called the Newport. These need to be bulkhead mounted and low to the ground. Another the downside is they need a chimney and an air source from outside.

Another option... a bottle of malt, warm woman and a second pair of socks.

 

[Robin2]

Any heater that burns fuel and releases the exhaust gases into the cabin will create a lot of condensation, though gas is probably the worst.

Also, all such heaters run the risk of poisoning or asphyxiating you.

 

[Oldhand]

I suggest a hot air heater from the Wallas paraffin range. They are designed specifically for boats, use minimal electrical power and come with their own 10l paraffin tank.

 

[tome]

Agree with this - I had one and it was brilliant. One word though - mount it as low as possible otherwise you'll have hot air above and cold feet!

 

[Pelican]

I have a charcoal Bengco heater in my 24 footer - it takes about 15 minutes to heat up the cabins and depending on how u regulate it gives a very warm dry condensation free heat usually about 24 degrees C. If really cold outside (I live in Switzerland) I can regulate it to about max 35 degrees in the cabin - then u start to cook! On a typical Friday evening to Monday morning sailing session I will burn about 10 - 12 kilos of charcoal - depending on heating requirements. If I run out of charcoal I just go beach coaming and can burn wood, turf certain sorts of household (or is it boathold) rubbish! It is important to keep the chimney clean or the fire goes out - I have a drill with a bit that is two feet long so a quick buzz from time to time and no problem! . Only snag is that it is a little dirty - things get a bit black below decks - but it is a great talking piece and most people who come on board end up burning themselves, but a dram or ten of whiskey usually cures that!

Wishing you warm winter sailing!

Pelican