Frost free boats

[paulskent]

This is my first winter with a new boat....

I have been looking at the options for ensuring that my pride and joy doesn't freeze up over the winter. It will be on a marina with shore power available.

I have seen that some companies offer a

DIMPLEX COLD WATCHER

Anybody any experience of these or similar devices. Or any other suggestions.



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[fireball]

Wouldn't it be easier to put a small domestic electric heater on board possibly attached via a timer?

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[paulskent]

I think that is exactly what the Dimplex unit is.. Except it has a thermostat rather than a timer so it only turns on when it gets very cold...

Or at least thats what I think it does.

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[fireball]

most domestic fan/radiator heaters have a thermostat too ... very few have a timer.

It will just heat up the damp though so would need to watch for humidity ...

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[geoffatstanpit]

Use a dehumidifier with the drain over the sink. They give off sufficient heat to stop freezing (unless your boat is gigantic) and not surprisingly keep things crispy-dry

Geoff

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[paulskent]

Can you recommend a make and model ?

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[fireball]

I bought the £80 quid one from Argos - works down to 5degrees so don't know if it will stop the frost when it gets really cold....
Will let you know how it is going when I check it for the first time tomorrow!

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[AliM]

I suspect damp is more of a problem than freezing.

We bought a Homebase special offer standard dehumidifier last year. It carried on working even when the deck was covered with frost or snow. It kept everything dry and pumped out enough heat to prevent anything freezing. We had a small electric heater, which we used just when we were there.



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[dralex]

The dehumidifier I got from B&Q is doing a great job. It was about £80.

<hr width=100% size=1>Just enjoy it.

 

[robp]

Some dehumidifiers will stop working at low temperatures (around 5 degrees). Which is why some have built in de-frost. I use tubular greenhouse heaters in conjunction. They are cheap n safe. I lay one next to the engine and one or two in the saloon/up front. All on timers.

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[EdEssery]

B&Q Dehumidifier draining into sink combined with the Dimplex heater you propose is what I have used for the past three years - works a treat

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[paulskent]

This is not the ed essery that used to work for Digital is it ??

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[ralf1]

i use a similar set up no probs the coldwatcher is a very good safe heater designed for this purpose i use two 500w ones on a timer,one in engine bay with floor lifted one in bow area, all internal doors open and windows closed.

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[sailorman]

de-humidi drain into sink + oil-filled rad ( with thermostat ) that could be on a timer

<hr width=100% size=1>Nil iligitmo carborundum