Heating - alternatives for when the power goes off

The problem is that anything that burns fuel to make heat also uses oxygen and makes carbon dioxide. If there isn't enough oxygen, it makes carbon monoxide, which will give you a deep, dreamless* sleep and no one will ever nag you again...

The other problem is that it also produces water vapour. Burn a litre of fuel and it's as if you put a litre of water in a spray bottle and squirted it all over the inside of your boat.



*Perhaps. Mr Shakespeare had something to say on the subject.
 
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did you think about a hot water based heating system?

[/ QUOTE ] Yes, but for the amount of time we are going to use it the Honda won. Yacht already has shore power installed and lots of plugs in the right places. On our test weekend we found running the little honda during an evening on deck with the wind taking the fumes away from the cockpit even with a bitterly cold January night the yacht was warm. Switched off at midnight and whilst the cabin was a little chilly in the morning it soon warmed up again when the honda was started. It also gives us 240v on board. As for noise with the exhaust facing away you could have a normal conversation in the cockpit and was suprisingly difficult to here down below, unlike next doors haliards.

Judders has an outboard so would need a diesel tank etc.

Pete
 
interesting Swedish gadget called PAN 2000: something like a kettle turned upside down to be put over any flame (gas, kerosene, spirit), then a heat collector with electric fan and finally a flexible exhaust pipe. Simple, reliable and uses minimum of electricity.
 
Catalitic gas heater for me for occasional use, on the third boat with one now, cheap, no power, very low consumption, can use at sea and I have never experienced condensation problems with them.
 
I have an air\heater which uses electricity and produces black carbon deposits when it deems to work. We find that the old method of the Tilley lamp produces better heat and also better light to read by than using the service batts, and probably pulling up the sludge from the bottom of the diesel tank.
 
I went for the paraffin pressure lamp option. The lamp can be used as an emergency anchor light also. Some details of mine are here:

http://www.yacht-forum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=15

As people have said, it does produce some condensation if you're not careful - but it will take about 8 hours to burn 1 pint of fuel - so we're not talking about a vast amount in a short period of time. Just make sure it's well ventilated.
 
Another vote for oil lamp. I use a paraffin hurricane lamp on my 26ft boat for lighting to save flattening the battery and find it gives off a lot of heat as well. Simple and cheap!
 
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We are looking at a 25' cruiser racer with an outboard, so the Eberspacher is out. My mate went and let the cat out of the bag that heating could be installed on his 28'er but then he doesn't race her. I can run the engine as a genny for 12v.

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Oi! - it's only a 27-footer, and we can only afford to get heating fitted 'cos we're gonna slum it on a swinging mooring for the forseable...

An Eber/Webasto with it's own (small) diesel tank might still be an option, if your electrics can cope.

Fan heaters are OK on shorepower, but I wouldn't leave one on overnight.

Towsure in Southampton (&others) sell double sleeping bags /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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I have been tempted to use our Cobb BBQ in a well ventilated environment, so far only really used in the cockpit, but I think you could use it near the hatch as long as your reasonably well ventilated.

[/ QUOTE ]I wouldn't burn charcoal inside a boat without a flue due to the risk of carbon monoxide, CO. If carbon is burnt oxygen-lean you will get CO. You cannot control the airflow so there is a real risk. I don't have my instructions to hand but surely they warn you not to use it indoors? Cobbs are wonderful cookers but they need to be constantly watched when used on a boat.
 
I fitted a Mikuni to my 26' Centaur. Being a small boat I only fitted the one outlet. You need to be a competent DIYer to fit one and be prepared to follow the instructions (especially wiring and exhaust layout) very carefully. The big problem with them is the electricity used and the noise. If you are overnight in some really lovely creek where you can't see or hear anything 20/21C other than an occasional con-trail the whine of a diesel heater and the pong of diesel is not so good.

An alternative is drip-fed diesel and charcoal. The real problem is finding a place to put one in such a small cabin area as they get very hot. I couldn't find a sensible place in the Centaur (though I've seen it done), hence the Mikuni.

Another possibility is a small wick-type paraffin heater. My family used them over a very cold English winter living aboard and they did cause a lot of condensation, and some smell. But they are comparatively safe if the flame is blue. I have seen some very compact ones and they might be a solution.

The small catalytic gas heaters are perfectly good and I've used them on the inland waterways for years but again you need a safe place to mount them and they need to be plumbed in properly. You get as much condensation with gas as you do with paraffin.
 
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