Heating system sealines25

[sundancer9000]

I have always wanted to fit a heating system. However when i read the previous threads of some systems using 150 litres of diesel per month!!! im shocked! Would this be the case for a sealines25? being used prehaps 10 hours per week in winter? I would only consider winter boaating if i had heating! hence this time of year i always think about this topic.

 

[rafiki_]

Depends what you want to do with the heating. If you need to keep the boat heated to 22C ish through the winter, this will be expensive. Boats are not well inslulated, and cabins must be ventilated as a safety feature.

If you want to stop the engine/water systems freezing, then this does not cost very much, circa £5 per month. I use tube heaters in the engine bay and saloon.

Tube heaters will not keep you/crew in luxury.

If you want the saloon to be pleasant on the odd evening, diesel heating is a very suitable route, but at a price.

 

[enterprise]

Heating

150 ltrs / month, wow, must be something to do with lower tax for heating fuel !

I guess about 5 ltrs max for 10hrs use with an Eberspacher and perhaps another 145 ltrs to run the main engine to charge the batteries enough to start it

 

[Wiggo]

I think an Eber D3 burns about 5-8 litres a day flat out, so in theory it would use 150 litres a month, but that's 720 hours running, not the 10 you propose...

 

[CX54WEK]

We have a Sealine S23 (essentially the same boat) fitted with a Webasto Airtop 2000. It uses on full tilt 0.25 litres per hour, so fuel consumption really isnt worth worrying about. On top of that it really isnt on full for very long. These are small boats so dont take that much heating. We leave ours on pretty much all day (around 16 hours a day) then turn it off at night as the unit is mounted in the engine bay behind the midships so is fairly noisy whilst in bed.

We certainly make a lot of use of our heating as it extends our cruising to all year round without the need to wear loads of clothing or freeze!!

 

[gjgm]

I have always wanted to fit a heating system. However when i read the previous threads of some systems using 150 litres of diesel per month!!! im shocked! Would this be the case for a sealines25? being used prehaps 10 hours per week in winter? I would only consider winter boaating if i had heating! hence this time of year i always think about this topic.

But its about to start warming up!
Diesel heating is absurdly expensive to install, but then whats the option !So expensive that the fuel burn becomes unimportant.
1/2 litre an hour sounds about right, but it isnt just a mid winter necessity. Any chilly morning/evening its a boon !

 

[Scubadoo]

I have always wanted to fit a heating system. However when i read the previous threads of some systems using 150 litres of diesel per month!!! im shocked! Would this be the case for a sealines25? being used prehaps 10 hours per week in winter? I would only consider winter boaating if i had heating! hence this time of year i always think about this topic.

I have the Sealine S24 and do winter boating but don't have these inbuilt heaters, mainly because of the cost to install. What I do is have a fan heater when at marinas i.e. have electrics available and find that I only have to have it running on two setting for about 10-15minutes and the cabin becomes too hot! So not on for too long. For the occasions where no electrics are available I have a portable Indoor gas heater (the safe type that don't produces dangerous levels of CO2) and that works a treat, it is very small.

I just put extra layers on when out boating and leave the canvas roof up, if the sun is out it can be surprisely warm in winter.

And also I use Tube heaters and Oil filled heater for boat when not in use.

Some of the best days are in Winter, those calm sunny still days (not so much this year though).

 

[CX54WEK]

I have the Sealine S24 and do winter boating but don't have these inbuilt heaters, mainly because of the cost to install. What I do is have a fan heater when at marinas i.e. have electrics available and find that I only have to have it running on two setting for about 10-15minutes and the cabin becomes too hot! So not on for too long. For the occasions where no electrics are available I have a portable Indoor gas heater (the safe type that don't produces dangerous levels of CO2) and that works a treat, it is very small.

I just put extra layers on when out boating and leave the canvas roof up, if the sun is out it can be surprisely warm in winter.

And also I use Tube heaters and Oil filled heater for boat when not in use.

Some of the best days are in Winter, those calm sunny still days (not so much this year though).

It neednt be that expensive to fit diesel heating. A marine eber kit suitable for a small boat like an S23/25 or and S24 recently sold on ebay for £650. Fitting can be done DIY.

£650 isnt a lot for hassel free heating wether hooked up or out travelling. Much less faffing around than electric heaters and much safer than gas heaters, not to mention not taking up space in an already small area.

We do use tube heaters when the boat is unattended during the week, however these are removed and stored in the car whilst we are aboard.

 

[enterprise]

You will find use for a diesel heater even in the summer (well the last three at least).

Early and Late summer mornings can be chilly and damp, if moored away from power it is great to take that damp chill off the boat first thing just as the sun comes up (distant memory here).
I know we use ours a lot, DIY installed, probably sourced all the parts via ebay for £350, even treated the second hand D1Lcc to a new burner and sensors for £20 off ebay before we installed it.

Really pleased we did & a relatively easy DIY project with a very satisfying outcome.

 

[ian38_39]

You could have a look at Propex Heating,
The Propex HS 2000 would be plenty big enough for your boat, they are a piece of cake to fit, quiet, ultra reliable, don't need decoking all the time and you can fit them anywhere.

Only issue for you is that you probably have Camping gaz and there is not much gas in a little and expensive bottle, even so it would take about 10 years to recoupe the difference in price between a Propex and an Ebo or Webo, by burning diesel instead of gas.

 

[CX54WEK]

You could have a look at Propex Heating,
The Propex HS 2000 would be plenty big enough for your boat, they are a piece of cake to fit, quiet, ultra reliable, don't need decoking all the time and you can fit them anywhere.

Only issue for you is that you probably have Camping gaz and there is not much gas in a little and expensive bottle, even so it would take about 10 years to recoupe the difference in price between a Propex and an Ebo or Webo, by burning diesel instead of gas.

A friend of ours recently bought one of these gas heaters and couldnt find anyone to fit it. Doing the sums on running costs he sent it back. Would have cost almost £1 an hour to run the thing on Camping Gaz!!!!

He is now looking for a diesel heater.

 

[gjgm]

It neednt be that expensive to fit diesel heating. A marine eber kit suitable for a small boat like an S23/25 or and S24 recently sold on ebay for £650. Fitting can be done DIY.

£650 isnt a lot for hassel free heating wether hooked up or out travelling. Much less faffing around than electric heaters and much safer than gas heaters, not to mention not taking up space in an already small area.

We do use tube heaters when the boat is unattended during the week, however these are removed and stored in the car whilst we are aboard.

I dont know the details of that auction. I can only say that when I looked at it, the ebay prices were only part of the picture. If you want to insulate the pipes, add a few extra outlets and add a few bits and bobs, the cost soars.
Having decided to have a pro fit it, thank goodness I did. I would never have found my way around behind the scenes as it were, never mind managed to cut the various holes as effectively.
You might be right at £650 for 25ft, but I suspect thats a very basic installation. A few cock-ups with the gelcoat, and your repair bill might be even more

 

[CX54WEK]

I dont know the details of that auction. I can only say that when I looked at it, the ebay prices were only part of the picture. If you want to insulate the pipes, add a few extra outlets and add a few bits and bobs, the cost soars.
Having decided to have a pro fit it, thank goodness I did. I would never have found my way around behind the scenes as it were, never mind managed to cut the various holes as effectively.
You might be right at £650 for 25ft, but I suspect thats a very basic installation. A few cock-ups with the gelcoat, and your repair bill might be even more

As we already had outs fitted when we bought the boat it wasnt/isnt an issue for us. We are however helping a friend source and fit either the eber or webasto 2kw heater to his boat.

The OH is a panel beater so is used to drilling holes in expensive cars, drilling holes in boats isnt much different. (He has already been drilling plenty in ours!!) The routing of the pipework we will copy from the installation on ours. It really isnt difficult given a few DIY skills.

The hardest part will be routing the wires to the control panel with where that will be located. Ducting can easily be routed to the required outlets (being a 2kw heater it will only have 2 outlets) the cockpit outlet is extremely east to access and the cabin outlet the same.

The kit which was sold on ebay contained everything needed to install the heating on a small craft, all outlets, exhaust fittings, fuel lines and wiring. It would have been a very simple installation. Unfortuantely he was outbid at the last second of the auction.

Given a few simple DIY skills anyone can fit them. Obviously if you are not confident with your DIY skills then a "pro" fit is the way to go, but this will and does cost more than fitting it yourself. Given the right tools and the confidence to remove interior panels it isnt a hard job.

 

[enterprise]

Easy DIY as previously said, best time to buy (ebay style) is during the summer months, gjgm is right about the add on parts required for installation but on a 25ft - 30ft boat these are minimal, breakdown of add ons something like this'

Ducting 3m £15
Fuel lines, nylon £10 Copper £20 for a set.
exhaust pipe £10
silencer £20
skin fitting £40
cabin outlets (2) £15
branch connectors (ducting) 1 'Y' or 'T' £10
thinsulate material 3m £25
Heat resistant sock(for exhaust tube) 1m £10
standpipe for tank £15

D1Lcc, complete with wire loom, fuel pump and cabin stat/controler £165

Total cost £345

The trick to getting the best prices is to wait for the right item from a private seller, dont buy everything in one go, waiting for the auction pieces rather than buy it now style from traders.
It took over 7 months to aquire the kit but then whats the rush?