Heating your boat?

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jeffsnox

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I've been told you can use a standard gas hob as a rudimentary cabin heater... but won't that kick out a lot of moisture - and potentially carbon monoxide also?

And you can't use a spirit stove without ventilation right?

What other reasonably priced alternatives are there?

Seems to make sense to use diesel, but the only diesel fired heaters I can find are seriously expensive.

What about a portable gas heater like this one:

http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/productdetails/mcs/productid/101712

Or are the risks of a leak settling in the bilge, and moisture, and CO all too much?
 
I use one of these sometimes. Kicks out a huge amount of heat for such a small heater. Parts of it get very very hot and I am always worried about about it falling over and causing a fire.

I keep an extinguisher close and never leave it unattended.
 
I had a catalitic heater for a few years in a Rival 32 and another in a 44ftr with no problems, but always very aware of it and so the need for good ventilation. I have in fact got one now I have never got round to fitting (Inherited from a formurite, now in Spain!), cheap option, condensation never a prob.
 
Your insurance company may have views on taking a gas cylinder into the cabin of the boat . Why not consider the Taylors diesel heaters.
 
buy a second hand Eberspächer, look out for skipper_stu on here or the for sale forum as he often gets hold of ex-BT units. I realise you do not know me, but I know Stu personally and will thoroughly recommend him. I bought one from a different seller in 2003 and it was near new, in that they are hardly used on the BT vans.

Ok, it is going to add a fair bit more to your budget, but seriously, don't mess around with the hob or one of these little knockable over can't see the flame gas heaters.
 
Last week I tried out a plantpot inverted over a gas ring. Someone had recommended it and it worked fairly well. [Tip: don't use a plastic plant pot]. However, plenty of ventilation is needed so, although heat is being produced, it is offset by cold draughts of fresh air through the hatches. Net gain - probably nil. Ended up going to bed with a hot water bottle!
 
The small portable gas heaters do push out a lot of heat, but they must have the highest running costs of any type of boat heating using butane cans. In a small cabin I would be worried about stability and nearby surfaces overheating. As well as heat they push out moisture and CO1.
Plantpots on gas rings are OK as far as they go for warming head-height, but the heat is needed at floor level.
Blown air heaters are great for pushing dry air safely into the cabin... but the fans are noisy. I couldn't sleep with one running.
The same goes for the Taylors type paraffin heaters which work off a pressure tank. On the other hand the "drip" type deisel heaters, Taylors, Relfeks etc are the bees knees if you have the space and somewhere for a fairly hefty flue through the deck-heat.
I settled for a solid fuel heater which I can leave burning all night turned down. Yes, the ash needs care in disposal and if I am burning peat the deck gets messy, but on a winter's morning on a mooring it makes a big difference waking up to a warm, dry boat.
 
Search for threads on Bengco and Pansy solid fuel fires on here a couple of weeks ago. I had some really useful replies which will help make your mind up if solid fuel is for you.
 
I waited until I found a good secondhand Taylors, but I remember as a kid the Pansy (charcoal) and the memory was that it was hugely efficient and easy to use. You can still get them but all the secondhand ones I have seen look a little past it. You can by a new one from Pascal Atkeys shop in Cowes I hear!!
 
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