How to heat a little 26 footer!

[Tillernut]

I would like some heat for those very occasional cold nights aboard. I have a two burner cooker that runs on meths or paraffin - would that do if I kept it well ventilated. It would only be to warm it up and not kept on over night. I only have head room to sit, so it's not a big area or have you any other cheap alternatives?

Is that a very small 26 footer or one of the larger 26 footers? I would give you my 26 footer at the moment and you could light it and keep warm. If only?

 

[charles_reed]

I would like some heat for those very occasional cold nights aboard. I have a two burner cooker that runs on meths or paraffin - would that do if I kept it well ventilated. It would only be to warm it up and not kept on over night. I only have head room to sit, so it's not a big area or have you any other cheap alternatives?

During the last 30 years, I've tried the following:-

1. Subset lanterns - warm the boat, bake your head and give you frostbite in the toes.
Both the CampingGaz lantern (very easily damaged mantles) and Tilley and Bialaddin lanterns, the latter two produced a lot of heat, much light, but could be a fiddle to light.
2. Subset LPG heaters - the catalytic one produced less heat than the radiant and both produced a strange smell. Of the two the radiant at least offered a chance of toe-warming, even if in a strange posture.
3. Eberspacher - great, until it died and I was asked for £500 to mend it.
4. Subset electric heaters - the fan heater is my heating of choice, though an oil-filled radiator is great for taking the chill off the boat.

If I'm out of reach of electric, I light the oven, this produces some direct heat, but acts as a heat-sink thereafter.

For 1. and 2. ventilation is essential and humidity a problem. For all heating methods the great disadvantage is the chilly cabin sole and the inflamed head.

Your 2 suggested methods appear to me to be non-starters.

 

[PaulJS]

There must be a simpler way to heat air and blow it into the cabin while exhausting any products of hydrocarbon combustion out of the space... Some sort of small gas/diesel fuelled heat exchanger rigged up to a small, quiet fan.
I know that this is what most of the commercially available boat heaters are, but we must be able to think up something cheaper and simpler.


EDIT: Uber, PM sent

 

[Babylon]

Fit a Webasto Air Top 2000?

Webasto unit mounted in cockpit locker (up under coamng?)
Supply from diesel tank
Exhaust via own through-hull
Heat exhanger draws in outside air and blows through flexible hoses to one or two cabin outlets (our 27 footer has one in cabin and one forepeak/heads).

Advantages:
no internal fumes or condensation
existing fuel supply
unobtrusive inside cabin
permament setup

Disadvantages:
requires volts to run blower (and won't start if battery too low)
expensive to purchase and fit

 

[Zagato]

Is that a very small 26 footer or one of the larger 26 footers?

This size of 26 footer! 4' 10" Headroom so cosy

 

[Zagato]

I'll put a couple of internal shots up as it shows the cooker -just!

 

[Zagato]

 

[Zagato]

I think the answer would be to buy a tilley lamp make a brew and wrap up with a book I'll look into the little heater from Argos and Force 4 - thanks, could use the Force 4 one in my Land Rover, tent etc also Just to take the chill off........

On the subject of heat our central heating packed up last night as well as the washing machine

Jobs for today get the real fire going, and get the pilot light re-lit.

This is our second Bosch washing machine, they have only lasted for 3 years each at 1-2 washes a day. The heating element both times, so need to put a new element in today also.........

 

[vyv_cox]

We used a Tilley lamp for years in a 27 ft boat and occasionally since in 29 and 34 ft, plus a range of camper vans. I haven't found condensation to be a big problem because it is so frugal on fuel. Refilling the tank is quite a rare event. As Charles says it's not an instantaneous action to light but only takes a minute or two. I believe they give out something like 3 kW, plus the light of course, so opening a hatch to let out some heat and water vapour will almost certainly be necessary.

 

[reginaldon]

how about this heater from Argos.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Brows...3/3|cat_14419397|Outdoor+heaters|14419412.htm

Got virtually the same thing about £12 or £14 - can buy a few canisters at that rate.

 

[Ubergeekian]

I think the answer would be to buy a tilley lamp make a brew and wrap up with a book I'll look into the little heater from Argos and Force 4 - thanks, could use the Force 4 one in my Land Rover, tent etc also Just to take the chill off........

Don't knock the humble hot water bottle, too. Makes a (formerly) cold berth a pleasure to get into.

 

[Wansworth]

I had a little 23 footer and found a small wod stove eminently satisfactory ,although you will still suffer the col d atfoot level.A small wood stove has many advantages apart from drying and heating and cooking you will have to be constantly on the look out for drift wood to burn,unless you take on coal.

 

[Searush]

Zagato

The first thing to do is rig a blanket across that bulkhead. Don't try to heat the whole boat, just the bit you are in. It will aso reduce draughts. I am lucky enough to have doors I can use to close off the forecabin & it makes a huge difference to comfort when using any form of heat.

Another thing that has helped a lot is that I recently had a full cockpit tent fitted. That means that when I leave the hatch open for ventilation I create a warmish space under the tent whch significantly reduces heat loss from the cabin - even with the hatch ajar.

Finally, I use double sleeping bags with a thermal liner & leave me vest & sock on! Getting up in the morning can seem a bit of a chore, but I put the kettle on for a coffee without getting out of my sleeping bags! Then by the time the coffee is ready it's warm enough to get dressed (if you are quick!)

 

[Bru]

A cautionary tale ...

We all know about the need for ventilation I guess but the dangers were really brought home to me at a festival I was working at some years ago ...

Whilst queueing for the loo one morning, two lads staggered past and started up-chucking in the loos. As they were some of the bar staff crew, much amused comment passed around the dozen or so people standing around about over-enthusiastic sampling of their own wares.

After a few minutes of continuing retching sounds, we started to become mildly concerned and one of the site paramedics ambled by to be summoned to give his opinion. What made him think of it I don't know but he tested for carbon monoxide poisoning (prick a finger, the extreme redness of the blood is a dead giveaway apparently) and promptly called for backup and an urgent transfer to hospital.

Quite by chance, a passer by mentioned that she thought there was somebody else in their tent - yes, I did say tent! On checking, one of the female bar staff was found in a zipped up tent with a portable gas tent heater running. She was, we heard from the medics later, perhaps minutes from death.

All three recovered after a stay in hospital but it was a lesson I've never forgotten - even in a tent CO from a small gas heater can quickly build up to dangerous levels with frightening effects

We plan to fit a suitable monitor/alarm to new aquisition pdq I can tell you!

Bru

 

[Lodesman77]

Would second the suggestion of a good lamp; try the vapalux M320 which is similar to a Tilley but generally better heat and light output. I believe the M320 is still British forces issue, certainly easy to find for a reasonable price on ebay.

 

[smeaks]

try a ceramic plant pot with just a tea light underneath you will be amazed!

 

[ghostlymoron]

I would investigate one of these. http://www.kuranda.co.uk/sigmarine-heaters.html

 

[stav]

Sleeping bag with a hood and top Togg rating would seem the way to go unless you can insulate the boat in some way. Also two pairs of thermals so you can change, always seems so much more civilised to have one set for bed and one for sailing. But I have never sailed any where colder than the English Channel. The real problem with heating the boat during the evening is the condesation freezing during the night and then melting and dripping in to the bacon as you fry it in the morning. That was on my first sailing boat when I was 17 many years ago!

I have used a force 10 cosy heater but would not leave it running: gas has to be turned off at the bottle before the whole crew is asleep, more important than wearing your lifejacket in my opinion.

Surprised no one has suggested a second person......

Friend whole lived on his wooden 30 footer had a lovely wood burning stove and there is the little pansey?/Pascal? that burns charcoal? It is quite small. Still not worth the effort for the occassional night.

PS lovely looking boat and looks very well looked after. Folksong?

 

[BruceDanforth]

I've got something like one of these on my 22 footer which takes the same cartridges as the little stoves. I must say I have fallen asleep with it on a few times and I didn't die.

 

[BruceDanforth]

eats through the gas cans in under 2 hours ! , great heat , just too expensive to run lol.

Not if you are as tight as I am: the cartridge lasts about 8 hours.