small wood burner in fiber glass boat

[Seahallknowhall]

hey all. i really want a wood burner in my 27ft glass boat, now i have my leaks under control i was wanting a small wood burner to keep me warm and dry but i'm a bit concerned about the heat on the fiberglass the full boat is fiberglass! obviously i don't want a big raring fire but would love a small under control wood burner. can anybody tell me if they have one in there glass boat and whats the best way to make my fire surround heat resistant.
I've had some suggestions like ally sheet (not sure if they meant aluminum or alloy) and asbestos sheeting. all ideas or experience always much appreciated

cheers crew
seahall

 

[Tranona]

Wood burner is not really the way to go. Do a search on heating and you will find a number of threads recently discussing the alternatives. Problem with a 27 ft boat is that there is rarely the space to fit any kind of heater without losing berth or locker space. The alternatives (ignoring blown air) are solid fuel (usually charcoal) paraffin or diesel and there are a number of different designs of each on the market. They are usually bulkhead mounted and require an external flue. Insulation from the boat structure is usually not a problem and the manufacturers will give you instructions on what is required. Be aware that such devices are not cheap unless you are lucky enough to find one second hand.

 

[Kelpie]

I don't think you should worry too much about the effect of heat on fibreglass... they use glass fibre rope as seals on the stove doors afterall.

A friend fitted a Faversham stove into his 26ft wooden boat. Transformed the boat into a cosy, warm, dry, snug little home. He used stainless sheeting to protect the wood immediately around the stove. Mounted it with a nut as a spacer, so the sheet was 5mm or so away from the wood, seemed to work well. Quite a cheap and easy solution.

If you have the space for the fuel, and if you can have a decent sized flue coming up somewhere convenient on deck, then go for it. Just watch out for downdrafts from the mainsail

 

[35mm]

GRP goes up quite nicely when it burns! A wood burner sounds like a bad option compared to a liquid burning alternative. For a start where are you going to store all the wood. Wood takes up more space than liquid fuel.

If you simply must have a wood burner, then check out Machine Mart. They do a big range (no pun intended). You can either put a paving slab under it or lay a bit of concrete in the bilge as a base. You could do what the old steam trains did, and tow a tender behind you full of wood - an old dinghy should do

 

[William_H]

Fibreglass burns

Well as said Glass reinforced PLASTIC that your boat is made of burns very well. But if you have ever seen a GRP boat that has burnt you will notice the glass art of GRP remains intact and unburnt. It is the resin that burns.
If I were to want a heater (35degrees yesterday) then I would go to a scrap metal yard looking for steel square tubing around 15 by 20 cms and you want about 40 cms of it. Drill and fit steel bars through the body about 10cms from the bottom for a grate. Get a piece of heavy steel to cover the top. Making a filling lid and possible hot plate. You will need a way to keep it cntred and in place and a way to be able to lift it open for filling.
Another lighter steel plate for the bottom with turn up to make an ash tray.
Drill holes around the sides near the bottom for ventilation and make some way of variable covering of the holes to adjust draft. You might be able to find some fireproof glass and cut a hole for a window in the front so you can see the fire.
At the back and top you need to fit a steel water pipe type elbow of around 50mm diameter for a chimney. From there you need a flue either going straight up to the cabin roof or possibly bending to go aft to the bulkhead for an exit.
Mount it low on the floor or against a bulkhead and insulate the boat structure against the heat. It should be good for small wood or charcoal. Depending on how big you make it.
Just a few thoughts but no idea really olewill

 

[macd]

If I were to want a heater (35degrees yesterday) then I would go to a scrap metal yard looking for steel square tubing around 15 by 20 cms and you want about 40 cms of it. Drill and fit steel bars through the body about 10cms from the bottom for a grate..........

Great, will. I love bush engineering. Once watched a bloke bush-welding a 4WD sub-frame back together. Magic.

 

[wotayottie]

Have you ever seen fibreglass go up in smoke? Its most impressive - we had a plonker at the club ( thinking about it we had two of them) who decided to help some resin go off on a cold day by warming gently with a blow lamp. Spectacular.

Putting a woodburner in your grp boat is about as much sense as running one in a petrol station.

 

[oceanpilgrim]

I don't think you should worry too much about the effect of heat on fibreglass... they use glass fibre rope as seals on the stove doors afterall.

A friend fitted a Faversham stove into his 26ft wooden boat. Transformed the boat into a cosy, warm, dry, snug little home. He used stainless sheeting to protect the wood immediately around the stove. Mounted it with a nut as a spacer, so the sheet was 5mm or so away from the wood, seemed to work well. Quite a cheap and easy solution.

If you have the space for the fuel, and if you can have a decent sized flue coming up somewhere convenient on deck, then go for it. Just watch out for downdrafts from the mainsail

+1 100%
that is how mine is fitted,i have a taylors 049D diesel heater
fuel tank is off an old genorater 3.5 gallon
got mine off ebay for £400

 

[Seahallknowhall]

Great thanks for advice and suggestions. but looks like we are all on a divide about this, please keep all opinions coming, as this is still undecided for me... much appreciated,
Seahall.

 

[Seahallknowhall]

You could do what the old steam trains did, and tow a tender behind you full of wood - an old dinghy should do

haha not a bad idea

 

[charles_reed]

Wood burner is not really the way to go. Do a search on heating and you will find a number of threads recently discussing the alternatives. Problem with a 27 ft boat is that there is rarely the space to fit any kind of heater without losing berth or locker space. The alternatives (ignoring blown air) are solid fuel (usually charcoal) paraffin or diesel and there are a number of different designs of each on the market. They are usually bulkhead mounted and require an external flue. Insulation from the boat structure is usually not a problem and the manufacturers will give you instructions on what is required. Be aware that such devices are not cheap unless you are lucky enough to find one second hand.

I once sailed in company with a (wooden) boat with a stove called a "HotPot".

As a heating device it was most successful and they used to burn all forms of wood flotsam and jetsam in the stove.
It's lighting was always signalled by the whole marina being wreathed in noxious fumes - and their mainmast and sailcover needed frequent decarbonisation.

Personally I always reckon a good electric fan heater to be the most practical and convenient form of heating for a boat - but then that's impractical with no mains power. Under those (infrequent) occurences I revert to firing up the LPG oven - it acts as an effective hear reservoir for quite long after putting it out.

 

[Seahallknowhall]

ok ok

Putting a woodburner in your grp boat is about as much sense as running one in a petrol station.

Well as said Glass reinforced PLASTIC that your boat is made of burns very well.

GRP goes up quite nicely when it burns! A wood burner sounds like a bad option

A friend fitted a Faversham stove into his 26ft wooden boat.

Wood burner is not really the way to go. .

after reading back on all messages from all who have replyed, it seem the majority are all saying this. and to be honest...... this is what i felt deep down.... so i should trust my instincs and the sound advice from you helpfull people. many thanks to all.
Seahall

 

[Kelpie]

I've also known people with woodburners in their grp boats. One was a 23ft, the other a 28ft, both liveaboards. I only mentioned the wooden one because I visited him whilst he was installing it, so I knew a bit more about how he shielded it. And I thought (wrongly?) that wood was more liable to heat damage than grp.

I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with the idea at all. Really surprised to see so many people suggesting it is dangerous.

My boat has a blown-air heater, like most other people. But if I was starting from scratch, I would probably go for solid fuel (nb if you are OK with burning coal, or even better anthricite, then it starts to make even more sense). It may well be cheaper to install than any other form of heating, and could be far more powerful. Also, whenever I open the hatch all the hot air goes... whereas a lump of cast iron stays nice and warm, radiating heat, and doesn't care whether the hatch is open or not.

They're not for everyone, but I heat my house with solid fuel so I reckon I'd be pretty happy doing the same on the boat. Anyway, my boat has so much space in the cockpit lockers I don't know what to do with it all, I could get a few bags of anthricite in there no problem at all.

Last point... making one would be fun, I'm sure, but they don't have to be expensive to buy:
http://www.windysmithy.co.uk/woodburners

 

[Seahallknowhall]

I've also known people with woodburners in their grp boats. One was a 23ft, the other a 28ft, both liveaboards. I only mentioned the wooden one because I visited him whilst he was installing it, so I knew a bit more about how he shielded it. And I thought (wrongly?) that wood was more liable to heat damage than grp.

Hmmm... you have me thinking again yeah im doing my boat from scratch, totaly gutted her and slowly (very slowly) getting her back ship shape thanks for input and i will have a look at the link provided.
Cheers
Seahall

 

[ffiill]

forget the word wood burner-i live at home with woodburner multifuel stoves and great if you have a good dry fuel supply and means of storage-i have about 1/4 acre of land/woodland.
but on a boat a pain -use coke in which you can store-smokless hotpot or similar.you can buy coal/coke etc in 25 kg bags which you can store down in the bottom of lockers.
sorry no caps i have just fallen on the ice and fractured my wrist-on the way to a and e

 

[Seahallknowhall]

forget the word wood burner-i live at home with woodburner multifuel stoves and great if you have a good dry fuel supply and means of storage

i'm still a bit green with all this and I may make my self look a bit daft, Is there any difference or can i burn wood or Coal/coke in a "wood burner" is that a collective term for a contained fire/heater or are they different specifications i need to be looking for.
Cheers Seahall

P.S sorry to hear about your wrist.

 

[myquest]

after reading back on all messages from all who have replyed, it seem the majority are all saying this. and to be honest...... this is what i felt deep down.... so i should trust my instincs and the sound advice from you helpfull people. many thanks to all.
Seahall

Here's a thought for you. I spent a few winters in Norway where all the houses are built of wood and most appeared to be heated by wood burning stoves. Now in all the time I was there I never saw a fire engine. In this country where most houses are built of brick, stone, concrete etc. etc. we see fire engines whizzing around quite a lot.
Get a proper charcoal burner. Fit it properly and use it sensibly and you'll be very snug. My previous boat (grp and wood) had one fitted without any heat shields, concrete hearths etc.. I actually took it out because we found we just got too hot when it was lit, so you will not need a very big one. And no you can't have the one I took out, it's going in the current boat!

 

[Kelpie]

i'm still a bit green with all this and I may make my self look a bit daft, Is there any difference or can i burn wood or Coal/coke in a "wood burner" is that a collective term for a contained fire/heater or are they different specifications i need to be looking for.

A woodburner is designed to burn wood best of all. This means no grate, as wood is more efficiently burned when the embers are in a bed of ash. Good quality wood produces very little ash indeed* so you can let this bed of ash build up.

A multifuel stove is designed to burn coal/coke/anthracite. These burn best on a grate, with air coming up from underneath. They also produce ash and clinker, which falls away through the grate into the pan.

Some stoves have a clever grate design which can be reconfigured to close up the holes in the grate; this allows a bed of ash to build up and makes them, effectively, into woodburners.

People (myself included) can be a bit sloppy with the terminology. I think in practise you can burn what you want in either design of stove.


* I know a guy who heats his house with a 9kw woodburner. He never has to clean ash out of it. Ever. I think some of it must go up the chimney or something.

 

[Seahallknowhall]

that makes sense cheers

 

[Tranona]

i'm still a bit green with all this and I may make my self look a bit daft, Is there any difference or can i burn wood or Coal/coke in a "wood burner" is that a collective term for a contained fire/heater or are they different specifications i need to be looking for.
Cheers Seahall

P.S sorry to hear about your wrist.

There are a number of purpose built small solid fuel stoves on the market such as the Faversham specifically designed for use on boats. They burn charcoal or briquettes and are very effective. Wood per se is not really suitable because it has low calorific value and difficult to burn effectively in a small heater - plus of course the storage problem of the fuel.

The problem with all the heaters of this size and type, whatever the fuel, is that they take up a lot of room in the boat and need a good supply of air and an effective flue system. Insulating them from the structure is not a problem and if they are properly installed they are safe. However, you need to be sure that you are going to make good use of it to justify the expense and inconvenience of installing one. They become much more viable when you get to bigger boats - 30'+ as there is often more bulkhead space to fit one without losing accommodation space.

Diesel fired hot air systems are far more popular because they are efficient, particularly for occasional use and more importantly do not take up space that is perhaps better used for other things.