Which heater??

[watson1959]

I'm looking to buy heaters for the engine bay and main cabin (or is the latter unneccessary?).

Looking at this one which is200w and has a built-in thermostat for £23.50:
http://www.cnmonline.co.uk/Inca-Frost-Protector-pr-37887.html

Any advice welcome as to whether this is any use or is there a different reccomendation?

Cheers

EDIT: I am leaving the boat in the water this year and see various posts which indicate that perhaps the risk of freezing is less? All advice welcome

 

[TrueBlue]

I've used a couple of these - from CPC for the past three years.
One in the engine area and one up front for the water tank set to 6deg C. They used very little electricity, which probably indicate that they might not be really necessary.....

I prefer oil cooled units as they should not be subject to hot spots unlike ones with any for of exposed elements - even if the are "black heat" variety.

But I may be talking rubbish.

 

[joejo]

I'm looking to buy heaters for the engine bay and main cabin (or is the latter unneccessary?).

Looking at this one which is200w and has a built-in thermostat for £23.50:
http://www.cnmonline.co.uk/Inca-Frost-Protector-pr-37887.html

Any advice welcome as to whether this is any use or is there a different reccomendation?

Cheers

My only note of caution is that in an engine compartment, in particular if you have a petrol engine, I have seen thermostats on heaters 'spark' as they cut in.

I favour a tubular greenhouse type heater for, and although my boat is diesel still worried about gas, though when the boat is ashore I remove the gas cylinder and I have a thermostat in the rear cockpit for the heaters.

One should not rely on heaters alone, as in Marina's and else where, shore power can, and does cut out leaving you vunerable.

Normally you are less likeky to freeze in the water than out. My advice is proper winterisation then freezing will have no effect. Best to remove soft furnishings as well. Joejo

 

[No Regrets]

Never had a problem, No Regrets seems to be a very dry boat

 

[Glorfindel]

Have a good quality thermostat with the sensor in the engine compartment - two black heaters in with the engines and one in the water/holding tank area. all last winter we had a bit of clear water around the hull even with 3 inches of ice on the marina. The point is that the thermostat is what matters.

 

[Brayman]

....., No Regrets seems to be a very dry boat

I can vouch for that, I've never seen a drink forthcoming

 

[Sulley]

I'm running a 2 x 120W tube heaters on my boat, one in the engine bay and one in the saloon and make sure I leave all the internal doors open. I also have a dehumidifier on as well. I have thermostats in both areas to see what the temperature has dropped to engine bay lowest is 5c and saloon 6c.

It's my first year so planning on leavng the boat in over winter, stayed on the boat 2 nights this weekend everything was warm and dry.

I know we have not had a long cold spell yet but Friday night dropped to -3C the outside of the boat and pontoons were frozen but inside all good!

 

[sturmvogel190a]

Watson fwiw when we had the cruiser i had a couple of these
http://www.google.co.uk/products/ca...qBPmTqiCJMGy8QPN64zqAw&sqi=2&ved=0CGgQ8wIwAA#
running 2 tube heaters one in the cabin one in the engine bay .
I also drained down the enine via the 4 drain plugs 2 under the manifolds and 2 under the block in case of power cut .
waste of time on our old boat though it as i susspect other sports cruisers with a petrol lump have the cooler box for the fuel line so low that the drain is below raw water entrance and you would sink the boat trying to drain that down ....yanky market where they are pulled out of the water for the winter thinking....Fill system with antifreeze is other method but relying on shore power is not a good idea on it`s own Steve.

 

[No Regrets]

I can vouch for that, I've never seen a drink forthcoming

I have never seen you lower your standards enough to come in and find out....