Will diesel heater skin fitting be below water line when heeling?

Thanks Stu
Will probably go with that and buy a bung
Seems a decent compromise between minimising heat loss and keeping exhaust run short
 
View attachment 77210
Hi all
I was really pleased with my self yesterday when I fitted a diesel heater to my boat
I was about to drill a hole for in the hull for the skin fitting and someone mentioned to me to make sure that the skin fitting would not be underwater when heeled over. I never even thought about that to be honest! I'm not sure how much my boat heels. Do you think the pink dot in the photo is an okay position for the exhaust fitting? The heater is mounted in the forward part of the cockpit locker.
I suppose the alternative is to buy more exhaust pipe and run it all the way through the cockpit locker and out the back of the boat.
Thanks

I would think it quite easy to get that underwater, at least momentarily and repeatedly in waves.
It's also going to limit use if you ever raft up, you'll find your neighbour has put a bung in it.
Transom is really the only proper place for it.
 
Yeah I would have done that but my heater is right at the front of the cockpit locker
So I wondered if I could go out sideways through the hull where that pink dot is

On my boat the pink dot would be swamped at moderate angles of heel and choppy seas. Don't forget that the air for combustion goes in through that fitting. I don't suppose your heater would enjoy a diet of sea water. The transom is the best option and close to Centreline.
 
Ours it fitted on gunwales above the toe rail on our Westerly. Never quite liked it and always feared setting fire to my dodgers but its much better than on hull as at least rarely gets dunked and does nor blow straight onto other boats if rafted up etc. And yes we did use it while sailing yesterday to warm up while off watch, due to artic blasts and distinct lack of spring in the air.

On our LM27 it is more sensibly on transom.
 
On my boat the pink dot would be swamped at moderate angles of heel and choppy seas. Don't forget that the air for combustion goes in through that fitting. I don't suppose your heater would enjoy a diet of sea water. The transom is the best option and close to Centreline.

"Don't forget that the air for combustion goes in through that fitting" Is that the case? certainly not on any of the through hulls that I have had.
 
Our exhaust is high up on the Starboard side, facing aft. Combustion air is from high up inside the transom. We do occasionally get the toe rail under the water, but never high enough aft to be an issue. We never run the heater under way anyway. You seem to have the right idea... just make any high exit pipe face aft - that way you avoid issues at anchor or on a mooring.
 
I've just finished fitting my heater and went through the same thoughts of where the exhaust went - eventually went for the heater in the stern locker with a short exhaust, with a high loop inside, exhaust outlet as high up on the transom as possible. The only disadvantage is that the ducting is long and the first outlet in the stern cabin gets most of the heat! Just ordered a 'Y' fitting with an internal adjustable flap so I can adjust the air going to the rear cabin. I did consider fitting the heater in the centre cockpit locker but this would have meant a long exhaust pipe to the transom, about 12' long, going through lockers in the stern cabin and even though it would have been insulate I considered this a hazard as the pipe does get hot even when insulated.
 
Yeah ideally I'd put it right at the back of the cockpit locker so if have a short exhaust run
But when i tested that the temperature of the air was significantly lower with the longer duct run
Mine is just a 2kw one
Cheers
 
A few points to consider:

1) The exhaust may contain Carbon Monoxide, and the exhaust location should be chosen to ensure that exhaust gases and fumes can't get into either your cabin or anyone elses.
2) The exhaust pipe and gases can be very hot. Again, you don't want them to impact either your own boat or anyone elses.
3) The exhaust can be noisy if a silencer isn't fitted.

Even on a mooring, having it sited well away from the cabin has obvious advantages .
 
our current boat has a 'J' shaped exhaust (was a Webasto originally) - the end faces aft- downwind under most circumstances. There is little chance of external wind blowing back into the boat via the heater exhaust.
Previous boat had a transom flush mounted exhaust- same rationale.
Either works.
 
Ah right so the exhaust goes out the side of the hull and then makes 90 degree turn towards the back of the boat?
 
Top