Winter Engine Space Heating

[Sneds]

O
When we had a sports cruiser I had tubulars in the engine bay but the switching thermostat up in the cockpit

 

[rafiki_]

First winter for me .. have a Petrol 5.7 .. was wondering about the Petrol fumes as the tube warms up or is there a spark/click etc .. as I was told to put the blower on before stayrting the engine to clear vapours .. totally new to this haha

Is your engine raw water cooled? If yes, and you are on the sea, you have little to benefit the engine from heating. Your domestic water however is more likely to freeze, so either drain it down or make sure it doesn’t freeze.

 

[Cavalierbond]

Yes I’m in a marina ... is there much chance of the engine block cracking etc ??

 

[Momac]

Yes I’m in a marina ... is there much chance of the engine block cracking etc ??

I have heard of this happening in a petrol engined inboard in fresh water marina.

 

[jrudge]

Can you not just shut off the intakes whilst the engine is running and then shut down the engine a few seconds later. That will expel some water - not all - but probably enough to allow ice to form and have somewhere to go?

 

[rafiki_]

I have heard of this happening in a petrol engined inboard in fresh water marina.

Me too, but not in sea water.

 

[Sneds]

We also keep a window open a little to allow fresh air in

I think it would have to get very cold to freeze and crack a block, don't forget the water you are floating in will act as an insulator

 

[Cavalierbond]

Thanks for the advice .. had a bit of a mare so far .. new long block engine and then starter motor blew up and had to have the engine out again ... pricey

 

[Wavey]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Much appreciated.

My current tubular heater only puts out around 100w which given the size of the engine space just isn't sufficient. I hadn't thought of an oil filled radiator which seems the best solution. I'll have to measure up next time I'm down on the boat but a slim one should sit nicely on the battery box between the engines and give around 5 to 8 times the output.

I like Kenny's idea but down on the south coast I'm highly unlikely to expreience the sort of temperatures his boat has to cope with but worth remembering anyway.

The galley, saloon (and to a certain extent the cabins too) keep warm courtesy of a desicant dehumidifier that sits on the galley worktop and empties into the sink. It doesn't seem to put out a great deal of heat but pop down the boat on a chilly winter day and you can feel the difference as soon as you open the saloon door. Just a pity you can't put it on a timer as (unlike the condenser type which I found can freeze up in certain conditions) you can't just turn them off.