Winter Heater

[Athene V30]

Already have a dehumidifier (B&Q) and will run that onboard but also looking to put some sort of electric heater in the boat whilst she is ashore this winter to try and keep the damp under control.

Any suggestions for a good buy?

 

[Poignard]

I find my boat stays dry when laid up ashore without any heater or dehumidifier. The secret is plenty of ventilation combined with a loose fitting cover to keep the rain out. I'm sure this is better for the boat.

 

[Gin]

I use an 8 watt greenhouse tube heater which just keeps the chill off and costs little to run

 

[VicMallows]

A small incandescent light bulb (while you can still but them /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ) will do the job at lowest cost. If the light shows through the windows, whether this is good or bad from a security point of view is arguable.......but you could always mount it in a suitable ventilated enclosure. You still need good ventilation though.



Vic

 

[neale]

Are you sure it's 8 watt. I can't imagine 8w doing anything, it will barely get warm. 80w maybe? I use two tube heaters which are 120 watt each.

 

[wanderlust]

I agree with the ventilation only approach. We have 3 large dorades. We dont get any mold or mildew even though we have no heating. We do remove our cushion of the bunks to home and the curtains

 

[Malish]

Another trick with ventillation is to remove the log impeller - allows a vertical flow of air, just put a bit of mesh over the hole to avoid small visitors and replace the log before launching.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
8 watt greenhouse tube heater

[/ QUOTE ] Tubular heaters are usually about 60 watts per foot. (in fact the small one I have indoors is marked like that)

I don't know what sort of power you need in a boat but I have a 1kw fan heater in the greenhouse, which I switch to 2 kw in very cold weather, and that's only to keep it a couple of degrees above freezing

 

[Anonymous]

In Cornwall we always found the dehumidifier enough as they do provide a net heat output of around 100W + when running. The rotating disc dehumidifiers give out more heat and are ideal for a UK winter - you are looking for a compressor-less dehumidifier. B&Q used to do one? Lots of discussion here in the last two years so should be plenty of feedback from users.

Dehumidifiers are wonderful - everything lovely and dry all winter long, no smells. But don't let them overdry the wood - they need to be on a controller of some kind.

 

[pvb]

Ventilation...

Ventilation is all you need. If you put a heater aboard, you'll just be raising the temperature of the boatyard!

 

[VicMallows]

Re: Ventilation...

An interesting point is that since spending the winter on a swinging mooring I've had no condensation problems whatsoever. When I was in a (very sheltered) marina the water used to stream down the sides /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Vic

 

[Athene V30]

Re: Ventilation...

Thanks to all

Sounds like ventilation is the answer then. But I may keep a little fan heater for when I am onboard having a tea break from all the winter jobs!