Yacht Heating Systems

[Laser310]

This is probably a dumb question.., but can most yacht heating systems be used while one is actually sailing?

Say the boat is rolling and pitching.., maybe even pounding upwind in waves. Can you still use the heat?

Does it depend what type of system one has? I'm thinking probably a diesel forced air system. I will want to heat two, maybe three cabins on a boat between 40-45ft.

I will fit a true marine system. I am not looking to save money and want as good/safe a system as it is possible to have.

 

[penfold]

Blown hot air and pumped hot water systems from Eberspacher etc can be used while underway, drip stoves generally cannot, solid fuel stoves probably can be used but refuelling would be hazardous, as would their funnels. For a boat that size a pumped hot water system is probably better from a packaging perspective.

 

[elenya]

This is probably a dumb question.., but can most yacht heating systems be used while one is actually sailing?

Say the boat is rolling and pitching.., maybe even pounding upwind in waves. Can you still use the heat?

Does it depend what type of system one has? I'm thinking probably a diesel forced air system. I will want to heat two, maybe three cabins on a boat between 40-45ft.

I will fit a true marine system. I am not looking to save money and want as good/safe a system as it is possible to have.

Hi

I am sure it will depend onthe model and make but we use a Dickinson drip stove on our yacht and it is a simple matter of specification when ordering to ensure the valve metering device is located correctly to allow running while heeled. Ours works fine and we sail southern ocean in winter. Our solid fuel stove also works when heeled. The commercial vessels we work on have a variety of drip feed heaters and all work fine when heeled as they have been correctly fitted with this in mind.

happy sailing!

 

[Plum]

This is probably a dumb question.., but can most yacht heating systems be used while one is actually sailing?

Say the boat is rolling and pitching.., maybe even pounding upwind in waves. Can you still use the heat?

Does it depend what type of system one has? I'm thinking probably a diesel forced air system. I will want to heat two, maybe three cabins on a boat between 40-45ft.

I will fit a true marine system. I am not looking to save money and want as good/safe a system as it is possible to have.

As already said, the Eberspacher type diesel heaters are not affected by motion or heeling. Neither is the Taylors 079D drip heater although you would need one in each cabin and as they have such a long life and are simple, buying second hand is minimal risk compared with an Eberspacher type.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[James_Calvert]

Love our Eberspacher on a cold summer nights passage. Just need to be aware of the battery charge level, it cuts out otherwise.

On the stove types, don't some people have to blank off their flues for passage making?

 

[johnalison]

Warmth on passage is not to be underrated as a morale-booster. A warm cabin and running hot water can make a big difference on a night passage or really yucky weather. We have often used our Webasto but in our sort of sailing this would usually have also involved using the engine, when the battery drain might otherwise have worried me. We did most of our sailing before LED bulbs came in and a night passage with all the gear running would have itself cause a significant load, with my +/- 200 A/hrs available.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

I'm using an Eberspacher Hydronic 10 on a 46ft boat, it works when sailing.
It runs 3 matric heaters each with 3 outputs, 2 in the forward cabin, 1 in the forward heads.
1 in each aft cabin, and 1 in the aft heads.
3 in the salon.
Plus hot water.
It keeps the boat warm and dry.
It's quite hungry on power especially on start-up, when it ramps up to maximum output, but soon throttles back as the boat warms up.
The three matrix heater have there own thermostatic control, so you can switch off or turn down the cabins not in use.
I've had lots of problems with the system over the years (installed 2007), but almost all have been caused by the fuel feed from the tank to the pump sucking air in to the system.
There's nothing like a warm boat and a hot shower for keeping the crew happy!

 

[contessaman]

I’ve got a Dickenson Newport stove. It will work fine at a moderate angle of heel (provided you’ve installed it correctly ) but that not the point. The whole affair of lighting it and tending to it doesn’t really lend itself to use under sail, it’s perfect for at anchor.

I’ve also got a wallas forced air kerosene heater in the aft cabin and this is what I use to warm up off watch under sail. They make diesel versions too but there terribly expensive.

I fitted a 100 quid Chinese heater almost for a joke in the back of my 4x4 and I’ve put hundreds of hours on it and it’s still working perfectly So don’t dismiss them. It’s actually excellent.

any blown air system will work fine under sail. wallas , eberspacher /webasto , Chinese in that order of quality and price.
the wallas stuff takes a lot less current off the battery than the others. But then it costs thousands you could buy a Chinese heater and a bigger battery bank!

I’ve said this before on This forum but theres one area that the Chinese heaters are way better than the genuine eberspacher. The eber is always chasing a target temperature and this will result in it cycling hi low hi low sometime shut down vent mode, start up again glow plugs back on loads of current draw. The 100 quid Chinese one I can just set a power level 1-8 and it sits there’s quietly and taking a low current draw on the lower levels. If it gets too hot open a hatch a bit . The ventilation is a good thing anyway.

just my sixth penneth

 

[PetiteFleur]

I've also fitted a Chinese Diesel Heater and as long as you install it correctly (Eberspacher do good fitting Instructions on line) Ignore the ones rated as 8kw - they are really 5kw. Scrap most of the fittings as they are rubbish and use Eberspacher/Webasto bits. Fed from the main Diesel tank.

 

[Laser310]

Thanks for the information.

I have been assuming that if one were retrofitting, that the forced air would be easier to install than hydronic.

I also think it would be lighter.

Do others agree?

 

[Trident]

Thanks for the information.

I have been assuming that if one were retrofitting, that the forced air would be easier to install than hydronic.

I also think it would be lighter.

Do others agree?

Forced air means lighter and no water to worry about but the holes for the venting are at least 60mm everywhere to carry the pipes through to all over the boat and its noisier. Water means more plumbing to install but only 10mm holes to run pipe through and this may also make installation easier if you don't have much space to be taken up by big ducting from the air blown . A water based system can also heat water for your shower even if the engine is not running (if you have a dual circuit calorifier) If space is no issue and the shower doesn't matter then go air as you can have it in the whole boat and ready to go in a day.

One other consideration is that you get quiet and more even heat with a wet radiator system but the air system also brings in fresh outside air thats been heated and this tends to reduce condensation whilst a radiator system or a blown matrix wet system will not (unless you have external inlet ducts for the matrixes which almost never happens)

The Chinese copies work well but for warranty if money is no issue have a look at Planar as well as the usual Eber and Webasto

 

[penfold]

A vessel of that size would need air ducts more like 4", maybe more, in order to get a reasonable amount of air flowing as far as the forepeak.

 

[johnalison]

We have had a Webasto from new, and it is markedly quieter than the Earbashers I have seen on friends' and other boats. Inside the boat there is only a gentle hum which is hardly noticeable. I think this is due to a difference in the exhaust since I hear others from across the marina but not ours. I don't know how it compares with the other makes in other respects.

 

[Plum]

We have had a Webasto from new, and it is markedly quieter than the Earbashers I have seen on friends' and other boats. Inside the boat there is only a gentle hum which is hardly noticeable. I think this is due to a difference in the exhaust since I hear others from across the marina but not ours. I don't know how it compares with the other makes in other respects.

Yes, it is all down to the exhaust. My Eberspacher only emits a gently hum but others without a silencer roar like a dragon and can be heard 5 boats away in the marina.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[[2574]]

Yes, it is all down to the exhaust. My Eberspacher only emits a gently hum but others without a silencer roar like a dragon and can be heard 5 boats away in the marina.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

We fitted one of these, blissfully quiet:

30MM MARINE EXHAUST SILENCER MUFFLER STAINLESS EBERSPACHER WEBASTO DIESEL HEATER

Nothing much worse than a roaring heater exhaust on the boat adjacent.

 

[Laser310]

I didn't realize noise was such an issue

but i guess i should have; i had a terribly noisy oil boiler for home heat, and recently replaced it with a new one that is very quiet,

it seems like that muffler can be fitted to systems other than Webasto