Cold Weather Cruising ...

Aug 4, 2015
32
Oceanis 45 Chicago, Montrose Harbor
I'm a Great Lakes sailor and have an Oceanis 45 (5th season). I'd like to prepare my boat for early spring long distance cruising, so I have two questions:
1. What is the best approach to having heat while under way? I have a very nice dometic system (heating & cooling), however it only works while connected to a dedicated 30 amp shore power circuit.
2. How do I prevent my 54 hp Yanmar from freezing up on cold nights at anchorage?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Joe
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
1) Best option for heat probably an Espar forced air diesel heater. Runs off your existing fuel tank and probably can use your existing ductwork.

2) If you're floating in liquid water don't worry about your motor freezing. That would take a day of your engine compartment being in the lower 20s. If you want, get a AC powered diesel oilpan heater for when you're in the slip.

If you ever get frozen in your slip, worry more about your through-hulls cracking.
 
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DougM

.
Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
I doubt that the engine would freeze. It a closed system that has antifreeze in it. Only the intercooler would have fresh water in it and in the spring would be highly unlikely to freeze.
Besides, by the time you could get your boat out of winter storage, the weather would be starting to warm up anyway

+1 for a diesel heater (that would also reduce any risk of freezing)
 
Feb 21, 2010
330
Beneteau 31 016 St-Lawrence river
Espar or Webasto fuel fired hot air... solar panels and an "oversized" battery bank and you're ready for lonf-term cruising in cold weather: I went from Montreal to Chicago in mid May to mid June... very few marinas were open, stayed mostly on the hook.
 
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Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
If your running the engine ,you can install a 12v fan /heatercore (Cab Heater) in line with the hoses going to water heater.
You can install 3 way valves to bypass during summer.These really throw the heat out install under salon cut out and add a grill. These are far cheaper than an Espar heater, no fuel to hook up or fumes to exhaust and double the heat output
I'm adding one this winter, have seen these install on other boats

Zoom In

24,700 BTU 12V Auxiliary Heater

SKU: 4240028
3 reviews

3-spd switch 8003273, available seperately

$299.99
Online
 
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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
If your running the engine ,you can install a 12v fan /heatercore (Cab Heater) in line with the hoses going to water heater.
You can install 3 way valves to bypass during summer.These really throw the heat out install under salon cut out and add a grill. These are far cheaper than an Espar heater, no fuel to hook up or fumes to exhaust and double the heat output
I'm adding one this winter, have seen these install on other boats

Zoom In

24,700 BTU 12V Auxiliary Heater

SKU: 4240028
3 reviews

3-spd switch 8003273, available seperately

$299.99
Online
Yes but only if your motor is running, a highly impractical solution for cruising. 3am and it starts to get cold? Who’s going to get out of bed and run the motor until it’s hot so it can warm air?

Makes sense for a diesel truck but for a boat, not so much.
 
Jun 9, 2004
615
Catalina 385 Marquette. Mi
I have had my boat in the slip on Gitche Gumme in early May with lake temps 45dgs and ambient air below freezing on many a night with never a problem.
Where do you intend to cruise in early spring? Sounds chilly.
 
Apr 5, 2009
2,774
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
In the Pacific Northwest chilly sailing is a normal summer activity. ;>) Being a spoiled cruiser, I run my Artic diesel furnace at night just to eliminate the condensation from living in a closed boat. A third option for 12v / diesel heat is Wallas. I need to replace the old Artic and my research indicates that the Wallas heaters use a fair amount less 12v and are very quiet. Since you already have 120v ac/heat you already have a ducting system and could probably piggyback the 12v/diesel furnace into that ducting.
https://www.scanmarineusa.com/products/heaters
 
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Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
Yes but only if your motor is running, a highly impractical solution for cruising. 3am and it starts to get cold? Who’s going to get out of bed and run the motor until it’s hot so it can warm air?

Makes sense for a diesel truck but for a boat, not so much.
Didn't I say if the motor is running?? A lot of people leave in Oct from great lakes and cruise down Erie canal to Hudson then ICW for hours with motor running ...free heat it makes sense
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Didn't I say if the motor is running?? A lot of people leave in Oct from great lakes and cruise down Erie canal to Hudson then ICW for hours with motor running ...free heat it makes sense
On the upper Great Lakes the days are warm but nights freezing. Never have a heater on in the day, only at night.

It it works for you, great!
 
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Nov 2, 2017
9
Delphia 37 Bayfield
The forced air diesel heater that came on my boat is the best money of someone else's I've ever spent. Greatly increases the season and truly changes the experience for the better. Don't discount the overnight energy usage but worth every amp hour used!
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,991
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I love the Wallas 40DT. It maintains an even temp in my boat (as warm as you can stand). Penny pinches on diesel fuel and 12volts power. No roaring jet like sounds of some heaters. Because I intake 50% of the heated air from outside the interior is a dry environment.
Makes cruising in the shoulder months doable. And the winter cruising when no one is on the water possible.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
ME, in the army I drove a jeep on currier runs all over Germany. No OEM heater in them, we had the motor pool install a deuce'n-half (2.5 ton) truck heater between the front seat. Now there's is something that would work well on a boat! It even had a plenum chamber we heated rations in. That's IF the engine is running. Hhmmm... I'll have to look that one up.
 
Apr 5, 2009
2,774
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
One of our favorite cruises is over the Thanksgiving holiday. There is usually no one else out there and we have all of the best anchorages to ourselves. With the forced-air diesel heater we stay toasty warm and dry.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
I love the Wallas 40DT.
I do, too. I can affirm that it works as advertised, 'cuz it was heaven on John's boat last week!!! Works so well he loaned me one of his now-redundant electric heaters. Kept me alive when my old one broke. Bless you, John. A true cruising buddy. :)
There is usually no one else out there
I've been doing that almost this whole season. I get really spoiled, though, when it does get "crowded",,,:)
 
Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
I prefer the wallas over any other diesel heater Ive been around... they are quiet and keep the temp at a constant level.
and i agree that the engine wont be what freezes, especially if its not so cold that you can still stand to be on the boat....

and im not trying to hijack here, but the following is what I know can freeze before you need to worry about the engine...
that cold freezing winter that we purchased our boat, the PO had the seawater strainer bowl freeze and break. and because he left the seacock open, that allowed the boat to sink... until it set on its keel in the slip.
luckily the water level in the river was down and it only came up about 6inches over the sole of the cabin, so no real harm done.... we bought it from him after the insurance company had it cleaned up and some repairs done.
the moral is, dont overlook the little things while worrying about the big things... but a heater in the boat, that is heating enough to allow a person comfort, will allow enough residual heat to escape to all parts of the boat that you wont have much worries about anything except keeping fuel in the tank...
 
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Aug 4, 2015
32
Oceanis 45 Chicago, Montrose Harbor
Interesting idea ... I just read the PDF installation manual in the web site.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,991
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I’ve seen surface ice on the brine water we have in the Everett marina. But it is nothing like the ice in Northern Michigan or Wisconsin and Lake Superior. But then our water rarely gets above 55.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I’ve seen surface ice on the brine water we have in the Everett marina. But it is nothing like the ice in Northern Michigan or Wisconsin and Lake Superior. But then our water rarely gets above 55.
Lake Superior water rarely gets out of the 40s. But in the summer, the sun warms a thin layer of surface water to close to ambient air temp, and the world is a nice place. At night after the sun goes down however, the deep cold from below pulls the tiny layer of warm water down, and the now cold surface water cools the surface air. The result is that it feels like winter in July. People can be in shorts and teeshirts at the rooftop bar in Bayfield, and 5 miles away you're freezing your butt off. The coldest I've ever been has been sailing on Superior over a 4th of July weekend.
 
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