Hot halyard?

[Noodat Lady]

The last owner of my Seaward 25 looked after her very well, but unfortunately seems to have had work performed on her by someone I might call, if I were a less diplomatic person, an F.N.Idiot.

He bought a Dickinson Cozy Cabin propane heater for the cabin. Why, with a 20 gallon fuel tank, he did not buy a diesel heater I can only attribute to him thinking he had a 6 gallon tank. Anyway, I could, just about, live with propane on the boat, but the problem I have inherited is the flue outlet location: it is placed so that the boom vang line runs just an inch clear and the main halyard actually runs above the metal of the flue.

Here is the stove, very pretty:

A closer view of the stack and flue:

The flue on the cabin roof:

My question is, should I: 1. just run the halyard through a block tied off to one side, or should I: 2. get a sharper angle stack piece and move the flue a couple of inches, or: 3. should I dump the Dickinson and get a Webasto or Espar type diesel heater? Or something entirely other.

I found the plug from drilling the flue hole:

So I could replace it neatly if moving or deleting was the option. Incidentally, I think the plug shows the quality and solidity of the Hake foam sandwich construction.

 

[sail sfbay]

................My question is, should I: 1. just run the halyard through a block tied off to one side, or should I: 2. get a sharper angle stack piece and move the flue a couple of inches, or: 3. should I dump the Dickinson and get a Webasto or Espar type diesel heater? Or something entirely other...........

Nice interior!! Option 1 is your lowest cost and quickest option. Option 2 is higher cost and requires deck/cabin ceiling fiberglass/gelcoat repair. Option 2 is nice by very high $$$, high maintenance, since diesel heaters have to be routinely run I understand for a dealer when I explored installing one on my sailboat and requires more frequent diesel fill ups. Option 4 no comment. If the propane heater works I would stay with that.

 

[Hunter216]

The last owner of my Seaward 25 looked after her very well, but unfortunately seems to have had work performed on her by someone I might call, if I were a less diplomatic person, an F.N.Idiot.

He bought a Dickinson Cozy Cabin propane heater for the cabin. Why, with a 20 gallon fuel tank, he did not buy a diesel heater I can only attribute to him thinking he had a 6 gallon tank. Anyway, I could, just about, live with propane on the boat, but the problem I have inherited is the flue outlet location: it is placed so that the boom vang line runs just an inch clear and the main halyard actually runs above the metal of the flue.

Here is the stove, very pretty:

View attachment 180749



A closer view of the stack and flue:

View attachment 180750



The flue on the cabin roof:

View attachment 180751

My question is, should I: 1. just run the halyard through a block tied off to one side, or should I: 2. get a sharper angle stack piece and move the flue a couple of inches, or: 3. should I dump the Dickinson and get a Webasto or Espar type diesel heater? Or something entirely other.

I found the plug from drilling the flue hole:

View attachment 180752View attachment 180753

So I could replace it neatly if moving or deleting was the option. Incidentally, I think the plug shows the quality and solidity of the Hake foam sandwich construction.

I don’t know anything about these heaters so perhaps what I’m about to say is just silly

Some flues are combo combustion air intake and exhaust so how hot are the flue gases? Maybe not a problem you have to fix????

 

[Noodat Lady]

I don’t know anything about these heaters so perhaps what I’m about to say is just silly

Some flues are combo combustion air intake and exhaust so how hot are the flue gases? Maybe not a problem you have to fix????

Good suggestion. I am certainly no expert. The flue pipe is small diameter, plus the burner is an open flame, taking its combustion air from the cabin, so I believe it is just exhaust. I may be overworrying this, you are quite right.

If anyone is considering one of these very pretty and expensive Cozy Cabin heaters, I must say that I would recommend some second thoughts. My reservations about it as a heater are, first of all the open flame, which is completely unshielded, and secondly the several sharp and protruding metal edges. In a small cabin, it seems to be numerous minor and one or two major accidents waiting to happen. It would be quite easy to make a shield for the flame, why Dickinson does not do this is a mystery to me. I would like to find some perforated stainless to bend into a flame shield. Suggestions for sources welcomed.

 

[jssailem]

It is your boat an not my pocket book. If I wanted to sail in the Pacific Northwest across the Salish Sea, I would invest in a proper winter diesel heater. The "Webasto or Espar type diesel heaters" mentioned are both heaters that will warm the cabin to a tolerable level in the coldest of nights. When aboard the Mahalo in February of 2019, we enjoyed the heat of a Planar (Diesel Air Heaters | Planar Marine & Truck Air Heaters). They were at the Vancouver Boat show in 2019. I suspect they will continue to offer their heaters in future years. It was a lot like an Espar without the roar of a jet engine when using the muffler exhaust.

I am pleased with the performance of my Wallas diesel heater. Even during the coldest of nights aboard my boat, I am kept warm. The unit is quiet and miserly on electricity and fuel consumption. https://scanmarineusa.com/

A good safe heat source can expand your sailing season.

 

[Noodat Lady]

I must say the Wallas combo units appeal. Safe, quiet and economical, but certainly a heavyweight item in the budget bag. sail sfbay makes a good point about the Espar type heaters and regular use, certainly that seems true in the VW gasoline ones. Diesel would luckily be safer but maybe still high maintenance. I'll probably stay with the Cozy Cabin until unexpected shekels fall into my path, and then go for a Wallas. Meanwhile, buy another deck organizer maybe for the lines.

 

[Tedd]

One lesson I'm taking from this is that any time I make a hole in the deck I'm going to fully rig the boat, first!