I sail along the souther Maine coast from mid May to the end of October. I have an Oday 30. I would like to be able to spend a few more nights on board in chilly weather. I am also at a mooring so electricity is not really an option. I have looked at the Dickinson Newport solid fuel heater and it looks interesting for my application of the occasional chilly nights stay. Does anyone have some experience they could share in regards to heating your cabin?
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
P
Phil Decker
Non-pressurized alcohol heat, for one
Origo makes a camp stove that sells for about $90 out of West Marine and Boat U.S. It runs off of non-pressurized alcohol, but I would be worried about tipping it over. Another solution I heard about for small boats is to heat up a large, overturned clay flower pot on your stove. There was a good article on Sailnet yesterday on wintering over, and they suggested things like forced-draft diesel heaters, if you really want a robust system. The link is below.
Origo makes a camp stove that sells for about $90 out of West Marine and Boat U.S. It runs off of non-pressurized alcohol, but I would be worried about tipping it over. Another solution I heard about for small boats is to heat up a large, overturned clay flower pot on your stove. There was a good article on Sailnet yesterday on wintering over, and they suggested things like forced-draft diesel heaters, if you really want a robust system. The link is below.
M
Mike Turner
Another Vote for Origo
Origo also makes a non-pressurized heater -- it uses the same wick/core as their stovetops, and has a configuration that is almost impossible to tip over. I used mine on my Catalina 25 and it worked great; have yet to try it on my C30 but think it would be perfectly adequate. But be sure the cabin is well ventilated when using or you may find yourself a little short on oxygen in the middle of the night... Mike Turner S/Y Amity
Origo also makes a non-pressurized heater -- it uses the same wick/core as their stovetops, and has a configuration that is almost impossible to tip over. I used mine on my Catalina 25 and it worked great; have yet to try it on my C30 but think it would be perfectly adequate. But be sure the cabin is well ventilated when using or you may find yourself a little short on oxygen in the middle of the night... Mike Turner S/Y Amity
G
Gary A.
How Much Ventilation?
I have one of those Origo heaters and find it puts out a LOT OF HEAT. My question is about how much ventilation is needed when using one of these. Do I need to have one of the opening ports partially open? Completely open? Two ports open? Obviously the goal is to have as little cold air as possible coming in, but enough so that you don't wake up dead. Gary
I have one of those Origo heaters and find it puts out a LOT OF HEAT. My question is about how much ventilation is needed when using one of these. Do I need to have one of the opening ports partially open? Completely open? Two ports open? Obviously the goal is to have as little cold air as possible coming in, but enough so that you don't wake up dead. Gary
I wonder who can REALLY answer this question?
Gary: I wonder who could really answer this question? Maybe it would be best to have some type of warning system on board ANY boat that is buring some type of fuel for heat over nite.
Gary: I wonder who could really answer this question? Maybe it would be best to have some type of warning system on board ANY boat that is buring some type of fuel for heat over nite.
B
Bill Murray
CO detector
Make sure you get and install (and make sure it is working) a proper CO detector before you use one of these heaters. It is very difficult to install the detector after you have succombed to CO poisoning.
Make sure you get and install (and make sure it is working) a proper CO detector before you use one of these heaters. It is very difficult to install the detector after you have succombed to CO poisoning.
Not sure CO is the problem.
Bill: I am not as sure that CO is the problem. What I would be afraid of is Oxygen depletion! BUT, better safe than sorry.
Bill: I am not as sure that CO is the problem. What I would be afraid of is Oxygen depletion! BUT, better safe than sorry.
R
Rick Webb
You Get CO Despite O
Your hemoglobin has 300 time greater affinity for carbon monoxide as it does for oxygen. If there is CO present you can be subject to histotoxic hypoxia even with plenty of oxygen around, that is why it is such nasty stuff. Any unvented flame producing device in an enclosed space has the potential for causing problems. Somthing to be aware of.
Your hemoglobin has 300 time greater affinity for carbon monoxide as it does for oxygen. If there is CO present you can be subject to histotoxic hypoxia even with plenty of oxygen around, that is why it is such nasty stuff. Any unvented flame producing device in an enclosed space has the potential for causing problems. Somthing to be aware of.
M
mg
dont have the url but
i did read an article about the actual volume of air required to sustain a person in small places like boats before CO2 build up from their own respirations caused problems. it was a surprising amount and for for my 22 with no heater just 1 person breathing it amounted to 850sq ft of air per hour. if my memory was correct. what i did take away is that i now leave the hatch open about 3 inches and the front hatch open about the same. a friend who outfits in alaska recomemded sleeping with as little on as possible , using a good breathable covers (lots of them) and wear a skimask stocking cap backward to prewarm the air as you breathe. the hat alone makes quite a difference in overall body warmth. the key he says is to not let the moisture from your skin build up and dampen the blankets causing a chill. i use two comforters and a cotton sleeping bag(opened to lay on)which gives me three on top on really chilly nights. im pretty good down to 30 degrees or a bit less with out the heater. ill admit id go the vented deisel heater if i had the choice and a bigger boat. but id sure keep the air moving through the boat. try an archive search i thought that the url came from this web site. i thought i saved it but i cant find it in my files . ill search again and post it if i do. good luck. mg
i did read an article about the actual volume of air required to sustain a person in small places like boats before CO2 build up from their own respirations caused problems. it was a surprising amount and for for my 22 with no heater just 1 person breathing it amounted to 850sq ft of air per hour. if my memory was correct. what i did take away is that i now leave the hatch open about 3 inches and the front hatch open about the same. a friend who outfits in alaska recomemded sleeping with as little on as possible , using a good breathable covers (lots of them) and wear a skimask stocking cap backward to prewarm the air as you breathe. the hat alone makes quite a difference in overall body warmth. the key he says is to not let the moisture from your skin build up and dampen the blankets causing a chill. i use two comforters and a cotton sleeping bag(opened to lay on)which gives me three on top on really chilly nights. im pretty good down to 30 degrees or a bit less with out the heater. ill admit id go the vented deisel heater if i had the choice and a bigger boat. but id sure keep the air moving through the boat. try an archive search i thought that the url came from this web site. i thought i saved it but i cant find it in my files . ill search again and post it if i do. good luck. mg
B
Bryan Cleveland
DO NOT leave anything burning overnight
Unless it is vented. Anything burning fuel depletes O2 and creates CO. There are several good boat heaters available including Dickinson, but you will notice they are to be vented to the outside of the boat. NEVER leave an unvented stove burning overnight with the boat buttoned up. I would never leave an open flame going in any case. People die from CO poisoning. I almost died once from a butane heater burning overnight, that is long story.
Unless it is vented. Anything burning fuel depletes O2 and creates CO. There are several good boat heaters available including Dickinson, but you will notice they are to be vented to the outside of the boat. NEVER leave an unvented stove burning overnight with the boat buttoned up. I would never leave an open flame going in any case. People die from CO poisoning. I almost died once from a butane heater burning overnight, that is long story.
G
Gary Wyngarden
Sleeping Bags!
We sail and cruise year around. We have a forced air "vented" diesel heater located under a cockpit locker where intake air has a hard time getting in. We have CO detectors in both sleeping cabins. Unless I leave the cockpit locker propped open and a hatch or porthole open for ventilation, the CO detectors kick on. Nigel Calder is very explicit about not running a heater in a closed cabin. We use the heater in the mornings and evenings and use high quality sleeping bags at night with NO heater on. We stay comfortable even when the cabin temperature gets down into the 40's at night. Of course there's always a discussion as to who is going to get out of the sleeping bag to fire up the heater in the morning. Hmm. Maybe a remote activator for the heater would be a good Christmas present? Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
We sail and cruise year around. We have a forced air "vented" diesel heater located under a cockpit locker where intake air has a hard time getting in. We have CO detectors in both sleeping cabins. Unless I leave the cockpit locker propped open and a hatch or porthole open for ventilation, the CO detectors kick on. Nigel Calder is very explicit about not running a heater in a closed cabin. We use the heater in the mornings and evenings and use high quality sleeping bags at night with NO heater on. We stay comfortable even when the cabin temperature gets down into the 40's at night. Of course there's always a discussion as to who is going to get out of the sleeping bag to fire up the heater in the morning. Hmm. Maybe a remote activator for the heater would be a good Christmas present? Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
C
Chris Gonzales
LP Catalytic heaters
If you have LP gas on board, use a catalytic heater. This heater is made precisely for the same purpose you have; to heat interiors of RVs, boats, etc. It is safe, produces no gasses and consumes virtually no oxygen. Manufacturer's instructions say to have a little venting from outside. When on our boat (we sleep in the v-berth) we leave the forward hatch barely cracked open while the heater is in use. Fact is, though, venting is not critical. Now, did someone "really answer this question"? Chris
If you have LP gas on board, use a catalytic heater. This heater is made precisely for the same purpose you have; to heat interiors of RVs, boats, etc. It is safe, produces no gasses and consumes virtually no oxygen. Manufacturer's instructions say to have a little venting from outside. When on our boat (we sleep in the v-berth) we leave the forward hatch barely cracked open while the heater is in use. Fact is, though, venting is not critical. Now, did someone "really answer this question"? Chris
L
Larry Watkins
Cabin heat
Mark; On our boat we simply invert a clay flower pot over a stove burner turned down low. Keeps the cabin toasty with no added gear or fuel to carry.
Mark; On our boat we simply invert a clay flower pot over a stove burner turned down low. Keeps the cabin toasty with no added gear or fuel to carry.
Larry, what kind of fuel?
Is it LP or CNG? Alcohol? Sounds like a terrific idea... shame it's just so high off the sole. JC 2
Is it LP or CNG? Alcohol? Sounds like a terrific idea... shame it's just so high off the sole. JC 2
- Status
- Not open for further replies.