Has anyone installed diesel heat on a Passage 42? We live in the PNW and it would be nice to have heat when we are off the grid.
Heat in a Passage 42
- Thread starter hunter43sail
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I lived aboard for a 42 in Seattle for a few years. It had a Marine Air AC system when I bought it and I added a Webasto forced air furnace, which lived in the aft port locker. I ran the AC system in reverse at the dock and that worked most days of the year, then I cranked up the webasto when it got down into mid-30's or colder and when I was on the hook. Worked great!
The Webasto had a separate duct network that ran up the port side, into all the cabins but not the heads.
No matter what you do, forced air is a must, IMHO. It did a great job of handling condensation. My next boat had circulating hot water heat, and while it was nice and quiet the condensation was a nightmare.
The Webasto had a separate duct network that ran up the port side, into all the cabins but not the heads.
No matter what you do, forced air is a must, IMHO. It did a great job of handling condensation. My next boat had circulating hot water heat, and while it was nice and quiet the condensation was a nightmare.
Thanks for the reply
We lived aboard in Everett for over 5 years. The boat has two ac units which worked fine until it got below 40 deg. I was looking at the Webasto forced air unit. Didn't know about the condensation problems with the hot water system.
We lived aboard in Everett for over 5 years. The boat has two ac units which worked fine until it got below 40 deg. I was looking at the Webasto forced air unit. Didn't know about the condensation problems with the hot water system.
I agree with Phil. I had a Hunter 380 for nine years with the mid sized Webasto Heater....one of the best things on the boat. We had outlets in the aft cabin, main cabin and forward cabin which worked well for us. We also used those silver discs that just blow air (forgot what they are called) when we weren't on board. Never had condensation or mildew.
However, a suggestion. Either place the thermostat near your side of the bunk or you'll have to get up in the cold to turn it on. Maybe Sure Marine now has a way to install two thermostats. We use to argue who was getting up first to turn on the heat.
However, a suggestion. Either place the thermostat near your side of the bunk or you'll have to get up in the cold to turn it on. Maybe Sure Marine now has a way to install two thermostats. We use to argue who was getting up first to turn on the heat.
Webasto heater in Passage 42
Hi Phil,
We just moved to NZ, and it sounds like a Webasto heater is just what we need. We have no AC, so we'll be implementing from scratch. Exactly how and where did you install the Webasto? Did it require a vent through the deck? How did you plumb the diesel to it? All advice is appreciated, as I have never dealt with heaters before.
Thanks,
Paul Cossman
S/V Sabina
Hi Phil,
We just moved to NZ, and it sounds like a Webasto heater is just what we need. We have no AC, so we'll be implementing from scratch. Exactly how and where did you install the Webasto? Did it require a vent through the deck? How did you plumb the diesel to it? All advice is appreciated, as I have never dealt with heaters before.
Thanks,
Paul Cossman
S/V Sabina
This might be some help to you, perhaps not. We'll see. The Webasto company actually sells their marine heaters in a box with everything you need in it, hose, clamps, through hull fittings, etc. I suspect you probably will need the Webasto Air Top EVO 5500 for a 42 foot boat, but you might get away with one size smaller. Talk to a Webasto dealer (Sure Marine in Seattle--they deal by phone and are excellent)
I had a marine specialist tap my fuel line to get fuel for the Webasto right out of my tank. Some add a second pickup from the tank. I just tapped it and then added a small Racor filter in that line.
Lay out all your hoses and outlets (probably three) along one side of your boat. Find a place in the stern to put your furnace. It will need place to have an exhaust, either high up on the side or somewhere on the stern. I would also add a muffler although the new Webastos are very quiet. The muffler makes sure you and others around you won't hear it when at the docks.
I had a marine electrician do the wiring which went from the furnace to my electrical panel and then to the thermostat.
We also put insulation around the air tube but I'm not sure that was necessary.
I've had three Webasto air furnaces on three different boats. Never had a problem with them. My present set up is going on four years and I use it a lot--much at the dock when I go down for an afternoon.
Good luck, hope you stay warm!
I had a marine specialist tap my fuel line to get fuel for the Webasto right out of my tank. Some add a second pickup from the tank. I just tapped it and then added a small Racor filter in that line.
Lay out all your hoses and outlets (probably three) along one side of your boat. Find a place in the stern to put your furnace. It will need place to have an exhaust, either high up on the side or somewhere on the stern. I would also add a muffler although the new Webastos are very quiet. The muffler makes sure you and others around you won't hear it when at the docks.
I had a marine electrician do the wiring which went from the furnace to my electrical panel and then to the thermostat.
We also put insulation around the air tube but I'm not sure that was necessary.
I've had three Webasto air furnaces on three different boats. Never had a problem with them. My present set up is going on four years and I use it a lot--much at the dock when I go down for an afternoon.
Good luck, hope you stay warm!
Finally Finished
I have finally finished the install of my heat. I ended up buy the kit from Sure Marine. The instructions that came with the kit left a lot to be desired. Sure really helped with answering my questions. Running the duct work took some work but the big problem was mounting the heater. Make sure you get enough air flow to the heater. Love having the new heater.
I have finally finished the install of my heat. I ended up buy the kit from Sure Marine. The instructions that came with the kit left a lot to be desired. Sure really helped with answering my questions. Running the duct work took some work but the big problem was mounting the heater. Make sure you get enough air flow to the heater. Love having the new heater.
From an HVAC engineering perspective, this is called pyschrometrics. The hot water systems do not introduce any outside air, so they are essentially recirculating the inside air, just warming it up. That means that the moisture inside isn't being reduced, and that moisture comes from YOU, like breathing, for example.
The air systems use outdoor air, not recirculated air, so they remove the moisture by heating cold outdoor air which usually has less moisture 'cuz it's colder. Even if it's raining outside, if it's cold the outdoor air will have less moisture than warmer inside air.
That's the basic reason.
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