Heater suggestions?

Nov 15, 2015
268
J J/30 Seward, AK
I have a C30 in in the San Francisco Bay Area and am looking for a low-profile, quiet/silent, A/C or propane heating option. The nights are not very cold and a small fanned heater about does the trick in the cabin so it won't take much. It would be great to have something in the cabin, as well as something in forepeak shelves to keep down the condensation (although I'm installing Nicro solar fan for that as well).

Any suggestions? Seems like some kind of heater "strip" for the forepeak and a subtle forced air solution for the cabin? How about for the condensation?
 
Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
are you wanting to heat electricity or by fuel do you have a space for mounting a diesel or propane ...
 
Jun 8, 2004
2,841
Catalina 320 Dana Point
The only quiet and silent A/C I know are the oil filled and they are heavy and large. I have 2 sizes of propane from the Buddy line for use in cockpit and cabin when without shorepower. Both have oxygen sensors but I would not use them unless closely supervised. The little A/C heaters with a fan and ceramic element seem the most efficient, I can run one of those and the coffee maker off the 10 amp circuit, a regular nichrome wire resistance heater trips the breaker with coffee maker. They are both 1500 watts so I don't know why this is, unless the fan is a lower draw.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Go to Ace Hardware or Walmart or Target and buy a simple 1500 watt heater with a built-in fan.
 
Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
the Wallas 30DT... it is a forced air diesel furnace.
its extremely quiet, ventilates as well as heats, uses very little power and fuel to run for several days, and the heated air can be ducted to any place in the boat.
I installed one on our 34 and am very happy with its performance.
we do have power at our dock to run an electric heater, but we use the wallas because it supplies the needed ventilation.

when the weather gets down in the 20's with a cold wind blowing down the gorge, we use one electric heater in addition to the wallas... the wind is the biggest issue as it finds a way to displace the warm air in the boat, which is good for ventilation, but is bad for comfort if the heater cant stay ahead of the exchange...
 
Nov 15, 2015
268
J J/30 Seward, AK
After a while, I've been using a lasko convection heater which had fantastic heat but didn't last too long and is too big to mount anywhere. I have been using the little west marine electric fan heater with good results but the air movement and sound and thermostat bouncing is not quite as nice as a good convection heater.

So I just ordered the cadet 36" electric baseboard and thermostat and will be installing that where it gets here. It's fairly cheap but looks like a good unit, so figures crossed.
 
Jun 29, 2011
142
Catalina 30 Mk II Gibsons
While at the dock on shore power, I use an electric West Marine 1500 watt heater, otherwise I use the Espar diesel 10,000 BTU forced air onboard furnace.
 
Nov 15, 2015
268
J J/30 Seward, AK
A diesel combustion heater seems to theoretically be the best solution because it draws air into the cabin reducing moisture and I have heard that the heat is very nice and of course it will work when away from the shore.

In the meantime since I don't have $1000 for the heater I bought a cadet 72" 1500W electric baseboard with a nice Honeywell digital thermostat. Unobtrusive along the floor and really nice heat. We'all see how that goes.
 
Nov 15, 2015
268
J J/30 Seward, AK
Report: cadet 72" 1500W heater is a total slam dunk. Very comfortable heat, cheap, safe, and nearly invisible.

IMG_2754.jpg
 
Nov 15, 2015
268
J J/30 Seward, AK
Two years later and this heater has been absolutely fantastic. I added a digital thermostat with a programmed schedule and never have to think about it.

I am taking up the search for a heater again as now I would love to have something for overnights away from the dock now that I have the money. At the moment I'm looking at the Dickinson Newport diesel heater to use the same fuel source as the engine, stay quiet (I'm kind of anal about noise), and keep the cabin dry. My idea is to mount it on the bulkhead and maybe install a small fan to circulate air into the forepeak.

I wonder what others have had success with on their C30?
 
Jul 1, 1998
3,062
Hunter Legend 35 Poulsbo/Semiahmoo WA
the Wallas 30DT... it is a forced air diesel furnace.
its extremely quiet, ventilates as well as heats, uses very little power and fuel to run for several days, and the heated air can be ducted to any place in the boat.
For away from the dock, I would second Centerline's recommendation.

We've got the same heater and one really nice thing about it is that it is designed to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set at. If it isn't too cold it will run with a lesser heat output so that it just maintains the cabin temperature and as a result there is not hot, shut off, cold, then start-up again cycle. With our old forced air heater it would start up with a loud noise that lasted for several minutes, then throttle back down for maybe 20 seconds, then it would fire up again only louder as the glow plug ignited the fuel. Also, it's fuel pump made a constant louder than desired ticking sound. The Wallas is perfect in that regard.

Another consideration with forced air is that the air is drier so it lowers the humidity somewhat with the result of less mold or mildew while hot water and electric heat just maintains the humidity. For our area and destinations northward the Wallas is nice. For Alaska and our size boat I'd probably prefer the next size larger heater, partly because of temperature but mostly because of the dampness. The San Francisco Bay is more mild than it is here.

I can't say enough how nice the constant temperature and quiet operation is of the Wallas.
 
Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
For away from the dock, I would second Centerline's recommendation.

We've got the same heater and one really nice thing about it is that it is designed to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set at. If it isn't too cold it will run with a lesser heat output so that it just maintains the cabin temperature and as a result there is not hot, shut off, cold, then start-up again cycle. With our old forced air heater it would start up with a loud noise that lasted for several minutes, then throttle back down for maybe 20 seconds, then it would fire up again only louder as the glow plug ignited the fuel. Also, it's fuel pump made a constant louder than desired ticking sound. The Wallas is perfect in that regard.

Another consideration with forced air is that the air is drier so it lowers the humidity somewhat with the result of less mold or mildew while hot water and electric heat just maintains the humidity. For our area and destinations northward the Wallas is nice. For Alaska and our size boat I'd probably prefer the next size larger heater, partly because of temperature but mostly because of the dampness. The San Francisco Bay is more mild than it is here.

I can't say enough how nice the constant temperature and quiet operation is of the Wallas.
"I can't say enough how nice the constant temperature and quiet operation is of the Wallas."
to add to what john said, the blower fan speed in the wallas (normal operation mode) is variable and fully controlled by the thermostat... as the room comes up to temp, the fan speed slows down but continues to run and circulate the air to keep all areas of the boat at a constant temp... as the temp inside the boat cools down, the fan slowly increases its speed and and the temp begins to rise... its all automatic without any noticeable combustion noise and a very slight fan noise.

before purchasing the wallas, when using the force10 propane heater (or without it), in cold temps, when we woke up in the morning we would have condensate on the roof of the vberth. and this is normal in most boats without a finished "ceiling".... so when I installed the wallas, I ducted the heat in to the foot of the vberth in an attempt to create a slight airflow thru the area. it works so well that even in 20 degree temps, there is no condensate in the boat anywhere except on deck hatch frames, and it never builds up to the point where it will drip, like it used to... the incoming air to the furnace is being taken from the laz area, and so we have reasonably fresh outside air being heated and coming into the boat, which pushes the old used moist air out....
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,993
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I love the Wallas 40D heater I installed. It just does a great job. Helped when I added insulation to the duct runs from the heater to the cabin. I put a temp sensor on the cabin vent and the Wallas was filling the cabin with air at 90 degrees. Better than my forced air heater at home. Drawing in a mix of outside air and inside air into the heater keeps the interior dry. It just works.
 
Oct 16, 2017
3
Wauquiez Hood 38 Seattle, WA
I just got the Wallas Spartan and need to insulate my ducts, since they run along the hull below the waterline. What did you use to insulate your ducts?

I love the Wallas 40D heater I installed. It just does a great job. Helped when I added insulation to the duct runs from the heater to the cabin. I put a temp sensor on the cabin vent and the Wallas was filling the cabin with air at 90 degrees. Better than my forced air heater at home. Drawing in a mix of outside air and inside air into the heater keeps the interior dry. It just works.
 
Apr 26, 2018
137
Catalina Catalina 30 Bayview
We have a Dickinson diesel heater. I like the heat it produces but it is a little fussy. Also there is not the gravity feed tank, so the pump does a rhythmic bump, and also the fan is quite loud, I have always left it on at a low setting. It also does not distribute the heat like a forced air deal. I say this, that for the cost, I would go with the Wallas if everyone else is making their case.
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
I have a Dickison Newport propane and installed a Planar 4D for the extreme winter cruise. It was on for 14 days straight and worked great!!! Duct also covered with the double bubble.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,993
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I can attest to the statement of @LeslieTroyer that the heater proved its metal. It kept us all from freezing parts off.

Except for the 3AM wake up when the CarbonMonoxide alarm screamed. YOUR ALL GOING TO DIE!!!:yikes:

And we had to open the doors and ports to refresh the oxygen. :confused:

The little Planar 4D struggled to heat the super cooled air of Canada during their worst storm in 50 years.:kick:

But given time and a reset the Planar was like the "Little Engine that Could". We survived and no one reported anything frost bitten. :liar: