How do you heat the cabin of your boat?
- Thread starter dserrell
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For very cold weather I have a Force 10 cabin heater. When it just gets a bit cool my kerosine lanterns are enough. But I did add Airex foam core when I rebuilt so I have a half inch of foam insulation from the turn of the bilge to the cabin top. Never have any condensate even when there is frost or a dusting of snow outside.
When in the marina...
we have a heat pump to rely on for warmth, as do other big boats in our marina. We also keep a small cube quartz heater as a supplement. Others use one of those oil-filled radiators bolted down to a flat board to prevent tipping. Only a few have something like Ross's Force 10 heater, much more common further north and out in the Northwest.
If you use any form of combustion for heat such as the Coleman unit, you MUST install a CO detector for your own safety! The danger lies in the CO from combustion, not the propane in a well made product such as Coleman's.
I must admit that SailM8 has the best answer!
we have a heat pump to rely on for warmth, as do other big boats in our marina. We also keep a small cube quartz heater as a supplement. Others use one of those oil-filled radiators bolted down to a flat board to prevent tipping. Only a few have something like Ross's Force 10 heater, much more common further north and out in the Northwest.
If you use any form of combustion for heat such as the Coleman unit, you MUST install a CO detector for your own safety! The danger lies in the CO from combustion, not the propane in a well made product such as Coleman's.
I must admit that SailM8 has the best answer!
Here in Loiuisiana, we can sail all year 'round. Like Dan, I have a reverse cycle AC but I also carry a 5000 btu ceramic cube type heater.. It alone is usually sufficient since the immersed part of the hull is in water that rarely is below 65 F.. Anchored out I use nothing or if it is really cold, the oven in the stove just to get the chill out.. along with the CO detector and ventilation of course.
I have looked at these, which have a low oxygen shut-off.. They would be great at anchor, I think. http://www.mrheater.com/product.aspx?catid=41&id=24
I have looked at these, which have a low oxygen shut-off.. They would be great at anchor, I think. http://www.mrheater.com/product.aspx?catid=41&id=24
The Coleman is not safe indoors. To be safe a stove must vent the products of combustion to the outside of the boat. It is also nice if the air for combustion also comes from the outside. Most boats in our region use some form of diesel heater and they work very well. In the Marina an electric heater like the Caframo is a good bet.
On smaller boats the best solution is the Wallas heater. It is very expensive, but it is safe, uses very little fuel and doubles as a stove.
http://www.wallas.fi/default.asp?id=srj9evr8umg
On smaller boats the best solution is the Wallas heater. It is very expensive, but it is safe, uses very little fuel and doubles as a stove.
http://www.wallas.fi/default.asp?id=srj9evr8umg
Tom, My Force 10 heater uses the same burners as my Force 10 galley stove. The Cabin heater vents to the outside but my cooking stove doesn't. As long as the flame is adjusted correctly it won't produce carbon monoxide.
Heaters and boat size
Dave's boat is 19 feet. That's small compared to the average size of most of the regulars on this board. And some have bigger boats above 40 feet where both separate systems and split (heat pump) systems are employed, so the ideas will work for different climates as well as different sized boats.
Dave's boat is 19 feet. That's small compared to the average size of most of the regulars on this board. And some have bigger boats above 40 feet where both separate systems and split (heat pump) systems are employed, so the ideas will work for different climates as well as different sized boats.
A CO2 detector would alarm constantly. I don't think you can buy one. Chemistry is important even if you are not a chemist. NaCl is desireable on your food but HCl is not. NaOCl is bleach. Learn a little chemistry and use it.
We heat up tea just before settling in, snuggle, fight for blankets until morning the the real war begins. Who's gonna get up and start the coffee.:naughty:
Honestly, I don't have one and evenings up here are already in the 40's. I remember reading somewhere on this forum that somebody used a clay pot upside down on the stove. Does anyone remember anything like that?
Honestly, I don't have one and evenings up here are already in the 40's. I remember reading somewhere on this forum that somebody used a clay pot upside down on the stove. Does anyone remember anything like that?
I have a forced air diesel heater when stopped and also plumbed into the engine coolant system at the water heater with a heat exchanger and fan. The diesel heater works great because it is ducted. The heat exchanger is free heat that is wasted. Here in the NW motoring is 30-40% (alot of motor sailing) so why waste the engine heat. It seems to put out about as much heat as the diesel heater does. Still get plenty of hot water as well off of a Yanmar 3GMF. Cost of this install was about $150 with hoses and wiring.
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