Cabin Heaters: Which is Best and Why?

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

We have an electric throw, on the sticker it says 130 Watts.
I have measured close to 100W on high with a Kill-A-Watt meter, but what’s interesting is when you turn it down, it then pulses that 100W on and off, the lower the setting the longer time between pulses and I assume the shorter the on pulse, but I’ve not really studied it. I ought to leave it on the kill a watt as it will tell me the cumulative draw.

Meaning we can stay toasty warm in the bed for I think about 50W or less which is about a 5 amp draw on battery, or say 40 AH for an eight hour night. It may well be less.
That ain’t bad.
We put a light blanket on top of the heated throw to hold in its heat.

Time to get out of Dodge my friend...cruisers are not support to own electric blankets unless they sail aluminum boats in the high latitudes.

[Panope]

Here is the "tropical" electric blanket. A small chiller (refrigerator) that pumps cooled water through a mattress pad.

https://www.chilitechnology.com

Looks like about 80 watts for a single bed. Doable with batteries overnight.

(I have no need for this as I am one of those "aluminum, high altitude" types )

Steve

[a64pilot]

Well I put the electric throw on the Kill-A-Watt meter last night as it was 25F here.
For those interested it used .18 KWH, which, and this is where I’m requesting help, but I think that is roughly about 15 to 18 AH out of a 12VDC battery bank?
I have not run the math at all, but think that is about right, if it is, then maybe with the savings you will have from your fridge not running much, You depending on what you have to recharge your bank, may be able to handle it.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Panope

Here is the "tropical" electric blanket. A small chiller (refrigerator) that pumps cooled water through a mattress pad.



https://www.chilitechnology.com



Looks like about 80 watts for a single bed. Doable with batteries overnight.



(I have no need for this as I am one of those "aluminum, high altitude" types )



Steve

Last knee surgery they gave me an ice chest that had a tiny electric pump in it and a wrap for my knee that was full of water tubes, of course you put ice in the ice chest and it circulated through the wrap on your knee keeping it ice cold.

M1 Abraham’s tank crew members used to have vests with this cooling system, I think maybe the idea came from NASA. I’d bet NASCAR drivers do, but that is just a guess.
It works, and works well.

[sailorboy1]

Pretty cold here in Marathon this morning at 50 degrees. That's about as cold as I'm willing to face if not tied to a dock with shire power.

[a64pilot]

Up here next week is supposed to be a warm up, that is when I’m going to leave. 50 is about my cut off point too.
I just called Marathon Marina, he said normally they fill up in Nov., but this year has been slower. However there is only one ball left.
He said average wait time is a week or two.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Up here next week is supposed to be a warm up, that is when I’m going to leave. 50 is about my cut off point too.
I just called Marathon Marina, he said normally they fill up in Nov., but this year has been slower. However there is only one ball left.
He said average wait time is a week or two.

But if you get here during a weather window for crossing to the Bahamas there's probably going to be a ball available as people are here waiting for that. A couple of weeks ago I counted at least 10 balls empty I could see from my boat, but I just looked and can only see 1 now.

[a64pilot]

We will see when I get there, I’d rather anchor, but it’s not protected, and I think they jacked up the dinghy dock rates so that there is no financial reason to not be on a ball.
I guess I have an aversion to being on a ball, illogical I guess.

[robert sailor]

I'm just curious..Its cruising season...is there other reasons you guys are hanging out there rather than enroute to warmer climes? Not being nosy but it sounds like there are many others in that area also sitting tight. R

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

We will see when I get there, I’d rather anchor, but it’s not protected, and I think they jacked up the dinghy dock rates so that there is no financial reason to not be on a ball.
I guess I have an aversion to being on a ball, illogical I guess.

Yes it is illogical!!!!!!!!!!!

There is an inside anchor here. The boats there are tighter together than the boats in the mooring field. And while LOTS of boats here got “flushed” away during Irma there are lots of boats that did their prep and the boat stayed on the mooring during 100+ mph winds.

It’s a long dinghy ride from the anchor out by the bridge.

[moguzhanoguz]

I have bought this ceramic heater and gave it back after trying for 15 minutes. You can not hear even your hands while stick on it. Now I bought 2nd hand heater with fan taken from a truck.it heats with cooling water">engine cooling water and does it in 15 minutes in my cat 27. It costed me about 150 USD .

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

I'm just curious..Its cruising season...is there other reasons you guys are hanging out there rather than enroute to warmer climes? Not being nosy but it sounds like there are many others in that area also sitting tight. R

For us it was me getting the Watermaker installed and the new Bimini made and The interior upholstery.
However what it really is more than anything is our Daughter is going to College in Brunswick and doesn’t go back to school until next week, and her Mother doesn’t want to leave until she starts school again.
We sort of got trapped too, I won’t leave in sub freezing Wx, not while I have shorepower to keep warm with. I and the boat were ready first of the year, but the cold this year was more than I expected.
Last year it never did get cold.

[LouTai]

I ended up, after experience (from only 2 different) forced air heaters in earlier boats to build current heating system based on rather oversised Reflex stove, very similar to Glembring. It needs quite careful planning of flue pipe etc. But in our case we have now heating system that draws 0,25 Amps/hour (24V circulation pump) -the only electrical and maybe not easily self serviced part of system. Below 0,2L of diesel/h. at min setting, which is enough till around 0 C outside air temp. If colder we need to turn up more heat and use more oil. So far has been ok down to -15 C. The boat is +40ft quite well insulated center cocpit type. The stove has copper coil, radiators outside of saloon where stove is and 2nd coil in calorifier so we have warm running water when heating. Heat regulation is turn knob type one which needs some experience to get comfortable interior temp. in variating temperatures but quite manageable as start up process as well. When heater is on we have nice, dry, comfortable and quiet warmth as long fuel available. Regulator is gimballed for heeling. Tested so far only up to 30+kn. gusts. Concerning reliability, there must be some reason why northen sea fishing vessels have used these for decades.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

For us it was me getting the Watermaker installed and the new Bimini made and The interior upholstery.
However what it really is more than anything is our Daughter is going to College in Brunswick and doesn’t go back to school until next week, and her Mother doesn’t want to leave until she starts school again.
We sort of got trapped too, I won’t leave in sub freezing Wx, not while I have shorepower to keep warm with. I and the boat were ready first of the year, but the cold this year was more than I expected.
Last year it never did get cold.

Yes well, very understandable. The good news is every degree of latitude heading south will be warmer so lots to look forward to. Even down here we are seeing some cold fronts going thru with some very brisk winds. The good news is that even though it's cool for this time of the year it's still in the low 80's and night time temps around 75 which is perfect but someone took our sun away. Normally Belize is crappy this time of year and the Bay Islands are sunny and warm but those big cold fronts, one behind the other has sort of been a bit of an equalizer.
Say if you haven't started your new upholstery yet you might consider having it done in the Rio...low cost of labor and very high quality of work. If you brought your own material with you your savings would be much higher as imported goods are much more expensive. There are a couple of very talented upholstery and canvass shops there.
Whenever you get underway, have a safe and enjoyable sail...We might meet along the way when you get down here. R

[schaf]

Living in Canada sailing in the PNW and sailing year round I enjoy having diesel for heat and a kerosine stove I don't have any gas on board for the simplicity and safety it provides. My heater is a Dickenson Arctic heater about 20 years old with a cast iron top this burns approx .75 ltrs of fuel a day and will boil water on a high setting. I generally keep it on its lowest setting which keeps my 30 ft boat nicely comfortable. I can leave it on when sailing and generally leave a kettle on top to keep a constant supply of hot water if I want to hove to and make a quick cup of tea or instant soup. It requires no electricity and is very dependable. In my stove I burn varsol as it is a nice clean fuel and readily available. As a single hander simplicity is paramount as is availability of fuel in remote areas. The only drawback is having to clean the heater once a week if I'm burning it continually or soot will build up and it becomes a bit messy. Otherwise this is one of my favorite pieces of gear because I can enjoy my boat any time of year and love being out even in the Canadian winter.