Boat heating wish list

[cj88]

Originally Posted by daga

My main problem with heating in general is condensation on the saloon windows. I have not yet found a way to combat this, and since I am now in the tropics the subject has taken a back seat.

3M do a heat shrink film window insulation kit that you could install with double-sided tape and a heat gun or hair dryer for the winter and remove when it warms up.

If you have straight frame sides to your windows, one option is to get some 12.5mm self-adhesive magnetic strip tape, apply it around the windows. Get some 3mm clear acrylic sheet cut to match and apply the magnetic tape to that also to hold the acrylic in place. Easy to remove and replace as desired.
Another option is to look at the Easyfix range: Superglaze, Clipglaze, Easyglaze, Magnetglaze.

[coopec43]

Maybe a few ideas here? (I haven't looked at them)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAOYtsw6VI8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1DA4G3zUL8

[picklesandjesse]

Originally Posted by GILow

OK, I'd be an idiot to ignore the advice. Insulation will be installed.

After living in Canada for 25 yrs I can assure you that anyone from Canada is worth listening to. We, in Australia have no idea how to live comfortably in the cold weather. If you have a warm haven then you are much more inclined to go outside and do stuff as you can easily get warm again. Insulation is the key.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by GILow

Ummm.... sure I can bypass the water heater... but then... I wouldn't have hot water.

Which, in the tropics, probably isn't an issue.

Yeah, I figured there will be long periods of time where the whole lot is shut down.

I don't know, it turns out that a warm shower in the tropics at the end of day is also nice.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I don't know, it turns out that a warm shower in the tropics at the end of day is also nice.

I am very much looking forward to finding out that this is the case.

[GILow]

And to reassure those that gave advice about insulation that I am taking them seriously...

I have already found the perfect roll of Air-Cell insulation. Twin foil sides, weird sort of industrial bubble wrap style core.

[cj88]

Originally Posted by GILow

And to reassure those that gave advice about insulation that I am taking them seriously...

I have already found the perfect roll of Air-Cell insulation. Twin foil sides, weird sort of industrial bubble wrap style core.

That's not insulation, it's a radiant barrier and it needs a decent air gap to do its job. Look at some form of closed cell foam.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by cj88

That's not insulation, it's a radiant barrier and it needs a decent air gap to do its job. Look at some form of closed cell foam.

Ummm... are you thinking of sarking?

This stuff is a lot thicker than what I think of as sarking. The layer between the two outer layers of foil is closed cell. I would not want to go much thicker than this stuff, it would get very hard to install. I reckon it is about 6 mm thick.

Matt

[El Pinguino]

Hobart is not cold... cool yes ...bleak at times... definitely .. .. but not cold within the Canadian meaning of the word.

What I have used is a mix of 4mm and 6mm blue EVA closed cell foam ( behind headliners and in places where it can't be seen ) and silver backed where it can be seen. Cheap and cheerful https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/202503870558

I've posted pics and stuff over time which you have most likely seen.

Combined with 'Gladwrap' double glazing ..

Works good when over wintering in southern Patagonia.

Only a very few condensation 'hotspots' left these days.

With your system I would like to have the ability to isolate unoccupied areas... and also the ability to just have your calorifier accepting heat. You still need HW in the tropics...

Rule #1 ... try and live as close to ambient as you are comfortable with... unless you really want to grow hot house tomatoes

[cj88]

Originally Posted by GILow

Ummm... are you thinking of sarking?

This stuff is a lot thicker than what I think of as sarking. The layer between the two outer layers of foil is closed cell. I would not want to go much thicker than this stuff, it would get very hard to install. I reckon it is about 6 mm thick.

Matt

There's a difference between closed cell foam and bubble wrap. Many incorrectly think that this foil-wrapped bubble wrap e.g. air-cell, reflectix, etc. is insulation which it is not, it is a radiant barrier. There are those that know better but continue to use the word insulation to help market it. Ask for its R-value to see how much insulation it will deliver.

[El Pinguino]

And also... contact adhesive.. in NZ I was using ADOS to stick EVA to bare 'glass' inside of hull and deck.
https://www.bunnings.co.nz/search/pr...directFrom=Any

[GILow]

Originally Posted by cj88

There's a difference between closed cell foam and bubble wrap. Many incorrectly think that this foil-wrapped bubble wrap e.g. air-cell, reflectix, etc. is insulation which it is not, it is a radiant barrier. There are those that know better but continue to use the word insulation to help market it. Ask for its R-value to see how much insulation it will deliver.

Actually, it's R value is a measly 0.2, but I figure that's hard to beat, given how thin I need this to be.

Reading the various installation instructions, it's clear it gets a lot of insulation effect by an air gap, I which guess I can arrange with a bit of fiddling around.

But aside from spray on foam in some places, I won't be able to have anything like "good" insulation anywhere on the boat, just a good as I can practically achieve.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Hobart is not cold... cool yes ...bleak at times... definitely .. .. but not cold within the Canadian meaning of the word.

There are not many places that even approach the Canadian meaning of cold. But yeah, Hobart ain't too bad.

What I have used is a mix of 4mm and 6mm blue EVA closed cell foam ( behind headliners and in places where it can't be seen ) and silver backed where it can be seen. Cheap and cheerful https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/202503870558


I've posted pics and stuff over time which you have most likely seen.

Seen and saved for future reference too.

Combined with 'Gladwrap' double glazing ..

Works good when over wintering in southern Patagonia.

Only a very few condensation 'hotspots' left these days.

With your system I would like to have the ability to isolate unoccupied areas... and also the ability to just have your calorifier accepting heat. You still need HW in the tropics...

Yes, very much designed that way. It is the only significant deviation from ColdEh's design. I picked this as an issue pretty early on, in a way it made it harder for me to understand his design initially because I could not fathom having the heater loops permanently "active". I eventually realised what he was doing and how it made perfect sense where he was an no sense at all where I was.

Rule #1 ... try and live as close to ambient as you are comfortable with... unless you really want to grow hot house tomatoes

Or... other... warm-climate plants that look a lot like tomatoes... without the tomatoes.

_____

[coopec43]

Obviously people posting here know something about insulation.

My yacht (under construction) is a sandwich hull (Airex) and deck (Divynicell). The hull is white and the deck is cream. My impression is that it is well insulated as it does not seem to get unduly hot in summer or cold on a wintry day

Am I kidding myself?

[Lepke]

I heat an 83' boat with piping to hydronic fan units. The boat had radiators when I bought it. Changed to fan units because they bring a cold boat to comfortable in about 20% of the time the radiators used.
It's important to use insulation, both on the lines and the hull and overhead. It's better to put all the heat where you need it, not behind cabinets or the bilge. Insulation cut my heating costs by about a third. Average winter temps in the low 40°F, but can be below zero.
I have an oil fired boiler, smaller but similar to what you'd find in a house. I added a pellet stove with a water coil that heats the boiler w/o using diesel. And I can also use engine coolant to heat.