Electric Heater for Liveaboard in Boston

[JK n Smitty]

Hello all,

So our house is under agreement and by the end of April we should be full time live aboards. We have owned our current boat for 3 years and have lived on her April through December all ready. We usually just use a small space heater and that keeps the boat plenty warm. But now that we will be full time I am trying to get some input on the heating system. We will be in a slip while we continue working to fill the cruising kitty and don't want to go through installing a diesel heater since we will only need to deal with one winter in New England before we leave to go cruising. So here is my plan. Please give me any input you have.

The boat is a Catalina 310 which has an open plan and is essentially one big cabin. There is a bulk head between the salon and forward birth but there is a door and a large window opening that are both always open. In the stern, there is also a bulkhead with a hatch that separates the rear birth from a mechanical area with the water heater in it.

One thing I read that has been incorporated into our plan is that you are better off using multiple heaters on low rather than fewer or one heater on high. I also have a propane heater that is safe for indoor use that will be our backup incase we ever loose power. But from talking to people at the marina where we plan to stay they don't have that problem often. We do also plan to do a clear shrink wrap enclosure for the winter.

So here is my plan (see attached picture). Heater #1 the Envi wall mounted panel heater. Based on the reviews and product literature, its a cool to the touch electric heater that puts out good heat and is safe to leave unattended. It has a thermal cut off for safety and no moving parts that could clog up with hair or dust. That would be the primary heat that would run 24/7. I have a good fan mounted in the open window on that bulk head that would push the heat generated into the forward area.

Heater #2 would be the Caframo 9206. The top step on our companion way stairs is open and this heater will fit there. This heater will be turned on when we come back to the boat and used to give a boast until we go to bed. It will most likely be shut off at night with just the Envi running through the night.

Heater #3 would be an electric space heater with a thermal cut off and knock over safety. That would be placed in a 2' x 2' opening in the bulkhead that separates the rear birth from the companion space. It would be used to keep the temperature in that area above freezing so that our water heater can remain in use during the winter. We currently just bypass and drain it as we get towards freezing temps.

OK, let's hear it. How bad of plan is this?

Thanks,

Jesse