Off the dock heating

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by feudalkaos

I have also seen the Wabasto Air Top heater (like the semi cabin heaters) that burn diesel. These seem like an awesome unit and would work well but they cost ~$2k or more. Again doesn't seem to make sense for a few weeks out of the year.

Anyone have any input or thoughts? Thank you for your feedback!

We fitted an Airtop 2000 10 years ago now before the cheap Chinese versions became available, smaller boat so smaller unit needed. Cheaper to buy the truck version and add the hull exhaust and mounting bracket than buy the marine kit with a huge mark up.

Brilliant bit of kit if you keep it supplied with clean fuel and run it hot before turning off so it doesn't coke up. We have regularly used it in August too when its been raining as it dries the boat out brilliantly. Spent a month living on board in Feb 18, a very cold month in the England when seawater froze. Temperature on board the boat was 74f one evening before I decided to turn it down a bit.

Today I would fit a Chinese or Russian (Planar Heaters). One tip if you go down this route, you should insulate the air hose because the difference is without insulation, the air was warm to the back of my hand. With insulation the air was too hot to put my hand in front of the vent for more than a couple of seconds.

Pete

[newhaul]

I live aboard and i have been running a chineese knockoff of the planar im extremely happy. I have a 5kw unit but i could use a 2kw on my 29 for your boat i would not go smaller than a 5kw unit. I used somewhere around 15 gallons of fuel last winter.
Forgot to add it cost me just over 200 for everything to do the install.

I would be happy to answer any questions you have

[OneHullPaul]

I plan on installing 2 x 5 kilowatt diesel air heaters, one at each end of my 37 ft double ender pointing to the middle. It's the same approach as my 2 HVAC units as recommended by the Domestic installer and I'm very happy with the arrangement.

FYI, I also have a propane Dickinson in the Pilothouse with a 1 inch flue, and a diesel Dickinson in the saloon with a three inch flue.

I have no space for a wood burner, but plan on adding a heat loop to my Magma charcoal/wood grill connected to a bus heater in the saloon. That way I could heat the boat with driftwood in a pinch in a similar method to how people install outdoor wood heaters.

Lots of options but seems like a Chinese diesel air is the quick win in your price bracket. Good luck!

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by newhaul

I live aboard and i have been running a chineese knockoff of the planar im extremely happy. I have a 5kw unit but i could use a 2kw on my 29 for your boat i would not go smaller than a 5kw unit. I used somewhere around 15 gallons of fuel last winter.
Forgot to add it cost me just over 200 for everything to do the install.

I would be happy to answer any questions you have

One more for you. What's the make/model of this particular Chinese one you've had good success with

[hpeer]

I’ve heard good reviews about these Planar heaters. Not as cheap as the Chinese but not as expensive as Espar. I believe they are made in Russia. Brits seem to have more experience with them. I found the discussed article length on YBW.

Remember that all these small diesel heaters are primarily for Truck use, so they don’t have to idle the main engine all night to produce heat.

https://planarheaters.com/

[Scubaseas]

If you are looking at propane check out Propex HS2000. Have one in my VW bus, works great and I believe they make a marine kit for the intake/exhaust. 1.9KW output (about6300BTU), low amp draw (1.4A if I recall) and it's pretty quiet.



Diesel would be the way I would go since filling propane is tedious from a dinghy but it's more work to service diesel heaters.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by feudalkaos

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thanks for the link on the lamp. This could be an option but I am not sure. We have kids, a cat and a dog. If it can be knocked over, it will be on our boat.

You hang it from the overhead. I hooked a bungee cord on mine so it doesn't wiggle around when I sail.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

When we get caught further North than I like before heading South like this year, we do the electric blanket thing, as your going LFP that’s even more logical for you than me.
If your planning on motoring often look into a bus heater, but if your going to be on the hook, go Diesel heat.

However as your both working why are you abandoning a Marina? Working while living on the hook may be harder than you imagine and may not be worth it, if your having to go to work everyday a Marina is almost a necessity

+2 you dont even need a bus heater a smaller 2Kw blower costing about $70 will heat most saloons on an average size yacht

[Paul L]

If you are willing to pay more upfront you can get more long term functionality. We have a Hurricane Zephyer diesel heater. It works as a good cabin heater as well as an on demand hot water heater. We use the cabin heater when we end up in the winter cold. We use the on demand hot water all year long, tropics and all.

If you are living on the hook, trying to heat with propane is going to be a real pain in a lot of locations to keep tanks full.

[tml]

After a cold ICW trip several years ago we installed a bus heater, I think around $300. If you are motoring this puts out a massive amount of hot air. While obviously no more heat with the engine off it keeps our boat comfortable at an anchorage over night. After an ICW day the fixtures and hull are very warm and dry and give up heat overtime.. Aiso great to duck below for a warm up underway.
Within its limitations hard to beat on a cold wet passage
Tom

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by rbk

Propane requires a smaller chimney, less finicky compared to diesels and you can probably find a couple used ones for <$1k. I say a couple as you’ll probably want two for a boat your size, one forward one aft. We run one one the center bulkhead but the V and quarter berths get cool. Make sure at least one of them have a powered fan. Wait a minute, scratch the two unit requirements, just remembered your location, one should do. I would personally probably open a port and sleep with a sheet in your cold weather lol

I have a force 10 propane heater on my '44 and it is very good for taking the chill out. It uses a one inch smokestack which doubles as a heat radiator so the longer the better. I use a cabin fan above the Force 10 to better circulate the heat.

The one downside of these small heaters is that they go through propane very quickly so either extra tanks or a nearby propane dealer are important.

[cabo_sailor]

Regarding electric blankets. Most, if not all, require a pure sine wave. Not for the blanket but for the controller.
I have heard of but not seen 12 v blankets that long distance truckers use. A quick google shows many options available.

[tarian]

Originally Posted by hpeer

I’ve heard good reviews about these Planar heaters. Not as cheap as the Chinese but not as expensive as Espar. I believe they are made in Russia. Brits seem to have more experience with them. I found the discussed article length on YBW.

Remember that all these small diesel heaters are primarily for Truck use, so they don’t have to idle the main engine all night to produce heat.

https://planarheaters.com/

This be true Planar are the Russian version and they use them in their trucks and military , and we Brits are starting to see the light if you youtube it there are some good videos I would rather have a Russian one than a Chinese I appreciate some have fitted them but poor technical and parts service , and no real opinions on the running time (say 2 years in)
Planar are also getting distributors in the UK and are half the price of the known brands, not had any complaints from YBW so far but we Brits like a good whinge

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by cabo_sailor

Regarding electric blankets. Most, if not all, require a pure sine wave. Not for the blanket but for the controller.
I have heard of but not seen 12 v blankets that long distance truckers use. A quick google shows many options available.

available at just about any truck stop in America.
Also
Online https://www.my12voltstore.com/mobile/default.aspx


https://www.truckers-store.com/12-volt-appliances/

https://www.my12voltstore.com/mobile...ory.aspx?id=90

[Cabo Jim]

Feudalkaos, you should check out these links.
https://www.sailmagazine.com/cruisin...ads-to-tragedy
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ng-194950.html
I would think long and hard about your family's safety before installing a $200 knock off diesel heater. When my heater exhaust muffler failed the CO detector did not alarm!
In the mean time when it gets cold, open the boat to allow air to circulate, then bundle up warm. Otherwise you will wakeup and every surface in the boat will be dripping wet due to humidity from breathing.