Best Cabin Heater for Catalac 9M ?

[wambam]

Hi all. . . picking your collective brains again.
Can you comment on this heater for a Catalac 9M ?

It is an " Eberspacher D3L"

I have been googling different variations of the Eberspacher. I would appreciate your input, pref. from practical experience.

Thank you very much.

[djmarchand]

That heater will work in moderate climates to keep your boat reasonably warm, say down to 40 degrees outside. But it won't be enough for living aboard in the winter.

David

[Cheechako]

that's an Espar right? It depends alot on what you intend to heat and where. main cabin... it'll probably be adequate, not going to heat all separate parts of the boat though. I prefer the Webasto to the Espar. Just had much better repair record with them. If you really want to be trouble free run them on Kerosene.

[wambam]

Originally Posted by djmarchand

That heater will work in moderate climates to keep your boat reasonably warm, say down to 40 degrees outside. But it won't be enough for living aboard in the winter.
David

Planning to sail/hang around the South of England coast thru' late Fall and Winter. I think the temp. may well hit freezing at times. Is that right? What is the "average" winter like there ?
You saying it will struggle to liveaboard there ?

[wambam]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

that's an Espar right? It depends alot on what you intend to heat and where. main cabin... it'll probably be adequate, not going to heat all separate parts of the boat though. I prefer the Webasto to the Espar. Just had much better repair record with them. If you really want to be trouble free run them on Kerosene.

Thanks. . . will check out the Webasto.

Wallas looks interesting too.

[wambam]

hmmm. . . From what I am hearing from friends, the English winter season can be wet. . . wet. . . wet and quite miserable. . and cold. Not an enticing package. Having second thoughts. Nice people but I remember a quote from Bob Hope: "You folks get such a variety of weather - cold, warm, snow, rain - all on the same day" (or words to that effect).

Still, a Wallas heater seems a good buy anyway.

[djmarchand]

Wambam:

OK, let me be more specific. I had two Espar heaters of the same size as the one you are talking about- 3 KW on a 35' catamaran. Only one worked and it was in the starboard hull but I broke the duct at mid hull and pointed it into the main cabin. Probably 2/3 of the heat went into the main cabin. The port cabin was closed off and got little heat from it.

I used it in winter in Florida- the Ft Myers area. There the overnight temps would hit 40 or so every week or two as cold fronts passed through. I would turn on the Espar in the morning at 6-7:00 and the cabin temp was in the mid 40s. The cabin would slowly warm, maybe 10 degrees or so until the sun hit the hull. In Florida when a cold front comes through the previous day or night it is almost always sunny the next day. Then it would quickly warm to the 60s. Without the sun, I doubt if the temp would ever get to 60.

The point is in the climate you are talking about, you won't get much sun on cold mornings. 3 KW in a boat with essentially no insulation isn't a lot. If I were going to live aboard in your climate I would definitely want two of those heaters and maybe a portable kerosene heater to add some heat on really cold mornings.

Or better yet a more expensive but better overall hydronic system.

David

[rw58ph]

We are a live aboard in the Seattle are which freezes, and installed a Webasto about 15 years ago. We run it 24/7 from October 1 though May 1 with very little trouble. However, I have it serviced every September, and have spare parts, heat sensors, electronic main control board, fuel pump, injectors and glow plug. Keeps the entire boat at 65+ degrees and dry, bilge and engine room. Best investment we have made and the reason we are still a 365 day live aboard.

[wambam]

Originally Posted by rw58ph

We are a live aboard in the Seattle are which freezes, and installed a Webasto about 15 years ago. We run it 24/7 from October 1 though May 1 with very little trouble. However, I have it serviced every September, and have spare parts, heat sensors, electronic main control board, fuel pump, injectors and glow plug. Keeps the entire boat at 65+ degrees and dry, bilge and engine room. Best investment we have made and the reason we are still a 365 day live aboard.

(djmarchard - thank you for such a detailed reply. Appreciate it.)

rw58ph - which particular model of Webasto do you run ? Sounds good.