Do I need forced air heater?

[dmksails]

My sailboat came with a forced air heater that get's it's heat from the engine coolant. The previous owner had this installed a few years before I bought her and it basically looks like new.


I also have a Dickinson propane heater in the main cabin - so there are 2 separate sources for cabin heat - which seems excessive.

I'm considering removing the engine heater. It would free up a good bit of space and besides, I'm not happy with the head hoses rubbing up against the hot pipes!

Do sailors only use this heater while underway? Is it practical to run the engine while at anchor to have heat?

[DeepFrz]

It keeps the cabin nice and cozy while underway. Your area can get chilly even in summer but not very cost effective to run the engine just for cabin heat.