Need HEAT..what's the best way

[Lesmusic1]

Our 28ft Newport doesn't have any heat. It's the reason my husband uses to get out of over night trips. So,...............

What would be the safest heater which isn't alot of money and will keep my husband warm..LOL

[RaptorDance]

Dickinson Marine makes nice "fireplaces" that will provide a lot of heat, but they do cost a few bucks. The solid fuel models are around $500 and the propane or diesel models around $1,000. see Dickinson Marine

You might find one used for less on eBay.

And - there's always hot chocolate!

Regards,
Bill

[RaptorDance]

Oh, I forgot, you'll also need a flue, for another $200 or so (new price)

[Viking Sailor]

I use a Thermix catalytic propane heater designed for RV's. However, it works very nicely on the boat.

If you use propane, there is an Optimus Mini 2890 BTU catalytic propane heater available on eBay for $120 US.

[rebel heart]

I have one those handheld catalytic heaters that I use when I'm in the cockpit tucked under the dodger. It works okay, but honestly I never got much use out of it. I'm scared of running it in the cabin, even though from what I understand it doesn't produce carbon monoxide (but burns oxygen like all combustion). I think I probably burn more oxygen running my oven at 425 for an hour to make rosemary potatoes, but either way, I'm not risking it.

I also hate keeping those disposable containers onboard. They rust and the valves are crap.

Clay pots over the gas burner works too, but again I don't know if you want to keep that running through the night.

The only thing you should really trust to keep your arm all night, barring electric sources, is a fixed mount cabin heater with a vent for the intake, and a vent for the exhaust.

The only other thing I can think of is are oil lamps, which burn pretty darn warm. Even the little ones crank out a lot of heat.

You need to seal the boat up too; no reason to have some great heater if you're just going to have cold wind coming through (including the dorades / mushrooms). And again, since you're going to need to seal the boat up for anything to be effective, you need to have a properly vented heater.

Get a CO alarm, if you don't already have one. Can really save your neck.

[Lesmusic1]

Sounds as if you all are thinkin like my husband....everything to think about or/and worry about..LOL. I never get cold, (did I mention before I'm a woman in my 40's) but my poor husband does.

I was told you can make a heater off your engine..like a car heater...but who wants the noise..unless you just heat it up before bed and flip who get's up in the morning to start up the engine....

[oldsalt_1942]

SAIL SOUTH!!!

[Auspicious]

Leslie,

Good on you. Sailing during the colder months is great, and you rarely have to compete for the good anchorage spots.

There are heaters that splice into the cooling system on your engine ( http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|6880|48311|714835&id=48295 ) but as you noted you have to run the engine to have heat.

If you plan to use the boat often in colder weather you should consider a diesel bulkhead heater, like those made by Sig or Dickinson. Even the smallest of those heaters will put out sufficient heat that you will be able to keep the boat well ventilated, which is more comfortable and helps greatly to reduce condensation.

Alternatively, you could invest in some really good thermal underwear, get some great quilts, and curl up in the v-berth with your lucky husband.

[hellosailor]

Leslie-
"What would be the safest heater which isn't alot of money and will keep my husband warm..LOL"
I take it concubines are out of the question? [vbg]

Alcohol heaters are inexpensive--ignore them, they emit so much water vapor you'll wake up in a swamp. I'd have to agree with RaptorDance, you're looking at some serious money and a real heater of some kind if you want a solution that you'll both be HAPPY with. Any kind of wood or coal stove designed for this use would also work---but then you get into storing solid fuel and dumping ashes, that's something some people just don't want to mess with. (No pun intended.)

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by RaptorDance

Dickinson Marine makes nice "fireplaces" that will provide a lot of heat, but they do cost a few bucks. The solid fuel models are around $500 and the propane or diesel models around $1,000. see Dickinson Marine

You might find one used for less on eBay.

And - there's always hot chocolate!

Regards,
Bill

Or you can find one right here!

I bought a Dickinson Lofoten diesel heater that was too small for my application (a large space on land). I went back to heating with wood, which I enjoy and go on about at great length on this board... ha ha

I am getting ready to list it on eBay at the end of the week. If you would like, we can talk about skipping eBay and you can have it.

Here is a direct link to the stove at the Dickinson website:

Dickinson Marine

It was used for maybe a month.... not even. I have all manuals, accessories, etc...

Cost me $1000+, but I'd be willing to let it go for any reasonable price.

Let me know... pm me.


Here's a photo of it working. Note that the dates are in "Euro Style" on my camera. The photos are from Dec 4th, not April.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

The only thing you should really trust to keep your arm all night, barring electric sources, is a fixed mount cabin heater with a vent for the intake, and a vent for the exhaust.

Get a CO alarm, if you don't already have one. Can really save your neck.

This might be the first time - ever I disagree with Rebel Heart.

Although I only disagree with a tiny piece. After all my years of running wood stoves (naturally vented with no fans through a chimney), I have found that the need for a dedicated intake vent to provide air to the fire is somewhat like an old wives tale.

See... when a chimney that is properly installed is working, it draws air into the stove (be it diesel or wood or whatever you are burning). The air it draws in creates a miniscule negative pressure in the living area, which then causes suction through any and every crack and crevice that can draw outside air in.

In my experience, since marine heaters have max of 4" flues, the natural cracks and air spaces in a boat (between companionway slats, through dorades you may have stuffed a sock in, through the anchor locker, etc... etc...) allow more than ample air into the boat to prevent any type of backdraft in the chimney.

The CO detector on the other hand... is a MUST. I couldn't agree with him more on that one - although I find it goes off from cooking on a galley stove, not from heating the room. Why?

The chimney sucks all the CO from your heating stove right up and out (drawing in through the vents to the stove). If somehow you manage to get a backup (like by opening a downwind facing dorade causing suction to the living area), you will smell smoke far before you have any CO issues.

But one should always have a CO alarm. Mine protects me from:

genset
cooking on galley stove
a possible chimney problem, but never had one

For the type of sailing you mentioned, the Force 10 propane would be the least expensive, and most effective option. They do use allot of propane, but they are good for the space you have, and they are simple to instal and use. Last I checked, they were under $400. The Dickenson Solid fuel heaters can also be found for around that same price. I have used these extensively, and relly like them, but it sounds like low maintenance is a key factor for you. The Force 10 can be turned on, and forgotten about. I would also recommend the CO2 alarm. This should be standard on any boat. They are not that expensive, and are great insurance. They are as easy to install as a smoke alarm.

[rebel heart]

Okay, in fairness I'll admit that maybe you could bypass a dedicated intake line, but I've always heard it was a good idea to have one. :-)

[Microship]

For Nomadness, I've been thinking long and hard about this... and have decided that a boat otherwise capable of self-sufficiency (water and food from the sea, movement from wind, power from sun) should not depend entirely on heat from industrial-scale refineries. I already have a Webasto that works fine, but am adding a Little Cod from Navigator Stove Works.

We just met at the boat yesterday and talked it through, and I'm impressed. I'm getting a porcelain version (much less affected by the salt in driftwood, as well as prettier), and it is being integrated into the end of the galley wing, very central to the pilothouse (see photo). I have some under-berth space just right for a wood bin (along with a foredeck box), and the thought of being able to scrounge heat via the dinghy is somehow comforting.

Cheers,
Steve

I also agree that the Little Cod is a fantastic stove, and will be installing one in the trimaran. However, we are talking about a Newport 28. Solid fuel is, without question, IMHO, the best way to go for self sufficency, and for long term cruising, however, for weekenders on a small boat, the ease, compactness, and simplicity of the Force 10 will likely be a more effective solution. If I recall the lay out of the Newport, there is just no good place to mount the Little Cod without sacrificing valuable space. That, and the three inch chimney is a little much sticking out of the cabin top of this boat.
Aside from that, I agree this is the bestsolid fuel heater on the market.