Best temporary heating?

[pianopraze]

Southern Florida is mostly warm but it’s dipping into 30s at night right now.

What is the best or at least good Temporary heating alternatives?

Preferably non electric. Don’t have a lot of battery storage yet.

[fgd3]

Extra blankets! More warm clothes!



Seriously, I carry a propane radiant heater which I occasionally use to take off the chill when I am changing clothes. I never let it run for extended times or unattended. My boat also has a propane tankless water heater. It produces 38,000 BTU/hr, so running 10 or 20 seconds of hot water creates enough exhaust heat to warm the cabin briefly.


Neither device can be trusted to keep the cabin balmy for hours at a time. While you're sleeping you don't need to heat the cabin if you have enough blankets.

[boatman61]

SEX..!!!

[Montanan]

If you use ANY combustion source for heating, its exhaust needs to be directly and properly vented outside if you intend to use it for an extended period of time, or in the alternative you need to provide for ample offsetting fresh air ventilation which cool fresh air entrainment defeats the entire purpose of combustion heating inside. So if say, you turn on the burners of your stove top, or use lanterns, you need to provide for opening of hatches to avail cross ventilation.

Note that all combustion sources infuse a lot of humidity into the air [including your breathing] and thus derive a source for water vapor dewing inside your boat as the hull surfaces will cool below the dewpoint temperature, so one can expect a damp boat each cold night and early morning. A moist boat is a cold boat. A cold boat makes a moist boat.

The balanced chemical equation for the combustion of propane is: C3H8+5O2 →3CO2+4H2O.

Use caution, if you are direct venting the combustion into the enclosed hull space you are endangering everyone on board.

If you are at a marina and have shore power just use a small electric heater and be sure to keep combustible materials away from that heat source. Make sure the heater is positioned so as to remain stable and not tip over or to have something tip onto it.

Stay cozy. Lows in the 30's at night, that is mild winter weather.

[esarratt]

Check out this recent thread. Lots of ideas related to your question: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ng-243260.html

[Cheechako]

I used a cheap electric off shore power while in Fl winter.
You could buy an indoor/outdoor kerosene free standing heater. Keep the companionway cracked. They are fairly big to store though.
https://www.amazon.com/Sengoku-HeatM...ag=googhydr-20
or Propane:
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-F23...ag=googhydr-20

[SY Kelpie]

Does the 'temporary' requirement mean it needs to be a totally reversible installation? Or just that you'd rather not spend too much money on it?

I've fitted two of the cheap Chinese blown-air units now, in different boats, and for the price I don't think you can beat them. But you can't really fit one without modifying the boat.

[Hudson Force]

For our Florida winters away from shore power we found our pair of Perko oil lanterns took the chill out of the air. We also simply wore warm clothing.

[pianopraze]

Originally Posted by SY Kelpie

Does the 'temporary' requirement mean it needs to be a totally reversible installation? Or just that you'd rather not spend too much money on it?

I've fitted two of the cheap Chinese blown-air units now, in different boats, and for the price I don't think you can beat them. But you can't really fit one without modifying the boat.

Meaning no permanent instillation.

I was looking at those, how much current do they draw? One I saw used a car cigarette lighter type.

I could remove the wall AC unit (which I've never used as I'm sure it draws a lot of current) and install one of China diesel units in it's spot seasonally.

[pianopraze]

Originally Posted by boatman61

SEX..!!!

I have two kids on board, including a baby born in October...

Need regular heat, not more kids!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by pianopraze

I have two kids on board, including a baby born in October...

Need regular heat, not more kids!

[roam]

Since I got a late start heading south from Annapolis I got a kerosene heater. Works well for a temporary solution. I plan to get diesel or propane heat long term.

[dfelsent]

Originally Posted by boatman61

SEX..!!!

I was going to say zip together sleeping bags and a partner of your choice!

If solo there are many many great camping bags out there.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Montanan

If you use ANY combustion source for heating, its exhaust needs to be directly and properly vented outside if you intend to use it for an extended period of time, or in the alternative you need to provide for ample offsetting fresh air ventilation which cool fresh air entrainment defeats the entire purpose of combustion heating inside. So if say, you turn on the burners of your stove top, or use lanterns, you need to provide for opening of hatches to avail cross ventilation.

Note that all combustion sources infuse a lot of humidity into the air [including your breathing] and thus derive a source for water vapor dewing inside your boat as the hull surfaces will cool below the dewpoint temperature, so one can expect a damp boat each cold night and early morning. A moist boat is a cold boat. A cold boat makes a moist boat.

The balanced chemical equation for the combustion of propane is: C3H8+5O2 →3CO2+4H2O.

Use caution, if you are direct venting the combustion into the enclosed hull space you are endangering everyone on board.

If you are at a marina and have shore power just use a small electric heater and be sure to keep combustible materials away from that heat source. Make sure the heater is positioned so as to remain stable and not tip over or to have something tip onto it.

Stay cozy. Lows in the 30's at night, that is mild winter weather.

This. I guess more boaters are killed on board by asphyxiation than any other cause.


Propane combustion products are just nasty inside the boat, especially in cold weather. I have a gas stove, but I avoid using it in weather too cold to have hatches open and powered exhaust hood working. Unvented gas heat, besides being really dangerous, is just super nasty. Fills the boat with condensation which, as Montanan correctly says, makes the boat clammy and horrible.


So to the OP -- use electric heat (for which you'll need either generator or shore power), or invest a small amount of money into a proper diesel heater: Planar, Espar, Webasto, etc. If you install it yourself, I think you can do one of the small Planars for under a boat buck. Having good heat on board is SO great -- really extends the sailing season.

[CarlF]

With any combustion heat put a couple of a carbon monoxide alarms in the cabin. The home ones are fine.

Be aware that your insurance company is likely to take a dim view of anything but a professionally installed and approved heater. Even portable electric heaters are against the rules. Of course, they won’t tell you this until they deny your claim.