What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by videorov

Wonder what type of heat systems do people use if any on the cold days.
Which is safe and better to use then others????

We took our boat to the eastern Caribbean. If it’s coolish we close the hatch.

[ElVikingo]

We live aboard a fifty footer here in the Pacific Northwest US. It gets a bit chilly and damp. We have an Espar heater that runs off of our diesel tank. We love it! Keeps us warm and dry (with the aid of a good dehumidifier) and can operate well while out and about or at shore power. Very efficient system but only necessary if it gets below 5 degrees C on a consistent basis. Otherwise it can be a bit too effective and a space heater is all you might need.

[CaptFigmo]

In Florida.
At night under the blankets.
Morning have propane tank with heat attachment.
Works fine.

[zengirl]

I have a heavy duty sleeping bag and an electric blanket. I have a 32' Freedom and I have 2 Comfort Zone electric heaters from Walmart. $15 each. If cold...below 35 degrees for me. I close the aft berth and have one heater on low facing the v-berth and one heater on high facing the companionway and head. Never cold, if it gets in the 20's I put long underwear on.

[CaptFigmo]

These require 110v so you either have to be plugged in at the dock or have your generator running offshore?

[Mike OReilly]

Anyone know of a direct DC electric blanket, or better still, a mattress pad?

[AuroraGH]

Originally Posted by Cloroxbottle

Dogs.

Most dangerous source of heat for me. Have allergy induced asthma.

Unless you are burning them in a stove. That would probably work for me but there is the question of supply and what is the best breed?



In all seriousness - I find a really nice goose down duvet to be pretty good at sea and at the dock I have an electric oil filled radiator heater I can put in the middle of the cabin and point a small fan at.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Anyone know of a direct DC electric blanket, or better still, a mattress pad?

sure mike not a problem https://www.my12voltstore.com/mobile...ory.aspx?id=90
Or just about any truck stop

[Alaska JD]

Another vote for Espar. We’ve got an Espar 10D on our Hunter 410. Last year we wintered in Petersburg AK across the dock from Smokeys Kitchen. The Espar kept our boat nice and warm from stem to stern even when the temp dropped to 5 or 6 deg F for a couple of days. Between November 11 and March 15 we averaged 1.5 gal of diesel a day to keep the boat warm and motor to the fuel dock a 1/4 mile away every 2 months

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by newhaul

sure mike not a problem https://www.my12voltstore.com/mobile...ory.aspx?id=90
Or just about any truck stop

That’s great. Thanks

[mark0978]

I had a webasto in my boat when I was in the NYC area. One night it got down to .5F and the boat stayed at about 65F. 50KBTU unit heats water that is pumped around the boat and then small units convert the hot water into warm air. Tapped into the same fuel tanks that feed the engines.

I removed the unit when I moved to the Caribbean and if you want one at a good price, hit me up. It has about 1 winter's worth of use and if it could keep my Catamaran warm, it could definitely do keep a monohull warm.

[SailRedemption]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Anyone know of a direct DC electric blanket, or better still, a mattress pad?

We have a mattress heating pad on our boat. The thing is the best. Its better than a heat blanket because it heats the bed and the covers before you get in and when you sleep, it's heating below you and heat rises so everything gets warm. We got it from Amazon.

Sunbeam Heated Mattress Pad https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FHW8P94..._pFUiCbH2WNMAA

[masou]

Hey up here in Canada it gets cold sometimes.... eh , I live aboard full time , and due to just affordability and the fact I'm moored on a mooring and not in a marina , I use a woodstove , it's messy storing wood is a pain and a lot of work and after I fall asleep the fire dies and it's cold , but I can burn all my paper garbage and get firewood for free as well as cook on the stove top , there are serious downsides to a woodstove for heat , but personally I wouldn't want to live without it , the heat is dry , but there is no lazy days when you have to keep dry firewood stored in a small space , but I personally love my stove it was custom made out of a 10lb propane tank with long legs and three inch exsuast pipe chimney , marinas do not allow solid fuel heaters and a woodstove likely could compromise marine insurance

[masou]

As someone already pointed out insulation is key , I lined the hull with reflecix ( bubble wrap with Mylar ply ) and it helps with condensation as well as creating a heat barrier

[Mike OReilly]

Where in Canada are you masou?