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Old 19-12-2018, 19:17   #46
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

We have a diesel heater on the new boat and it's super nice. Thing puts out an insane amount of heat.

I've seen a few YouTube videos of people creating a fitting that goes over a burner - such as on an alcohol stove - which vents outside.

Seems like a super neat solution to the problem for very cheap.
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Old 19-12-2018, 20:10   #47
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

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Thanks .

That sounds perfectly reasonable and easy to manage. I hope philiosophy can add his data to this. It seems that (s)he is using a lot more power that you.

I researched Espar-type heaters a while ago. Haven’t jumped due to cost, and whether I really need one, but I do recall they were pretty energy efficient, both with the diesel and the amps.

There is a lot of helpful owner/user info re forced air heaters on this UK site.
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Old 19-12-2018, 20:52   #48
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

I’ve always liked a wood fire. I’ve had wood burners on three different boats from a Lunenburg Foundry galley range to a Dickenson Newport. Nothing cheerier and they won’t burn your boat down when you’re not there.
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Old 20-12-2018, 05:06   #49
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

+1 for the wood stove. I have a cheap stove from eBay with a diy chimney that works really well.

I burn barbeque bricets, wood pellets, and collected wood. Heating cost is around 30 euro per season.

I could but a cheap Chinese pressurized multi fuel burner inside the stove and burn diesel. Might be handy in crowded places as burning wood does make some smoke.

I also have a 2000w electric heater to use in a doc.

I also have an Origo stove. It creates a lot of heat, but the spirit is expensive and it also creates tons of moisture.
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Old 20-12-2018, 07:36   #50
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

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I would also be interested in what's best to use that's temporary and portable, for use to get through that section of the ICW in the fall when the cold catches up to you, until you make it far enough south and it warms up.
Temporary and portable. As someone has already mentioned in an earlier post, the Mr. Heater Buddy series is a fair solution. On my Hunter 27, which I'm now on my 2nd journey down the ICW from Norfolk to the Gulf, I'm using a Big Buddy propane heater. Built a propane locker in the cockpit between the port side seat and the aft bench, complete with 12VDC cutout valve and then ran the Mr. Buddy 15-foot quick disconnect hose from the propane tank through the 1/4-berth (which I've walled off with a door to reduce the heating area) through a vented 1-inch PVC pipe and enters the salon next to the companionway steps. When not in use, the quick disconnect hose is pushed back into the space beneath the 1/4-berth and the heater can be stowed out of sight when not needed.

The Big Buddy heater works quite well in freezing temps but does require some ventilation. I typically run the heater on medium for a few minutes before switching it to the low setting and operate it for about 10 minutes every 1/2-hour which keeps the interior of the boat near 65-degrees in near-freezing temps. If you use this type of heater I strongly recommend that you also purchase the Mr. Buddy oil filters and a spare quick-disconnect hose. Additionally, a propane alarm mounted inside the boat near deck level should be installed. Left Norfolk November 5th and am now in New Smyrna, Fla and have used just over half a 20-lb tank of propane.

Cheers
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Old 20-12-2018, 10:03   #51
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

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+1 for the wood stove. I have a cheap stove from eBay with a diy chimney that works really well.
...

I also have an Origo stove. It creates a lot of heat, but the spirit is expensive and it also creates tons of moisture.
I love the idea of a wood stove. I may go for it one day. In the meantime, my Origo heater has always done the job for us, and as I say, we tend to cruise in cooler areas than most; currently Newfoundland.

With regard to cost, I’ve always used lesser-refined methyl hydrate bought at hardware stores. It’s pretty cheap — much cheaper than the official "denatured alcohol” that is recommended, and easy to find. But some say it has more of an odour.

Moisture is rarely a problem for us b/c we always have good ventilation when running the burner. CO poisoning is a real thing, and while the risk is quite low for efficient burning devices (nice blue flame), it’s definitely something to be very wary of.
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Old 20-12-2018, 12:24   #52
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

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With regard to cost, I’ve always used lesser-refined methyl hydrate bought at hardware stores. It’s pretty cheap — much cheaper than the official "denatured alcohol” that is recommended, and easy to find. But some say it has more of an odor.

Moisture is rarely a problem for us b/c we always have good ventilation when running the burner. CO poisoning is a real thing, and while the risk is quite low for efficient burning devices (nice blue flame), it’s definitely something to be very wary of.
Anything alcoholic in Finland is horribly expensive. I use windshield washer fluid. It is about 70% of ethanol, 10% butanol, the rest is water and something scary. It cost 10-15 euros per 10 liters and burns very well in Origo. No smell but a lot of moisture and CO2. I know because I have a CO2 alarm. I always keep the hatch open when cooking.
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Old 21-12-2018, 18:07   #53
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

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Wonder what type of heat systems do people use if any on the cold days.
Which is safe and better to use then others????
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Old 21-12-2018, 20:01   #54
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

Hi all!

Not a someone to type frequently here, but heating onboard is important to us.
We have a kabola diesel pot burner stove (similar to a reflex) as a main heat source.
This works really well with a H-type chimney. We spent last winter in maine and new brunswick with temperaures down to -25c and 30 knots of wind still keeping +20 or more down below.

We see two drawbacks with this heater. The first is that it gets really dry below (<40 percent humidity). This is fairly easy solved with keeping a pot with water on a couple of qarters to keep a distance from the top of the stove. This pot gives out enough moisture to keep it comfy and not to dry. (Wooden boat) steams of roughly 6 liters (1 1/2 gallons) in 24 hours, without boiling.

The other drawback is that when sailing in rough seas, typically reaching/running in 25-30 knots and 10-15 foot seas, and the boat is rolling from side to side it tends to get to much fuel when rolling to one side and to little when rolliing to the other. This makes it soot and sometimes starve for fuel and go out.

For this reason we installed a webasto 5 kw forced air heater which works really well no matter how the boat behaves. The drawback with this is that it uses electricity to run, and don’t give anything near the heat output as the kabola which is rated at 4,6kw. And we seldom run the kabola at more than half speed.
The good thing about the webasto is that it is really good for those days when it’s wet and a little chilly, just flip a switch and it’s nice and toasty within an hour.
Another drawback with the webasto is that you need to run it full speed for a half hour every month. Not so nice if you’re in the tropics...

We also got a hold of a sardine wood stove, but this is not installed yet, so I can’t say how that will work, but I’m hoping for some nice heat on those chilly wet days when it’s to warm for the diesel stove.

We also have a fan heater for when we’re hooked up to shore power, which is not very often.

Anyway, this is our experieces with heating a boat, and I hope this is informative to someone reading this.

Maybe I should add that our boat has 2 inches of oak planking and 2 inches of pine deck. This means a lot of built in insulation and no condensation as might occur on fibreglass/steel/aluminium.

Cheers from the Azores (at the moment)
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Old 24-12-2018, 07:01   #55
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

My heat system is named Elizabeth . Add a comforter for the v-berth and we're both warm in the Pacific Northwest.
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Old 24-12-2018, 07:06   #56
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

We are in the PNW and heat with a Webasto hydronic system. Mold will grow with temperatures around 50 degrees F, so we keep the interior of the boat at 60 degrees.


Twenty two years later there is no mold or its odor.
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Old 24-12-2018, 07:36   #57
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

We use a Corona kerosene heater we got in Japan when we’re at the dock in our 53’ boat here in Seattle. The heater draws 0.83A and works well.

The aft cabin and v-berth are cooler than the rest of the boat, of course, but we have plenty of wool and down bedding to keep everyone happy. We run 12v fans, use bubble wrap to insulate the port windows, and run an Eva-Dry 4000 dehumidifier 24/7 to keep condensation down.
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Old 24-12-2018, 07:43   #58
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

On my last boat (34' sailboat), I used Dickinson Newport. It has a nice fireplace window and heat was enough for the main cabin on Great Lakes in spring and fall. It looks lovely in the main cabin but it did not do anything for v-birth.


for our new 41' power boat I just ordered Planar (Russian-made forced air diesel heater). I do not have any experience with it yet, but they have a good distribution and support and Europe and, by other reviews, it's much quieter and more efficient than less expensive units from China. Russia is a cold country and those units are used in the many heavy machinery and trucks for many years there. I ordered this kit:
https://heaters4you.com/kits/225-pla...-boat-kit.html


Hope this helps.
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Old 24-12-2018, 07:48   #59
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

I wish I could help. Our 36’ ancient sailing cruiser was bought for peanuts. Virtually every bit needs fixing or replacing. However there is a magic button near the chart table that if pressed blows warm air throughout the boat. No idea how or why but I love it in UK winters. If it helps the button is labelled eberspacher or something like that. It doesnt apparently use any fuel or if it does I’m guessing it’s filled up by the good fairy. I highly recommend it��
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Old 24-12-2018, 07:49   #60
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Re: What type of heat system do people use on boats when its cold?

When in the marina a small Vornado electric heater in bedroom before sleeping, Main salon Dometic DTU12 Turbo system, Pretty efficient believe it or not , When on the water electric blankets at night from inverter.
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