Dickinson Newport Diesel Heater

[Switchback]

Ahoy!

I recently moved aboard my 1986 C34 and plan to winter over on the water. I need heat! I will be purchasing a Dr. Heater, I've seen great reviews on Amazon... However, I'd really like to install a Dickinson Newport diesel heater on the port side bulkhead as the main source of heat. http://dickinsonmarine.com/product_cat/diesel-heaters/ I'm worried the exhaust will be too far forward on the cabin top. I would obviously install "granny bars" (is that the proper term?) over the chimney vent. Has anyone attempted this? What are your thoughts on the positioning? If anyone has pics I'd love to see! Thanks in advance!

-Mike

[John Langford]

I've got a Dickinson Newport propane heater on that bulkhead with the chimney straight up from the heater through the saloon ceiling. It's the larger of the two Propane heaters. The deck vent is far forward but is constructed so that the foresail sheets do not catch on it. I put a snap on sunbrella cover over it however when underway because, being far forward, I have had spray and the occasional wave wash over it. I also left almost a foot between the bottom of the heater and the port settee to allow room to stretch out on the settee. Diesel can be finicky and the exhaust dirtier than propane which leaves no deposits on the saloon roof. But I did buy a second propane tank so I didn't run out.

[Jim Hardesty]

I will be purchasing a Dr. Heater

Mike,
I used an unvented propane heater in a camper.  It made a lot of water vapor.  Just wanted to give you a heads up.
Have a great winter living aboard.
Jim

[Switchback]

Thanks all! I'm leaning towards the diesel because I don't have room for propane tanks, and I'd love to have the convenience of being able to run a line from the main diesel tank to a day tank to gravity feed the heater. John, how was it putting the hole in the cabin top? Also, what did you use to protect the sheets from getting tangled in the vent?

[John Langford]

I used a hole saw. The saloon roof is thick but it worked fine. The deck fitting cap for the propane stove is designed so that sheets slide over it without catching. I'm not sure what the diesel cap looks like.  Sheets will catch if the cap provides an opportunity.