Keeping warm

[PLKennedy]

Even though it's been in the nineties this week, it's back to the fifties, and my wife wants to know what's going to keep us warm at anchor or mooring when the temperature drops.  I had a catalytic heater twenty years ago for my Columbia, but there must be something better by now.

PLKennedy, "Snow Goose", # 1590

[Bill]

I had an Espar heater installed about 2 months ago.  It is a forced air furnace.  It is located in the cockpit locker.  There is an warm air vent in the aft cabin, the head, the V-berth and 2 in the salon.  I also had a dedicated fuel tank installed so that I could operate the heater using kerosene instead of drawing diesel from the main tank.  The folks I talked with said that kerosene would not carbon up the burner like diesel will so maintenance should be much less.  I do not remember the exact model but I know it has D3 in the number.  I can find out if you want.  It heats the boat very well.  If you want I can describe exactly how it is installed.  Where the warm air lines are run, exhaust, etc.  I decided to have it professionaly installed and I am glad I did.  The person I hired did excellent work.  He had installed several before mine and had gone to Espar school for installers.  It would have been a big job for me.  It is fairly complex - hardware install, electical hookup, fuel hookup, exhaust and warm air ducting.  All of it needs to be within certain guidlines or the furnace will not work efficently.  This information is not readily available in the manual.  Any questions - just ask.

[This message was edited by Bill on May 06, 2001 at 12:12 AM.]

[Stu Jackson]

Peter

Warmth you want?  Here in San Francisco, it rarely gets above 57 degrees, both water and air, during the summer.  Sometimes even dips down to the dreaded 40s. Sometimes it is warmer in the winter.

We have a Forespar (either/or) dielsel/kerosene heater mounted on the port salon bulkhead. I've fired it up just once, only to see if it worked, (and it did), but we haven't ever had to use it (including my December 1998 clear-the-prop swim).

For some bizarre reason, the previous owner had chosen to put kerosene, instead of diesel,  in the bulkhead heater's tank.  (The heater, though, looks "salty" there on the bulkhead.  The mixed use of dissimilar metals merely keeps me busy using Lanocote - aluminum on stainless steel with brass trim...)

Dangnabit, we use diesel on the boat, why introduce yet another distillate for just the heater?

Now we have on board: diesel (for the engine and filling fuel filters, etc.), gas (for the outboard), oil (for the outboard), oil (different for the diesel inboard engine), oil (for the  locks), kerosene (for the heater), alchohol (for the heater "cup" for pre-ignition of the burner, which is needed for either the diesel or kerosene version -- and I thought I got this boat so I didn't have to use alchohol for the stove!), lamp oil (for the "glow" of the cabin lighting after the "lights go down in Georgia"), and Liquid Wrench for whatever the above assortment doesn't work upon attempted ignition.

Oh, yeah, there's also the CNG for the stove (we're Pre-Propane), as well as the multiple backup propane cannisters for the gas barbeque that's out on the pulpit.

WELCOME TO THE FLOATING TOXIC WASTE DUMP.

Don't tell the EPA, please.

And we thought that having a bigger boat would make it easier and simpler than our Catalina 25: she only needed gas, outboard engine oil, and alchohol for the stove.  Simpler, huh?

You want heat?  Pack all the petroleum products  up and throw a match in!

Realistcially speaking, the 50s aren't too bad.  (The politics were kinda boring, but that's not the subject of these message boards.)  

We "survive" when it gets "cooler" by using a nice comforter on our berth, and keep our "slippers" around to slip into before our feet hit the cabin sole.  This is, after all, yachting.  In your waters, you will most likely have colder water in the early and late seasons, and the likelihood of warmer than air water in mid-season.  Wish we had that.  

Besides, when you think of it, the only thing you don't get is a hot shower the first thing in the morning, unless one of you gets up, casts off the lines and motors at full throttle for a half hour or so.  And allows the spouse to sleep through all of that.

There are some VERY complicated ways to get hot air into your boat.  And there are many different manufacturers who do that.

If the 50s (degrees Fahrenheit) are your concern, I don't think there is a problem.

If "Down East" or the Artic are your goals, then give it some time, and talk to dockmates and other C34 owners as you get to know your new boat, to find out what's best for you, what space you 'finally' have based on your use of the limited storage space inherent on Catalina 34s (big boat - limited storage), and how you plan to use her.

There is also the "Keep each other warm" avenue, but we won't go there, will we?

Best regards,

Stu

[Aquakon]

LOL !!!!

Rumours of my Death Persist

[chudave]

There are portable propane heaters that run from the bottles.  A friend had one for their C-36 and it worked well.  Just keep your eye on it.

Dave Chu
MeHa 1342

[rxc]

We have an Espar hot water system installed, and it heats the boat nicely, as well as the hot water.  Great to wake up in the morning to a warm, dry boat, and take a hot shower...

I installed it myself, and it did not require any special tools or skills beyond normal plumbing, 12v wiring, and fiberglass techniques.  
The heater is in the aft locker, behind the engine control panel, with an expansion tank in the port locker, a heater in the head, and one in the main cabin under the table.  No heat in the forward cabin, yet, because we want to see if we need it there.  Works well, doesn't take too much electricity, and sounds like a 747 when it starts up.

If you have any questions, drop me a lin