Cabin heating

[john daley]

This winter has had some nice days but chilly nights. I might just entice Margie out a bit more often next winter if I had a heating system. Nothing too big or fancy, just enough to take the chill off the cabin interior. I can get a small gas heater, but with the small size of the standard gas bottle on the C34 I thought a small diesel one might be the answer. Does anyone have any experience and who makes them? Are they a major to fit and where do you suggest siting it?
Any answers appreciated.

[calewis]

We have a Force 10 Cozy cabin heater. It does the trick nicely. The vent is only a 1" tube. I installed a fire/carbon monoxide detector just to be on the safe side. Ours is CNG. We do not anchor that much during the winter so I ussually go through a tank a year. Running a Propane line to it would be more practicle. I have heard horror stories about the diesel heaters. With a fan blowing accross the top of it the huge piolot light is enough to keep the chill off at night.

Chrisr

[hdevera]

IMHO diesel heating is definitely the way to go... if you can afford it.  A nicely installed Webasto or Espar heater will run about $3500 installed.  I had a Webasto on a 44 ft sailboat I owned in the distant past and it worked flawlessly.  It was virtually maintenance free and was whisper quiet.  A forced diesel cabin heater is number one on my current list of "I want Items".

[c34member]

Last year I broke down and installed a Mermaid Marine air conditioner (16,500 Btu cooling, 18,000 Btu reverse-cycle heating).  About $2,200 to do it myself.  It only works on shore power, but you set the thermostat and it is heaven.

Highly recommended.

[jentine]

When we bought Jentine in 1992, the first major expense was the installation of an Espar diesel heater.  We have spent many a warm night on board during the coldest weather.  The heater has made the boat useable throughout the year.  The boat has spent all its winters in the water in Connecticut.  It is nice to be fully confident that your second home is as comfortable in the winter as in the summer.
Jim Kane

[Jim Price]

I also have a Mermaid reverse-cycle unit that is about 6 years old.  Pro - heats up cabin in about 5 minutes even when there is snow and ice on deck.  Con - you gotta have a long extension cord if you leave the dock.   But it really takes the chill out for a day outing in the winter if you keep the cabin buttoned up while sailing.

[Chouse]

Tell me about the vent tube. Did you just drill a 1" inch hole in the deck and put the fitting on top? Any trouble with leaks/trip hazzard?
Thanks,
Corbett House

[Jeff Tancock]

I also have a Wabesto diesel furnace. It came with the boat and I'm very glad it did. It heats the boat up very quickly. It also has the advantage of drying and circulating the air throughout the boat when it has that cold damp feel. Let me know if you want and details on the installation.

[Terry]

Up in Wisconsin, we can't use the boat year round.  But in the cold months of April or October we use the oven to make cinnamon rolls or cookies.  Gets the boat nice and toasty and smells good as well.  Others nearby usually wander by and ask what smells so good.  A good way to meet the neighbors.

[john daley]

Thank you for the replies. We very rarely sleep over in marinas down here - usually somewhere more remote, so extension cords would be VERY long. I've found two marine heaters I can get down here. One is a very nice Canadian made "Sigma" but I think too big to fit in a C34 cabin - would look great on a big old timber boat. The other is a German made Eberspacher Airtronic D2 which has an electronically controlled unit that forces hot air down a couple of 4" tubes and can be mounted remotely in a locker or somewhere - its only about 1' long. I'd be interested to know where you people installed your outlets and the heater itself, or if anyone had a similar sounding unit.

[cholder]

I've used an Espar D5L for about 8 years on our Mk1 C34.  The heater itself is in the aft locker on the port side with the exhaust vented near the transom.  The distribution ducts are run to outlets in the aft cabin, head, main cabin and fore cabin.  Ducts run from the heater to a branch into the aft cabin, over the fuel tank, under the head seat with a branch to the head, low down behind the liner that's behind the head, through the hanging locker with a branch to the main cabin, just below the nav table (this is the only part slightly visible from inside the boat), along the lockers behind the settee seat backs, into the forward cabin chest of drawers to an outlet below the hinged door at their base.  

Duct sizes reduce to 3" for the last part.

The heater is more than able to heat the boat in winter in the Pacific NW.  

Comments:  the unit is noisier than the alternative Espar water heater with radiators but not as expensive.  Another advantage of the D5W is the heater will also provide a heated domestic water supply when away from the dock.

Espar parts are expensive, at least in Vancouver.  For instance, should you eventually need to replace the main fan it will cost about C$700.  Officially it can't be rebuilt although I've done it succssfully.

Current draw is much as advertised, about 7 Amps on high power but you can't use the heater at that level for long - you can't remove enough clothes.  With a 200 AH battery bank we can run the heater in winter for 2 to 3 days without recharging the batteries and using power only for lights and the heater.

[john daley]

Thanks, Charles. That's exactly what I needed to know. Appreciate your help. Happy sailing. :)

[pklein]

The previous ownerinstalled a Kerosene powered Force 10 Heater on the forward Port bulkhead. He put a big copper plate behind the burner and vented it up to an area just inches away from the hand rail. It is very attractive.  The tank is below near the waste(head)tank and the pressure pump is attached.  I believe the kerosene and diesel are the same units.  You just use a different orifice in the burner if you are burning diesel.

Here in Chicago we use it in the Spring and Fall. If it's really cold, I rig a fan to move the air towards the heater.

Phill Klein
Andiamo #977
Montrose Harbor - Chicago

[hdevera]

This month I will put my money where my mouth is.  I highly recommend the Webasto heater.  I had a 44 Morgan at one time and installed a Webasto diesel heater and it was great!  Nothing nicer than waking on a rainy morning and hearing the rain beat against the deck, being cozy, dry, and warm.  I'll let you know how well the installation goes and much much I enjoy having dry heat.