Heating options

[john61ct]

If anyone finds it link please.

Yes Webasto and Espar are top quality Northern European engineering, on par with their luxury cars.

Propex as well on the propane side.

Planar's a Russian knockoff, not sure if the Chinese unbranded equivalents are any better.

Key issue for me is local installation and warranty support.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Pizzazz

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Option 1. Diesel heater, forced air, about $500 installed, the easiest option to install. One potential downside is that they could be quite noisy, with a turbine like sound.

Yes, the noise level is just one of the problems with the planar. There is also the problem of running ducting for the forced air heaters. Not a problem for a smaller boat if you only want to heat one spot, but then the proximity of the furnace and fan makes the noise issue worse.

Also, I have read a few complaints here on CF that the 2kw diesel heaters were not powerful enough. Again, the size of boat matters but having played with a 2kw diesel unit being demonstrated at my local chandlery I was certain it could not heat my 42 footer in anything but the mildest of conditions, and was not including the aft cabins in that estimate, just the settee and galley.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by john61ct

If anyone finds it link please.
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http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...er-149641.html

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

There are many brands & models of bulkhead or floor mounted drip feed diesel heaters, that put out more than enough heat for your boat...

For a small boat this would be the simplest. Terra Nova has one.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

I don't know costs for sure, but... I can tell you the heat pumps we have in our house also have resistance heating heat capabilities -- labeled as "emergency heating" -- and only intended for occasional use... because of the cost.

Marine reverse cycle systems are similar, but drawing heat from water instead of outside air. (A former boat neighbor had both: reverse cycle plus added resistance heating... because our "cold" can be way colder than yours... and sometimes the marina freezes in.)

Related issues for examination would be about that genset (if not already available) and ducting. A genset will power a water heater. And charge batteries...

-Chris

Efficiency of reverse-cycle heat depends on the water temperature. If the water is relatively warm, then it is extremely efficient compared to resistance heat. It was all the heat I had on my last boat and it was fantastic.

But this is an academic discussion because you need to run a generator in any case to run it. The OP has a small, simple boat.

In Southern California, the best heat source is a down comforter. I do not run my heating (Eber hydronic with shore power; electric fan heaters without) at all at those temperatures (down to 50F, which is 10C - as someone said -- nice sleeping weather).

If the down comforter is not enough, then I would put in a diesel burning pot heater, or a Webasto Air Top, and call it good.

I'd go for a Dickinson, Refleks or Sig diesel burning pot heater, myself, with the glass door, to get the cheery glow besides the heat, on a boat like that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1ihJKL86bA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpsnVL37hgw

[Pete7]

Perhaps a two pronged attack. Electric portable oil filled heaters when in a marina and diesel forced air heating or hydronic when away from land. You will need to watch the amps, our Webastco ST2000 running all night even at half load can use 30-40 amps which will soon mount up over a couple of nights.

The hydronic probably uses slightly more but having hot water for washing and showers would be a nice luxury worth paying for.

I did a link of the UK ebay pages a few days ago showing second hand Hydronic kits fro £350.

Worth mentioning we have run our ST2000 in August on more than a few occasions including last month. The forced air heater does a really good job of drying out us, the boat and the dog if its been raining and everything is wet.

Pete

[GILow]

Pete, those secondhand webastos are good but people need to be careful that they don't buy one that needs a special signal from the car's computer to run. I am not sure which models are effected but I have read of quite a few people who had to buy after market controllers to make the units run, by which point they are probably better off buying new.

[Adelie]

Nobody seems to have mentioned insulating the hull and deck. Doesn't take much to have a significant effect.

Insulation is the low hanging fruit here. Start with that then see what you need for heat.

[Cheechako]

A small Webasto is great and not noisy at all. I dont know about the Planer, that one is new to me. When I worked producing new boats we installed Webasto's on 26-30 ft power boats. They run fine and work well. On a small boat just keep the ducting simple. I have heard you can buy them used that were in Semi Truck service for $500 maybe. Not new though.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Nobody seems to have mentioned insulating the hull and deck. Doesn't take much to have a significant effect.

Insulation is the low hanging fruit here. Start with that then see what you need for heat.

Helps with keeping the boat cooler when the summer sun is baking the deck to.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Nobody seems to have mentioned insulating the hull and deck. Doesn't take much to have a significant effect.

Insulation is the low hanging fruit here. Start with that then see what you need for heat.

"Low hanging fruit"? Hmmm. That is a huge job even on a small boat, certainly more expensive and time-consuming than adding heat.

But definitely a worthwhile project.

[nautical62]

55-60 degree night low is great sleeping weather. Consider a warmer cover or blanket if you are cold. Tossing a hot water bottle under the covers before bed on a cold night does wonders as well.

[nwdiver]

Originally Posted by deblen

+1..........

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by nautical62

55-60 degree night low is great sleeping weather. Consider a warmer cover or blanket if you are cold. Tossing a hot water bottle under the covers before bed on a cold night does wonders as well.

Frankly ^^^^ this. 55-60 degree nights is summer on the water here in the PNW. :>)
Never needed heat except in winter when it's 35-40 out. The hot water bottle works very well actually.
Spend some time making sure your bunk stays dry, the moisture collects heavily under the mattress without ventilation, and that makes you cold.

[250224]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Yes Webasto and Espar are top quality Northern European engineering, [snip]
Planar's a Russian knockoff,

while I have a Webasto myself, I've read (in the german segeln-forum) of many people who are using Planar heaters and are very content with them.