In article ,
Courtney Thomas wrote:

I'm told that there are at least 2 types of boat heater, both of which
burn diesel; one using a blower to disperse the heat and the other
heating a circulating liquid.

What are the experiences of the group with both, please ?

Thank you,
Courtney

the project i'm working on at the moment has an ITR Hurricane
system which circulates hot water with a pump from a diesel-fired
boiler out through heater cores (with thermo controlled fans) and
then back to the boiler.

however...

i don't think any one system type is "better" so much as they are more
suited to different circumstances.

the forced air system is easily the simplest in terms of
hardware and such, but if the vessel is very large, getting
good coverage gets to be difficult and the ductwork can
consume a lot of space.

the ITR hot-water system is much more complex but it
more readily covers a much bigger vessel and also helps
make hot water for hotel use. the plumbing is also
much smaller, although there is a lot of it once you
see it laid into the hull. (grin)

both systems can provide good service if well-designed
and installed, and both systems can cause untold headaches
if not well-designed and installed.

i know the ITR folks are very willing to work with customers
to help insure their success and i assume the other suppliers
will as well for the same reasons.

i'd chat with several suppliers, describe the project in
detail and from each get their recommended system design and a bid.
then read all the documents for the proposed systems - installation,
operations and maintenance.

you will then be in a position to decide which system suits your vessel,
style of use, the system complexity, and cost you're willing to deal with
in an on-going fashion.

cheers,
-mo