Cindy Ballreich wrote:
To you guys who have these heaters, how big are your boats? Would a
system like these be better than a radiant heater (Dickenson or Sigmar
for example) on a 30' boat? Or would the added complexity outweigh any
added benefit?


Our boat is a 36' tug. Three seperate cabins plus a big head
compartment, which I specifically wanted HEAT in. A *real* cruiser
probably doesn't mind taking a shower with ice cubes, but I'm not that
tough!

For a 30' sailboat I think one of the radiant types would be plenty. I'd
consider routing the exhaust pipe through the head, too

Another simple option is to add a bus heater to your engine. This is
very simple: a y-valve on the coolant loop between the water heater &
engine, a big radiator-type heat exchanger, and a fan. This will heat up
the cabin marvelously, but only when the engine is running. Cost about
$200, no holes to cut in the cabin top.

For all too short a while, I owned & cruised in a an old wooden racing
sloop from the 1930s. It had a Shipmate Skippy coal stove... cute and
very effective. Of course they don't make it any more, and coal (I used
self-lighting charcoal briquets) is nowhere near as convenient as diesel
or propane. But that warm old-timey atmosphere is cozy....

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Cindy Ballreich wrote:
To you guys who have these heaters, how big are your boats? Would a system
like these be better than a radiant heater (Dickenson or Sigmar for
example) on a 30' boat? Or would the added complexity outweigh any added
benefit?


With a Dickenson Newport I was able to keep my C&C 37 plenty warm at below
zero temperatures (centigrade that is, maybe -10-15F). I don't really think
you need a forced air system in a 30' boat although it would be nice.
Simpler to use but quite a bit more expensive. I wouldn't say they are all
that complex to install but maintenance/servicing would be.
For occasional heating I think I would go with a bulkhead mounted propane
heater. Easy to use and very clean. No soot on the deck or needing removal
from the unit. If you are planning for continuous use over many days I
would go for a diesel unit. Keep in mind you will need to locate a day tank
above it to gravity feed fuel or else use an electric pump from your main
fuel tank (my choice).

"DSK" wrote in message
.. .
Cindy Ballreich wrote:
To you guys who have these heaters, how big are your boats? Would a
system like these be better than a radiant heater (Dickenson or Sigmar
for example) on a 30' boat? Or would the added complexity outweigh any
added benefit?


Our boat is a 36' tug. Three seperate cabins plus a big head compartment,
which I specifically wanted HEAT in. A *real* cruiser probably doesn't
mind taking a shower with ice cubes, but I'm not that tough!

For a 30' sailboat I think one of the radiant types would be plenty. I'd
consider routing the exhaust pipe through the head, too

Another simple option is to add a bus heater to your engine. This is very
simple: a y-valve on the coolant loop between the water heater & engine, a
big radiator-type heat exchanger, and a fan. This will heat up the cabin
marvelously, but only when the engine is running. Cost about $200, no
holes to cut in the cabin top.

For all too short a while, I owned & cruised in a an old wooden racing
sloop from the 1930s. It had a Shipmate Skippy coal stove... cute and very
effective. Of course they don't make it any more, and coal (I used
self-lighting charcoal briquets) is nowhere near as convenient as diesel
or propane. But that warm old-timey atmosphere is cozy....

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Here's another question about forced air deisel heaters. Do they work
when the boat is heeled? I know that some of the radiant heaters will
not work if the boat is heeled beyond a certain point. I assume that the
forced air heaters have the same problem?

Cindy


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Cindy,

I've never noticed any problems operating our Espar while
heeled although we haven't used it all that much while underway
(maybe a couple hundred hours). Also, maintenance hasn;t been any
problem either. In the almost six years we have owned it, it has never
missed a beat. No unreasonable sooting, never replaced the glow
plug, etc. Perhaps our installation is less suseptable to problems
and our fuel is clean. Had to replace some ducting last weekend,
but that turned out to be related to a stuffing box leak that sprayed
sal****er onto a section of the ducting. Remaining ducting looked
as good as new (I replaced it anyway as long as I was into it).
For your 30' foot boat though, I doubt if such a system is justified.
The cost alone should make up your mind.

Doug
s/v CAllista
..
"Cindy Ballreich" wrote in message
...
Here's another question about forced air deisel heaters. Do they work when
the boat is heeled? I know that some of the radiant heaters will not work
if the boat is heeled beyond a certain point. I assume that the forced air
heaters have the same problem?

Cindy


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The email address above is a spam trap. Don't expect a response.
Reach me using firstname at lastname dot net

I'm pretty much sold on the Sigmar 100 or 120. My husband likes the idea
of forced air heat. (I think he has visions of a cockpit hand warming
duct!) I agree that the cost and hassle of installation will outweigh
the benefit - especially since we already have a vent for a solid fuel
heater.

Cindy


Doug Dotson wrote:
Cindy,

I've never noticed any problems operating our Espar while
heeled although we haven't used it all that much while underway
(maybe a couple hundred hours). Also, maintenance hasn;t been any
problem either. In the almost six years we have owned it, it has never
missed a beat. No unreasonable sooting, never replaced the glow
plug, etc. Perhaps our installation is less suseptable to problems
and our fuel is clean. Had to replace some ducting last weekend,
but that turned out to be related to a stuffing box leak that sprayed
sal****er onto a section of the ducting. Remaining ducting looked
as good as new (I replaced it anyway as long as I was into it).
For your 30' foot boat though, I doubt if such a system is justified.
The cost alone should make up your mind.

Doug
s/v CAllista


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The email address above is a spam trap. Don't expect a response.
Reach me using firstname at lastname dot net

I don't know anything about the Sigmar, but the smallest ESPAR
is about $3500 as I recall. I think gloves are probably cheaper
than a cockpit vent

Doug
s/v Callista

"Cindy Ballreich" wrote in message
...
I'm pretty much sold on the Sigmar 100 or 120. My husband likes the idea
of forced air heat. (I think he has visions of a cockpit hand warming
duct!) I agree that the cost and hassle of installation will outweigh the
benefit - especially since we already have a vent for a solid fuel heater.

Cindy


Doug Dotson wrote:
Cindy,

I've never noticed any problems operating our Espar while
heeled although we haven't used it all that much while underway
(maybe a couple hundred hours). Also, maintenance hasn;t been any
problem either. In the almost six years we have owned it, it has never
missed a beat. No unreasonable sooting, never replaced the glow
plug, etc. Perhaps our installation is less suseptable to problems
and our fuel is clean. Had to replace some ducting last weekend,
but that turned out to be related to a stuffing box leak that sprayed
sal****er onto a section of the ducting. Remaining ducting looked
as good as new (I replaced it anyway as long as I was into it).
For your 30' foot boat though, I doubt if such a system is justified.
The cost alone should make up your mind.

Doug
s/v CAllista


--
The email address above is a spam trap. Don't expect a response.
Reach me using firstname at lastname dot net

Doug Dotson wrote:
I don't know anything about the Sigmar, but the smallest ESPAR
is about $3500 as I recall.

Probably a bit less if you hunt around among the discount outlets.

... I think gloves are probably cheaper
than a cockpit vent

Yeah, but there's no substitute for a nice hot draft... a cup of hot
chocolate is also much cheaper and very warming!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

"Cindy Ballreich" wrote in message
...
I'm pretty much sold on the Sigmar 100 or 120. My husband likes the idea
of forced air heat. (I think he has visions of a cockpit hand warming
duct!) I agree that the cost and hassle of installation will outweigh the
benefit - especially since we already have a vent for a solid fuel heater.

Cindy


Doug Dotson wrote:
Cindy,

I've never noticed any problems operating our Espar while
heeled although we haven't used it all that much while underway
(maybe a couple hundred hours). Also, maintenance hasn;t been any
problem either. In the almost six years we have owned it, it has never
missed a beat. No unreasonable sooting, never replaced the glow
plug, etc. Perhaps our installation is less suseptable to problems
and our fuel is clean. Had to replace some ducting last weekend,
but that turned out to be related to a stuffing box leak that sprayed
sal****er onto a section of the ducting. Remaining ducting looked
as good as new (I replaced it anyway as long as I was into it).
For your 30' foot boat though, I doubt if such a system is justified.
The cost alone should make up your mind.

Doug
s/v CAllista


--
The email address above is a spam trap. Don't expect a response.
Reach me using firstname at lastname dot net

A Sigmar 100 is probably big enough for a 30' boat. I think it is rated
4500 BTU?
Its better to run these units near full output to avoid soot production so I
think you are better off with a smaller unit than one which is puts out too
much heat when turned up. With the Sigmar you can install/run the unit
without the "balanced draft" feature. This avoids a second hole in the
cabin top and more exhaust pipe. The balanced draft feature is supposed to
allow the heater to operate more consistently in strong, or gusty, winds.
As for the Espar operating while heeled, I've not read anything on this but
I don't see why this would be a problem. I'm sure the fuel pump can manage
a bit of uphill work and I don't see why the burner or fan would care about
heel.