Heaters on unattended boats

[sailboy21]

Originally Posted by TrueBlueCal44

What about leaving a Dickinson diesel heater unattended? Does anyone ever leave that running during the day while off the boat at work? We liveaboard and to heat it up every night and then turn it off and let it get cold during the day is tough. Especially with this unusual "cold spell" we're having in Seattle!

Almost everyone up here that has a Dickinson leaves it burning all winter. Only one boat has burned down so far this year. Haven't had an shorepower induced fires yet, but we had two last year and no Dickinson fires.

[erps]

Almost everyone up here that has a Dickinson leaves it burning all winter. Only one boat has burned down so far this year. Haven't had an shorepower induced fires yet, but we had two last year and no Dickinson fires.

Thanks for a first hand report, very helpful.

[sailboy21]

Originally Posted by erps

Thanks for a first hand report, very helpful.

Here is the official story:

Fire officials say overheated oil stove set fire to fishing vessel

The Associated Press

Published: November 9th, 2008 12:35 AM
Last Modified: November 9th, 2008 12:35 AM

SITKA -- The Sitka Fire Department says a fire from an overheated oil stove caused extensive damage to a fishing boat docked in the city's Eliason Harbor.


Fellow harbor users opened a locker on the dock Thursday, pulled out a fire hose and poured water on the 36-foot wooden troller, keeping the fire from spreading to other vessels.

The boat owner, Joe Tong, helped fight the fire.

Assistant harbormaster Chuck Hackett says the fire was intense.

He says he saw flames 6 feet above the boat and its stack glowing bright orange.

[janders]

We liveaboard in Seattle. During this latest cold snap, we've left our electric oil radiant heater going all day long. We also have a Dickenson diesel heater but I don't like leaving that going. I've had it burn out once before on me. I didn't want to come home to a heater full of unburned diesel.

[sailingdog]

Do you mean an electric oil radiator??? I've never seen an electric oil radiant heater. IMHO, the electric oil radiator type heaters are pretty safe to leave unattended

Originally Posted by janders

We liveaboard in Seattle. During this latest cold snap, we've left our electric oil radiant heater going all day long. We also have a Dickenson diesel heater but I don't like leaving that going. I've had it burn out once before on me. I didn't want to come home to a heater full of unburned diesel.

[WouldaShoulda]

Originally Posted by sailboy21

Almost everyone up here that has a Dickinson leaves it burning all winter. Only one boat has burned down so far this year.

WOW!! Just one??

[janders]

Judging by the number of question marks you used, there's clearly a large difference between oil radiant and oil radiator. My bad. Yep, oil radiator. The only thing I worry about with the heater is the power cord and plug. I run my hand along it every day to see if it's generating any heat. So far, so good. I also bungee the cord so it doesn't lay on our settee. I don't want it slipping behind the cushions.

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Do you mean an electric oil radiator??? I've never seen an electric oil radiant heater. IMHO, the electric oil radiator type heaters are pretty safe to leave unattended

[sailingdog]

You should also check your shorepower cord, right at the shorepower inlet on the boat and and where it plugged into the AC source.

Originally Posted by janders

Judging by the number of question marks you used, there's clearly a large difference between oil radiant and oil radiator. My bad. Yep, oil radiator. The only thing I worry about with the heater is the power cord and plug. I run my hand along it every day to see if it's generating any heat. So far, so good. I also bungee the cord so it doesn't lay on our settee. I don't want it slipping behind the cushions.

[messenger]

I put one of thesehttp://http://www.eco-heater.com/features.html on a couple of weeks ago, kinda like a golden rod on steroids, but keeps the interior of a 24 trailer sailor nice and dry and sitting on the trailer, gets down in the thirties, it is still in the 70s in the cabin. Thinkin about wiring up a thermostat. Get the one with the dolphins if you want to maintain the nautical theme. They need to come out with more sizes and shapes.