dickenson propane heater installation - beneteau 43

[grevay]

My husband and I have a beautiful 1 year old beneteau 43 and were cold last summer sailing in Maine. He purchased a dickenson propane heater and want to install it on the bulkhead. While I'm very excited about the heat, I don't want it to be the focus of my attention, or my guests, when entering the boat. Any other suggestions of where we can safely and practically speaking attach it to? Much thanks!

[sailingdog]

There really isn't anyplace else you can install it. If you want heat without a visible heater, you should have gone with a Webasto or similar force air heater which could be hidden away.

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by grevay

My husband and I have a beautiful 1 year old beneteau 43 and were cold last summer sailing in Maine. He purchased a dickenson propane heater and want to install it on the bulkhead. While I'm very excited about the heat, I don't want it to be the focus of my attention, or my guests, when entering the boat. Any other suggestions of where we can safely and practically speaking attach it to? Much thanks!

Yours is a problem I wish I'd had when installing our cabin heater! As it was, I had to build out a bulkhead to install ours on.

These are very nice "shippy" heaters, with beautiful metalwork and craftsmanship. Most folks consider them an aesthetic improvement to any cabin.

But if you truly don't like the idea of a bulkhead mount, I have seen instances where folks have mounted them down low, often in the passage between the forward end of the salon and the forward cabin. I've also seen them mounted on the forward side of the galley counter area, so that they are at the aft end of the salon (and not within line-of-sight when entering via the companionway).

Some folks even build a tiled "fireplace" area, usually down near the cabin sole (to keep the center of gravity as low as possible.)

But often you will be limited in where you can install the heater based on the ease and availability of making a run for the propane hose. May I suggest that you take pity on your husband if the main bulkhead is the easiest option?

P.S. Welcome to Sailnet!!

[grevay]

Thanks for your help. My husband and I are looking at possibilities other than the bulkhead, and we may be able to find something less "visible" upon entry. My problem is that our boat is very modern, and the dickenson seems more suited for a more classic boat.

[nk235]

In terms of what John suggested, here is where mine is mounted so the only thing you can see from the companion way is the chimny stack.

[IMG][/IMG]

[grevay]

I really like what you did! It's very elegant! Thank you for sharing it! What model dickenson do you have?

[nk235]

I would actually love to take credit for it but it was installed by the previous owner. I did have a good eye for the boat when I picked it out though

Anyway it is the Dickson Newport Diesel heater. I like it very much. About a month ago my buddy and I had to move my boat one morning for a short haul before the season kicks off since I kept it in the water for the winter. We decided to stay on the boat the night before so we didn't have to wake up early the next morning and drive down to the boat, but didn't realize how cold it was going to get that night. It wound up getting to around 35 degrees with frost on the ground but we would have never known from inside the cabin as it was a toasty 85 degrees in there!

[MJBrown]

We have a 43 and you're right it's a very modern design and the heater is a traditional style. It's not something I would do but it's not my choice. Other than on the main bulkhead the only other place might be the short bulkhead on the STBD side. The one that's mated to the aft head. Good luck reahing a decision.
Mike

[CanDrac]

Grevay, we have a Beneteau 43 also and sailed her from NY to FL last Thanksgiving (15 degrees off the Jersey coast!). Wish we'd had a heater like that but we don't know where we would have installed it either!!!