Ideas for safe on board heat

[docrn]

As I have noted in a previous post I have a Cascade 29 with an outboard. I am not sure which type of heating to go with for my small coastal cruiser. I'd like to find a small self contained unit similiar to a heater buddy that uses disposable propane bottles and install a sniffer for extra safety but I am allready sort of paranoid about even having gasoline aboard the boat.

Any ideas for a newb?

Did some more dearching and found some good threads on this. Maybe a vented kerosene or diesel gravity feed dickinson may be in my future. I just can't stand the small of diesel though.

Is there a catylytic (sp?) vented heater out there that just uses screw on disposable tanks? I figure i could refill them with the big tank I could leave at the dock or store in a vented propane locker and not have to run lines from the locker. I.e. just replace the canisters as they run out?

[sailortjk1]

We went with the Dickinson Propane 1200BTU.
It does a nice job of heating the main saloon.
Like you said, lots of threads have been discussed and debated on the topic over the years.
If you’re looking for something that uses the disposable canisters, you might have luck in a Coleman camping supply store. I would be very leery of that as it will not be a permanent installation and what happens when you start to take on some rough seas. For a heater, I would think you would want something that is permanent.

[j34035]

Does anyone here have experience with the Sigmar (Force 10) Cozy Cabin propane heater. It is a 6000btu system that looks pretty nice. It is a permanent mount system.
DD

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by j34035

Does anyone here have experience with the Sigmar (Force 10) Cozy Cabin propane heater. It is a 6000btu system that looks pretty nice. It is a permanent mount system.
DD

I wouldn't recommend it. It does not have a sealed combustion chamber, so the moisture that is a byproduct of propane combustion will accumulate in your cabin, making things warm and damp when what you are trying to achieve is warm and dry.

The Dickinson Newport pictured above has a sealed combustion chamber that vents the moisture out of the cabin via the double-walled chimney (which also draws air for combustion from outside the cabin). It is a much better design.

[Cruisingdad]

Originally Posted by sailortjk1

We went with the Dickinson Propane 1200BTU.
It does a nice job of heating the main saloon.
Like you said, lots of threads have been discussed and debated on the topic over the years.
If you’re looking for something that uses the disposable canisters, you might have luck in a Coleman camping supply store. I would be very leery of that as it will not be a permanent installation and what happens when you start to take on some rough seas. For a heater, I would think you would want something that is permanent.

Nice install Tim.

Curiously, has anyone ever tried a sealed system like that with diesel vs propane? Would you still smell the diesel if it was sealed?

Just cuirious.

Brian

[timebandit]

I keep two of these on board for cold nights or wet sails.

Coleman Black Cat Heater Camping Equipment - review, compare prices, buy online

[Cruisingdad]

Originally Posted by timebandit

I keep two of these on board for cold nights or wet sails.

Coleman Black Cat Heater Camping Equipment - review, compare prices, buy online

I would be concerned about CO poisoning. Is that not an issue here?

- CD

[docrn]

Originally Posted by sailortjk1

We went with the Dickinson Propane 1200BTU.
It does a nice job of heating the main saloon.
Like you said, lots of threads have been discussed and debated on the topic over the years.
If you’re looking for something that uses the disposable canisters, you might have luck in a Coleman camping supply store. I would be very leery of that as it will not be a permanent installation and what happens when you start to take on some rough seas. For a heater, I would think you would want something that is permanent.

Absolutely beautiful interior and install! My cabin is much much smaller. It would be great if there was a similiar (and smaller) vented cabin heater that just used the small disposable tanks that screwed in to the bottom of the unit for smaller craft such as mine.

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by docrn

Absolutely beautiful interior and install! My cabin is much much smaller. It would be great if there was a similiar (and smaller) vented cabin heater that just used the small disposable tanks that screwed in to the bottom of the unit for smaller craft such as mine.

Your best bet is a properly installed heater that is ABYC compliant (ABYC standards do not allow the fuel tanks inside the cabin space, and the line connecting the tank to the appliance must be continuos from the tank to the appliance).

I can't remember whether Tim (sailortjk) has the P12000 model or the smaller P9000 model. Ours is the P9000 model and it fits nicely in our modest sized 31 footer.

You do need a certain number of BTUs to actually heat the boat up noticeably. An undersized unit might be all the hassle and expense with not much gain.

[sck5]

Has anyone tried to run a small electric heater off a Honda 1000? Or do you need a 2000 to do that?