[joelozzy]

Excuse me if I'm writing over the top of another post already written & explained, but I'm looking for guidance from other Islander 28 owners on what cabin heaters they currently use. Please include whether you run the heater for extended periods of time in the cold (such as we do in AK).

Couple years ago I installed a Toyostove NS-2700 Cabin Heater and it puts out excellent heat but the heated air smells rich with exhaust, and I haven't been able to solve the problem.

So I'm looking at installing a Dickinson Newport diesel heater where the original Force 10 was located - on the bulkhead next to the mast transition post. The difficulty I see is getting the necessary exhaust height above the heater of 48", which would require putting an extra section of 22" flue pipe above the cabintop (exterior mounted). Anyone have this install and provide some insight?

 

[downeast450]

Joel,

Let me know how you solve the install. I am thinking of the same heater. I think you can get away with a shorter stack. I have seen it done but have no reports on how well it works.

Down

 

[newhaul]

Having worked the HVAC field or many years I would assume the length is arbitrary to allow sufficient pipe to warm and stop the threat of downdrafts a directional cap like this http://www.famcomfg.com/media/catal...df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/w/d/wdc_1.jpg would eliminate the threat in a shorter pipe the alternative would be to lower the heater closer to the sole call Dickinson and ask the techs what they recommend 604-574-8641 in surrey b.c. Canada

 

[joelozzy]

Thanks for the idea on the directional cap newhaul. And I really don't have the room to move the stove to the sole, especially near the bulkhead corner (where the original heater was installed). A floor mount here would block the deployment of the fold-out teak table (another original).

If anyone has mods for the fold-out table, please share.

As of now, I'm going to order all the parts from Defender and then plan on installing above the shelf of the fold-out table. To play around with different stack heights above deck, I plan on using plain sheet metal - cutting down as low as possible until the draft is compromised. What a scientific approach eh?

 

[joelozzy]

It's been a couple years since I started this thread. I ended up going with the Dickinson Solid Fuel Newport heater, installing where the original Force 10 propane heater was located (next to the mast transition post, mid-way up the bulkhead). To solve the draft issue, I add a 24" section of flue pipe to the deck fitting prior to stoking the stove. Just remember to take it off and put the rain lid back on the deck fitting before sailing. Also important to make sure that you're not sending embers up the stack. I've only used wood and charcoal in the heater so far, but I have enjoyed the dry cabin heat and the smell of wood smoke when going outdoors on a cold clear night.

So there are some "pro's". Regardless, I've decided to look at installing a diesel heater. Mainly because extended cruising in the north is cold and wet and it's much more comfortable to have a heater that works while motoring (in calm weather). And the more convenient it is to run a heater, the less energy required that one might not have at the end of a long day of running a boat in SE Alaska. All the cabin/creature comforts are aimed towards extending my cruising range. So here's a list of con's:

*Heater is located mid-height of cabin interior, so there's no heat getting to your feet
*The sheet metal construction produces a very "drafty" heater. Which means you can't dampen down when adding a bunch of wood. This is a big 'Con' because the heater burns through wood fairly quickly and requires constant stoking/re-fueling. So one can't just fill full of wood and dampen down overnight like you would normally do with a nice Osburn stove in your log cabin. I.e. things get cold fairly quickly after hitting the rack.
*Storing wood takes up alot of space. Although this is one of the things that makes sense to fill the awkward-sized starboard lockers beneath the quarter berth.

Ultimately I aim to fix the problem of 'cold feet' by figuring out a way to move the cabin heater to the floor, in front of the bulkhead wall. This means designing a new deployment for the foldout teak table, which is such a nice cabin feature with it's sturdiness and large size. Whether I choose to keep the solid fuel Newport or go with a Sig Marine 100 diesel heater, dealing with moving the foldout table is the biggest question mark. Interested in other 2I8 owners to know if you've dealt with this yet? Also if any of the 1980's era 2I8 owners could provide pictures of the newer fold-down table design, that would be helpful.

 

[Capt Len]

A short length of plastic pipe sporting a computer fan can suck the air down to foot level or direct with an elbow.thru the bilge to forward. A properly designed (more massive air tight) down low will alleviate the rearanged table situation Bark smells a lot better than Diesel when it backdraughts .My homemade 13"x14" steel plate with gold plated glass door was clean ,would burn most of the night and would cook an omelette as if by magic. Don't give up on wood .Knot rocket science.

 

[joelozzy]

Yeah, and I'll just tie it all together with bailing wire. Seriously Captain Len, a computer fan to push all the rising hot air down to foot level. No, I don't think so. If you really had a modified air-tight door custom made for a wood-burning Newport bulkhead heater, then I'd be interested. Problem is, the exhaust pipe fitting also leaks on top of the heater. These sheet metal stoves are not made for damping down...once hot the metal expands and creates larger gaps.

If anyone has some serious feedback on modifying the folding table in the Islander 28 to fit a cabin heater on the sole, I'm all ears.

 

[Capt Len]

Joe, Just trying to be helpful .Guess some people aren't very competent or able to think well. If the problem is thermal expansion of sheet metal or using bailing wire You are on your own. My 40 years experience of very successfull building and operating wood stoves on boats won't be of much use to you.Nor will I offer it again.

 

[roverhi]

Don't understand why some people come on this site asking for advice/help and then rudely trash people who try and help them out.

 

[Barquito]

Joe - I don't think Capt Len was talking about ducting all the rising air down. I'm guessing that with the proper orientation, some could be ducted to another area. You could just have a vertical pipe that pulls air from the ceiling down to the floor. BTW, thanks for updating us. It is good to hear how things work out on old posts.

 

[28islander]

For motoring I installed a red dot heater under the bottom step. It's plumbed into the engine cooling system. Works a treat. For while at anchor I installed a Webasto air top 2000ST. They make a diy kit. A little spendy but sure does the trick. It's in the quarter berth. One outlet near the companion way and another on the floor. Toasty. Currently I'm working on insulating the hull to keep the condensation down. Pretty humid in the pnw. Took out the headliner to fix the leaky handhold hardware. Replaced the headliner with 1" rigid foam insulation. Painted it white and trimmed with Sapele. Also using the foam on the hull, covered with foam backed vinyl. Consider the Webasto. You won't regret it.

 

[hellosailor]

28-
Be careful with that foam board insulation. If it is not bonded and sealed to the hull and overhead, the space between the two will accumulate moisture from condensation, and then mildew will start growing in there, eventually infesting all similar spaces. It is much harder to deal with the mildew than to prevent it.
FWIW.