[TSOJOURNER]

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.<O</O
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. <O</O
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]

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]

We went with the Dickinson Propane 1200BTU.<O</O
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. <O</O
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]

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

 

[TSOJOURNER]

We went with the Dickinson Propane 1200BTU.<O</O
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. <O</O
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]

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?

 

[Cruisingdad]

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

Depends on the wattage. It could not exceed the ouput. Given a hairdryer can be 1500watts, you would have to be cautious.

- CD

 

[scottyt]

a standard electric heater has 2 settings, 1500 and 900. some have other setting but the ones above are the most common, and 1500 watts is 12.5 amps at 120. i have used a 1500 watt heater on my boat in 40 degree out side temps and it only kept the cabin it was in warm. when bed time came i shut the head door and put the heater in the head so it only heated the head and v berth. 1500 watts is around 5000 btu. i also have a heater buddy that uses propane and its 6 or 12 k btu. it does keep the boat warm in any temps i have used it in, but i need to keep a hatch cracked to stop it from raining inside the boat.

all this for a 27 foot boat

 

[roline]

I have an interest in adding additional heat to extend the cruising season. I found a 9.2 with a Force-10 cabin heater mounted in it for reference. It was my understanding that Force 10 sold this line to another company. The replacement burner assemblies for propane are still available for around $200
I like the smaller vent system, but do not know how well they work when out in a blow.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Ok. I have decided to go with propane as I can't stand the smell of diesel/kerosene. Is there a vented propane cabin heater that can be used as a cook stove or at least one that has the ability to boil water? I know dickenson has some diesel oven/stove/heater/water heater combos but I have never seen anything like this in propane. I was considering the bulkhead mounted heater and using an origo alcohol stove but then I realized I'd be carrying 3 different types of fuels (gas for the outboard motor and 1000 watt yamaha generator, alcohol for the origo and then propane for the heater). Might just have to deal with this but don't want to if I don't have to.

Anyone have some ideas/thoughts on a better way to heat and cook while underway in a very compact sailboat (Cascade 29). I admit I am a little overwhelmed here...

 

[JohnRPollard]

I have an interest in adding additional heat to extend the cruising season. I found a 9.2 with a Force-10 cabin heater mounted in it for reference. It was my understanding that Force 10 sold this line to another company. The replacement burner assemblies for propane are still available for around $200
I like the smaller vent system, but do not know how well they work when out in a blow.

That is now the Sigma unit. See my comments in Post #4 to this thread.

 

[timebandit]

I have lots of vent area with the boat closed up.

I like the fact that that they sit on the floor and heat from the bottom up and can go from the cabin to the cockpit.

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

- CD

 

[Cruisingdad]

I have lots of vent area with the boat closed up.

I like the fact that that they sit on the floor and heat from the bottom up and can go from the cabin to the cockpit.

CO is heavier than air, right? SO opening a hatch without properly venting it out may not be sufficient.

I am NOT criticizing you. I want to be clear about that. I am trying to learn what you do to avoid CO poisoning.

Just to let you know, we nearly lost best friends due to CO. They were on a houseboat. The generator was topside or something and the CO dirfted down through the hatch (IIRC). She (the gal) about fell asleep and her husband pulled her out (barely). I heard of a friend-of-friend that died when they were swimming under their houseboat (pontoons) and running the generator above them on the deck (though I can not cofirm this story). We also lost people in FL from CO after the hurricanes. They ran their genny's in their house or garage, and the CO displaced the air in their house and they never woke up.

I have used the propane heaters many, many times before mostly in a camping trailer (we had a pop-up for many years). We never really had an issue, but the pop-up is about as far from air-tight as you can get and most of the "circulation" is floor level. However, a boat is designed to be tight from the cabintop down so it would not have the same ventilation. It seems exponentially more dangerous than anything else I can think of, short of a submarine.

I am just saying to be cautious. I do not mean to be critical, so please do not take it that way. Perhaps buying a CO monitor and installing it might be a good investment for you and your family? Just some thoughts.

Brian

Edit: Just noticed that CO is heavier than air, but disperses evenly. Still, my same concerns would remain.

 

[timebandit]

"I am NOT criticizing you. I want to be clear about that."​

Criticise away, if it saves my life what can I say but thanks.

"I am trying to learn what you do to avoid CO poisoning."

Some thoughts--

From a biased RV site---

"Ideal propane combustion in a catalytic heater produces only heat, water vapor and carbon dioxide. It also uses oxygen from the immediate environment and exhausts the products of combustion into that environment. So, therefore, the oxygen must be replaced and the water vapor and other products removed from the RV in some manner.
The catalytic heater manufacturers suggest that a window be left open or another source of fresh air is provided. Hmmm ... what if the 5 year old gets up in the night and closes that window?
Less than ideal combustion produces carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a killer gas ... odorless, colorless and invisible."​

Personally the reason I like the cats is raidant heat, the fact you don't have to warm the air first. I can set in the open cockpit with the heater running and keep my lower body warm even while sailing or just enjoying a drink at anchor.​

Inside cubic space on my boat(v-birth+head+saloon?) is maybe equal to the saloon on a 30 footer so that I really don't have much to heat. If the heaters are running the fwd hatch is open an inch or so and the companionway is most likely wide open with the overhead slider closed. The heaters are never used while sleeping, no need because once you fire them up in the morning you can just aim you bum in that direction and feel the heat.​

CO is heavier than air but ponder this.​

Do the products of combustion (including CO) rise or fall in the air when heated in the burning process?​

I would worry more about a propane stove with three burners and an oven spewing Co and eating up the Ox supply.​

All this thinking has given me a headache.​

My neighbor is a smog tech so maybe I will try to get him to try a little test. What puts out more Co?​

Cat heater, propane lattern, oil lattern, candle or a propane stove, any bets??​

B-B-Q not included.:laugher​

 

[Cruisingdad]

"I am NOT criticizing you. I want to be clear about that."​

Criticise away, if it saves my life what can I say but thanks.

"I am trying to learn what you do to avoid CO poisoning."

Some thoughts--

From a biased RV site---

"Ideal propane combustion in a catalytic heater produces only heat, water vapor and carbon dioxide. It also uses oxygen from the immediate environment and exhausts the products of combustion into that environment. So, therefore, the oxygen must be replaced and the water vapor and other products removed from the RV in some manner.
The catalytic heater manufacturers suggest that a window be left open or another source of fresh air is provided. Hmmm ... what if the 5 year old gets up in the night and closes that window?
Less than ideal combustion produces carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a killer gas ... odorless, colorless and invisible."​

Personally the reason I like the cats is raidant heat, the fact you don't have to warm the air first. I can set in the open cockpit with the heater running and keep my lower body warm even while sailing or just enjoying a drink at anchor.​

Inside cubic space on my boat(v-birth+head+saloon?) is maybe equal to the saloon on a 30 footer so that I really don't have much to heat. If the heaters are running the fwd hatch is open an inch or so and the companionway is most likely wide open with the overhead slider closed. The heaters are never used while sleeping, no need because once you fire them up in the morning you can just aim you bum in that direction and feel the heat.​

CO is heavier than air but ponder this.​

Do the products of combustion (including CO) rise or fall in the air when heated in the burning process?​

I would worry more about a propane stove with three burners and an oven spewing Co and eating up the Ox supply.​

All this thinking has given me a headache.​

My neighbor is a smog tech so maybe I will try to get him to try a little test. What puts out more Co?​

Cat heater, propane lattern, oil lattern, candle or a propane stove, any bets??​

B-B-Q not included.:laugher​

Probably your heater - if it is the high end output ones. Just get a good CO indicator or two and see what happens.

BTW, CO is heavier than air - but apprently dipeses in o2 pretty evenly in most environments. It is just a silent, odorles killer that you need to be aware of.

Brian

 

[EpicAdventure]

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

1000 W heater or less, isn't a whole lot of heat, but might work.

1000 W equals 3415 BTUs.