Cabin heat alternatives

D

Don and Brenda

New member
Wondering if anyone has tried using "bunk warmers" instead of running the Wallas all night. We used these in the trucking industry. There were many a night when I would wake up and my shoes would be frozen, however I was nice and toasty using this under me. For those who are not familiar with these, it is a heating pad that plugs into 12 V and you lay on top of your mattress and you can adjust your desired heat.
 
Electric heat generally requires a significant amount of electrical power, which would be unavailable when except when connected to shore power. The Wallas uses very little electrical power for the fan and not much diesel. I'd say the fuel for the Wallas is an insignificant expense when cruising. As an added bonus, when you wake up in the morning the cabin is already warm and the stove is ready to heat water or cook breakfast.

Just make sure your CO detector is working. Mine had a loose wire when it came from the factory but was easy to fix.
 
I just checked into a Wallas heater for the boat.....$2550 now...Yeow...it seemed like just a year or two ago that they were $1500....

Joel
SEA3PO
 
I just put in the airtronic D2 heater in coop's cruiser it works great. turns off when the right temp is reached, sips fuel, cost $875.00. there used in long haul truck cab sleepers but work great in c dorys as well.
 
I wrote to that guy to see if he has any more of those....seems like a very good price to me... sure better than that $2550 for a Wallas.

Joel
SEA3PO
 
Did you install a CO/Gas Sensor ? I was thinking with propane in the cabin maybe I should have one....they are about $100


Hey I just noticed...that's my 1000 post !! Yazoo !

Joel
SEA3PO
 
We are installing a Wallas stove on every boat that we order for inventory. The boating season here in Juneau is about 5 months. If you have heat in your cabin you can be comfortable and can add another month on either side of the season. If you spent $50,000 on your boat for the five month season then $2,500 is pretty reasonable for the two additional months. I have used a variety of portables but I do not have any personal experience with the small installed furnace style boat heaters. I am interested in the pros and cons of these because it seems logical to use a heater to get heat instead of a stove, although the stove does a pretty good job. Since we already have Wallas stoves installed, does anyone have experience with heaters that can use the same fuel tank?

Todd
 
Yes, Dora Jean has a Walas furnace and it is really nice...you can see pictures if you look at his boat picture album... he did a super job installing it and it works real well.... (Dora Jean= Steve)

Joel
SEA3PO
 
Looking at alternatives, especially if I buy a nice boat that does not have a Wallas. The wife would insist on a heater of some sort. I do not have heat on my Striper, so when it's a chilly day she does not want to be on the boat
 
The "bunk warmers" draw 3 to 4 amps for a full size bunk...8 hours = 24-32 amps--fair amount of power, but if you have charging capacity OK. Lots of folks "snow camp"--with just good pads and sleeping bags...

We don't run a heater at night, just have to "flip a coin" to see who gets up first...guess who loses...
 
I have looked at the choices for heating and cooking. There are a lot of pro and cons of all the choice's and depending on the person and whats more important to them, you can get a lot of different answers to the same question.
We have found that the wallas is not very sturdy and does not stand up to abuse very well. On top of that its costly to repair and not user service friendly. No good manual or real trouble shooting guide at all. I for one don't like to cook on it and I love to cook. a open flame, all cons aside, is the best to cook on.

That only leaves two choices for cooking, liquid gas of some sort or propane. Both of these also have pro and cons. I have installed and pumped propane for a numbers of years in California and if installed right with a knowledgeable operator is is very safe. I would not hesitate to install propane in a c-dory, its just a question of the best place for the tank. If I was going to place one on a C-dory I thnik one of the new glass tanks monted on the radar arch would be best. Out of the way and in the open were it can vent with out gathering gas in the boat. The sea-sport line of boats has a propane cook top and a stove. They have built many of these and I have never heard of a fire from one, I'm sure it has happen but I have not heard of it.

I have not seen a propane heater for a boat small enough to fit a c-dory with out blowing you out the front hatch on fire. So for heat I really like the idea of the a central forced heat source. The airtronic D2 heater looks like a great answer to that problem. Thermostat controlled and a the ability to duct air to the berth area, that the wallas does not heat well. For half the price of the wallas cook top you can install a d2 and a gas cook top. For me this is the best answer to a better heat source that can be ducted and a open flame cook top. Now if you are not into cooking and don't care to service things your self and have a lot of money you don't want then the wallas is the way to go.
Just my too cents which will be taxed at a rate of 75% by the new king, but hey according to the vice king its patriotic to be raped.. I mean taxed.
 
Catch 22":1yx05pfi said:
a little red wine helps on a cold night too, it uses very little energy, and you dont need a CO detector
Click to expand...

I've always found that a bottle of distilled something or another makes for a good personal anti-freeze sleeping solution, so to speak, but with an electric heater and shore power, or with a combustion stove, one can always just turn up he heat a bit instead, if that's your preference.


Realistically, alcohol dialates the blood capillaries and makes you feel warmer for a while, but actually you loose more heat in the long run, but may just be numb enough so it doesn't feel that way, unless you go too far with the treatment, and wake up cold, sober or not!

The Russians prefer vodka and a big, warm bed partner to survive the winter's cold. There's a rule in Biology that as the climates get colder, the resident type of animals get larger as an adaptation to the cold. The Eskimos simply add another dog or two until the chill goes away. I'm not Irish, but an Irish Coffee or two can sure take the chill off a cold winter's day after sailing in cold water and weather conditions.

Different strokes for different folks. Your mileage may vary, etc., etc.,.......

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Strawberry lodge on highway 50 near Pollock pines California after skiing, order a hot f*&^k it. Contains peppermint schnapps, cinnamon schnapps, dark bacardi run and hot chocolate with a peppermint stick melted in. After two of those you just say F*&^k it and fall asleep on the couch in front of their fire place, did it several times myself.
 
starcrafttom":29sihp6k said:
I have looked at the choices for heating and cooking. There are a lot of pro and cons of all the choice's and depending on the person and whats more important to them, you can get a lot of different answers to the same question.
We have found that the wallas is not very sturdy and does not stand up to abuse very well. On top of that its costly to repair and not user service friendly. No good manual or real trouble shooting guide at all. I for one don't like to cook on it and I love to cook. a open flame, all cons aside, is the best to cook on.

That only leaves two choices for cooking, liquid gas of some sort or propane. Both of these also have pro and cons. I have installed and pumped propane for a numbers of years in California and if installed right with a knowledgeable operator is is very safe. I would not hesitate to install propane in a c-dory, its just a question of the best place for the tank. If I was going to place one on a C-dory I thnik one of the new glass tanks monted on the radar arch would be best. Out of the way and in the open were it can vent with out gathering gas in the boat. The sea-sport line of boats has a propane cook top and a stove. They have built many of these and I have never heard of a fire from one, I'm sure it has happen but I have not heard of it.

I have not seen a propane heater for a boat small enough to fit a c-dory with out blowing you out the front hatch on fire. So for heat I really like the idea of the a central forced heat source. The airtronic D2 heater looks like a great answer to that problem. Thermostat controlled and a the ability to duct air to the berth area, that the wallas does not heat well. For half the price of the wallas cook top you can install a d2 and a gas cook top. For me this is the best answer to a better heat source that can be ducted and a open flame cook top. Now if you are not into cooking and don't care to service things your self and have a lot of money you don't want then the wallas is the way to go.
Just my too cents which will be taxed at a rate of 75% by the new king, but hey according to the vice king its patriotic to be raped.. I mean taxed.
Click to expand...



Tom-

I have a Cozy Cabin propane heater by Force 10 that can be turned down to about 800 BTU's, although the normal range is 3000-6000 BTUs.

I also have a three burner propane stove, each burner which puts out about anywhere from 1000 to 6000 BTU's, which is the same as a normal kitchen stove.

My propane tank is in the engine well, so that any vapors would drain overboard. I also have propane and carbon monoxide detectors, as well as circulation fans.

Click on photo for the detailed installation story and more photos:

Force_10_Cozy_Cabin_Heater_in_Sea_Wolf.jpg

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
I always thought that is what boat dogs were supposed to do...warm yer feet on.... at least that's what my critter does..

Propane locker... If I end up staying with propane...(I have a propane cook top) and decide to go with a heater... probably the D2 or the Toyotomi... I will cut the bottom out of the lazarette....and lower it down about 7 " then fiberglass it back together....fairly easy to do... by doing that I can easily hold two 10lb. composite propane tanks ($89 each)... the 10lb. tanks are only 9" around and can be removed through the hatch easily.... I will vent the new-enlarged lazarette just the same as it was before....making it a legal propane storage locker...sealed with overboard discharge.
 
I just got an e-mail from the guy with the D2 Heaters...he has 10 of them at $875 plus shipping...can't beat that deal...

Joel
SEA3PO
 
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