Boat Heater?

[Geo2008]

The weather can turn from warm to cold rather quickly around here, especially on the water. It happened yesterday as it went from a sunny 72 to a cloudy 59 over the course of the day.

When it got colder the wife wanted to go but I wanted to stay. I tried putting up the bimini to block the wind for her, but a small space heater would be nice.

Is there such a device that I could put in her co-pilot cubby hole where her feet go?

 

[burp]

Re: Boat Heater?

Volvo and Heatercraft make boat heater units. Both use the engine cooling water to heat a heater core which has a fan attached to it. Where and how you mount the heater vents is up to installer. Both manufacturers offer different BTU sizes and different number of vents.

 

[oops!]

Re: Boat Heater?

im going to be adding two...his and hers......they will be water heated units. i have a closed bow....and ill be putting them outta site under the bow....

it can go from really nice to really cool in the early/late season

 

[magster65]

Re: Boat Heater?

Yeah... I just put a 'hydronic' (hot water) heater in my 240 cuddy. It work's good enough with the 170 t-stat to keep the 'edge' off a cold winter's day!!!!

 

[Randy169]

Re: Boat Heater?

I put a Heatercraft in my boat. Took about three hours to install. (Wiring, plumbing, mounting)

I used a special Y type fitting which you place before the impeller (on an inboard) which makes sure you get hot air at idle.

It makes a HUGE difference. Particularly on those days that still have that hint of cold.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Boat Heater?

I was looking at installing the hybrid heatercraft heater.. the one that delivers partial heat on battery power, then heats up more once the engine is running.

Anyone looked at/tried this?

Also, I'm going to set up a water diverter off the engine so I can wash down cold divers with hot water.

Erik

 

[tommays]

Re: Boat Heater?

If you have a raw water cooled motor it wil be hard to get enough warm water to get much heat and the units do not really care for raw water that much

A fresh water cooled motor keeps a much higher and steady temp and the motor circulator pump will move enough antifreeze between the motor and heater to put out warm air

 

[oops!]

Re: Boat Heater?

tom, cant we take the water off the back of the manifold before it exausts?

bond-o said he hooked up one off raw water and it worked good for him.

thanks
oops

 

[tommays]

Re: Boat Heater?

I guess it depends on the motor BUT there is allways water flowing through the exaust manifolds


The only place you get steady warm water would be out of stat housing as it leaves the block and at least with the amount of trash i probe out every year when draing the block you would have to be carefull about cloging the heater


Bondo would know best how he got it work BUt i though he liked the Buddy propane unit

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Boat Heater?

I was thinking of using my t-stat housing. A fresh water cooling kit is a bit out of my price range for now.

I could rig up a filter between the engine and the heater pretty easily, though.

Fortunately most of my use of the heater would be in some very clean water.

Erik

 

[oops!]

Re: Boat Heater?

thanks tom