heating a small yacht

[eyebrows2003]

ive recently purchased a 22ft yacht and was wondering what is the best way to heat the cabin, especially up here in the chilly waters of north scotland?

[little boy blue]

welcome to the forum.
does your yacht have an inboard diesel engine or access to mains electricity ( ie at a marina )?

[eyebrows2003]

it has a Vire 7 7HP inboard engine and i do have access to mains in the marina

[Silkie]

I too have a 22 footer (though on the chilly west coast of Scotland) and also thought about heating, at first, before deciding that she was just too small to accomodate any of the heating systems that I thought I could live with, never mind afford.

Anything which burns fuel and isn't externally vented will increase condensation problems.

I really fancied a small solid-fuel stove but couldn't think of anywhere to site it or to poke the chimney through. An Eberspacher was too big, needed electrical power I couldn't spare and would require carrying a third fuel, not to mention the cost. Briefly considered a Propex as it uses gas which I already carried and doesn't need as much power as the Eber.

In the end I didn't bother and rarely miss it. When it's really cold I've got mains power in the yard and use a convector and the rest of the time I just wrap up well.

[eyebrows2003]

cheers, i might just have to try a big woolly jumper and a good duvet.


ive just read an old norwegian adage- "There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes".

[claymore]

Silkie has plenty of bad clothes - they were fine when he bought them but thats a while ago now and he's fallen in a few times since then, which does them no good at all

[DaveS]

With access to mains I would go for an electric fan heater: cheap, reliable and few hassles, and it can be easily stowed away when cruising. I find I most want heat when tied up to the pontoon, particularly early / late season and especially when the wind comes round to blow in the hatch.

Anchored this is rarely the case (unless you've parked in a tidal funny) and I rarely miss heating then. On the odd occasion when I've anchored after a cold or wet motor, I've taken the cover off the engine and let its residual heat warm the cabin. Other than that, as others say, wear more! Sitting out a gale I tend to mostly stay in my sleeping bag.

[Silkie]

Sitting out a gale I tend to mostly stay in my sleeping bag.

Might be some of that this weekend. Will you be afloat? And if so are you going to see Bert Jansch?

[DaveS]

Spent the weekend aboard, but catching up on jobs. There was a big difference in the forecast wind strength between the Met Office's model and the American one: in the event the Met Office were right and it wasn't too bad. Wet though!

The windlass is now fixed and re-installed, and I've bought an emergency handle so that it can be worked manually in the event of any future electrical or mechanical problems. Did you know that after you left Oronsay we raised the anchor using Jim's windlass? An "interesting" exercise which I wouldn't rush to repeat...

[Telo]

Cheapo suggestion - firebrick or plant pot on top of gas stove.

[Silkie]

Did you know that after you left Oronsay we raised the anchor using Jim's windlass?

Callum told me about it in the Jura Hotel while we were trying to persuade them to feed you and Jim.

I suppose it would have been well dug in after holding the three of us for six hours in a fairly fresh breeze?