Petrol Motorcruiser And Cabin Heating

[magicaltrout]

Hello folks,

I'm looking for some honest, non scaremongering advice.

I've searched various forums, including this one and read all the comments about heating petro boats and still fail to find a consensus or the advice is old so....

It's 2019, I have bought an old Bayliner Petrol Motorboat and am curious about sticking in some form of heating, airblown or otherwise to extend the cruising period somewhat.

It has a Petrol Engine and no gas locker etc. So, without telling me you wouldn't be anywhere near my boat due to the saftey factor. What are my options? Cost isn't a major factor, although sinking loads into an older boat clearly doesn't make a huge amount of sense. Space is an issue as there isn't a huge amount of spare storage space on the boat, and of course saftey is a factor.

To make it clear, if there is a sane choice, it would get fitted by a professional, not me! :)

Thanks

T

[BrundallNavy]

Fit a diesel heater and separate tank should cause any issues if fitted correctly. 

[grendel]

I once had a VW Variant, this had a petrol version of the old eberspachier heating, not that I would reccomend that as I once saw a variant catch fire when the heater wasnt maintained well, I too would go for the option mentioned above with a seperate deisel tank, that way you would be able to fill that deisel tank with red deisel at the reduced red price rather than the 60/40 split price they currently supply where you are taxed for 60% propulsion use (it looks like the laws may be changing to warrant this anyway)

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello T,

Welcome to the forum.

I agree that a diesel heater may be your best option.

Regards

Alan

[Smoggy]

Use a portable outboard tank with bayonet connector so it can be filled on land, bayonet covers the shut off too.

Best stored in a drained locker but in use it's allowed by bss.

[magicaltrout]

Thanks folks, that seems pretty conclusive :)

I'll enquire around a few of the yards over the next few months and formulate a plan & get something fitted. It's nice to know there is a sane way to do it!

 

[Smoggy]

Also worth  noting that diesel heaters coke up less and smell cleaner on paraffin instead of diesel, as you're not sharing a tank you can use what you like.

[Gretzky]

We have a Petrol powered Bayliner (285), and had Diesel heating fitted by Boulters about 10 years ago. They fitted a 40ltr Diesel tank in the engine bay on the port side away from the engine etc. The Eberspaecher heater is fitted in the locker under the helm seat away from the engine bay and heating ducts and outlets run to the mid birth, main cabin and upper seating area. Works great, we use the boat all year round and never been cold even when surrounded by snow and ice outside. Back in the day before low sulphur diesel we ran it on Paraffin but these days we just run it on diesel. I stripped it down and overhauled it about a year ago after about 9 years of use, the burn chamber was completely clean no soot or anything. The Eberspacher has a 7 day timer and in the winter we just set it come on automatically about 6:30am so when we crawl out of bed everything is already lovely and warm. 

[magicaltrout]

Thanks @Gretzky thats a really useful bit of insight!

[ZimbiIV]

Planar do a system that includes it's own dedicated fuel tank and costs about half  of eber/webasto.

We have one fitted and is better than the eber was before it died of old age.

paul

[magicaltrout]

Very interesting @ZimbiIV Thanks for the tip.

[Smoggy]

Get a gsm relay box and you can phone the heating when last orders is called, I have one set to go for an hour so call it from the pub and arrive to a toasty boat and it will go off by itself.

[magicaltrout]

quality planning, i like it!

[RumPunch]

On my yacht us wanted something cheap and easy without having to worry about finding room for extra tanks and pipework.So I bought am all in one heater - sits in the cockpit and is ducted through a hole in the bottom washboard. Rig it when I need it. Has a remote so I can turn it on from inside and two automatic on/off timer settings

 

[Timbo]

A quick tip on purchasing...I bought my heating system direct to the manufacturer, told them I had been recommended by a fellow NBN member, which I had (not that we have any deal with them at all), and they gave me discount. The Boat Show had just finished so they also kindly applied the Boat Show discount. I ended up getting the system for half price. 

[JawsOrca]

I can't recommend enough that you contact Tom at JPC direct. He's a forum sponsor and offers an NBN discount. He knows his stuff and can't help enough. His pricing is also very reasonable. We've brought at least three units from him (maybe four actually - geez), despite him not actually being our local agent he still has a reknowned reputation even here and we would only use him and have recommended to many.  He will be able to help advise how you install yourself too and his after sales is excellent indeed. 

I really wouldn't go down the route of ebay and used items, some of the units sold as marine compatible aren't (The car ones actually rely on the cars ecu and may work for a few moments but get confused and error (Been there!), also the exhaust system may not be air tight, also insurance companies are on top of this and would disclaim if it's not a marine unit and it's related to the claim).

Honestly talk to Tom, top chap and nice honest helpful business. 

[magicaltrout]

Thanks for the tips @RumPunch, @Timbo, @JawsOrca

I don't mind finding room for the equipment assuming its sane, and tucking it away from visiting kids isn't a bad thing.

Certainly not going down the ebay route, so will certainly ask around for deals/discounts & honest advice from suppliers.

Tom