Mainship Pilot 30 cabin Heat options after hours

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Mainship Pilot

Mainship Pilot

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2023
Messages
219
Vessel Name
Eagle
Vessel Make
Mainship Pilot II, Prior vessel 43’ Bluesea
Looking for some ideas, My Pilot 30 does not have a perm Generator, but they have to be turned off by 10pm- 7am in the mooring field at Catalina Island here in So Cal. Looking for a good, safe, hopefully cheap way to keep the cabin warm at night while sleeping this fall/winter. I’ve heRs some folks use the Propane Heater Buddy, with tip over safety switch. Oxygen consumption, moisture and CO2 a concern. This is interesting….
https://www.facebook.com/100064660995085/posts/7890116621098483
. Rising heat causes fan to run without power application.
Also this diesel heater, which is self contained, however, you need to exhaust out a porthole window.
m.vevor.com

VEVOR Diesel Air Heater All-in-one 12V 5KW LCD Remote Control for Car RV Indoors | VEVOR US

Shop VEVOR Diesel Air Heater All-in-one 12V 5KW LCD Remote Control for Car RV Indoors at lowest price, 2-day delivery, 30-day returns. Shop now at VEVOR.
m.vevor.com m.vevor.com
Anyone out there have any success using minimal power, to produce heat in a small contained salon safely?
 
Do you want to heat the whole salon or just be warmer while sleeping? You could consider just a bunk warmer.
electrowarmth.com

RV/Truck Bunk Warmers 12V Warming Pad with 7 Adjustable Settings

Description Features Specifications Available Sizes Videos Bunk Warmers Non-Fitted 12V Warming Pads with 7 Adjustable Setting Enjoy a great night’s sleep anywhere you stop. 12 volt bunk warming pad goes “on the mattress” under you (heat rises). Plugs into the lighter socket. Pre-warms bunk and...
electrowarmth.com
 
Probably the safest although not the cheapest is a diesel fueled truck heat such as the Espar. The Chinese make a knock off that may or may not be as good for 1/3 the price.

David
 
Minimal power? What’s your threshold for that? The vevor heater you linked will probably be more of a power hog than you want. Forced air heaters draw more than a refrigerator typically. A small bulkhead heater would be a better choice for low power draw. As a plus, you’d get a nice flame to look at and it would dry the interior of the boat.
 
CharlieO. said:
Do you want to heat the whole salon or just be warmer while sleeping? You could consider just a bunk warmer.
electrowarmth.com

RV/Truck Bunk Warmers 12V Warming Pad with 7 Adjustable Settings

Description Features Specifications Available Sizes Videos Bunk Warmers Non-Fitted 12V Warming Pads with 7 Adjustable Setting Enjoy a great night’s sleep anywhere you stop. 12 volt bunk warming pad goes “on the mattress” under you (heat rises). Plugs into the lighter socket. Pre-warms bunk and...
electrowarmth.com
Click to expand...
Charlie, The goal would be to have a warm cabin, the blanket is a back up plan if I can’t find a decent solution, however, those 12v blankets are mostly 60” x 36”, with 2 of us, and me being 6’4”, that’s not gonna work. Other option is an AC blanket, using the inverter, which is another power hog, but will test it. Thanks
 
DavidM said:
Probably the safest although not the cheapest is a diesel fueled truck heat such as the Espar. The Chinese make a knock off that may or may not be as good for 1/3 the price.

David
Click to expand...
I’ll check it out, Thanks
 
Bmarler said:
Minimal power? What’s your threshold for that? The vevor heater you linked will probably be more of a power hog than you want. Forced air heaters draw more than a refrigerator typically. A small bulkhead heater would be a better choice for low power draw. As a plus, you’d get a nice flame to look at and it would dry the interior of the boat.
Click to expand...
You’re probably right, can you give me an example of what a small bulkhead heater is?
 
Anyone use on of these? Thinking I could get the XL propane canister to hopefully last thru the night. Tip over switch built in, I’ve heard of some boaters using these, curious of ant first hand experience?
www.homedepot.com

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy 9,000 BTU Radiant Propane Indoor/Outdoor Space Heater F232000 - The Home Depot

North America's Most Popular Portable Propane Heater. This patented radiant 4,000-9,000 BTU Liquid Propane heater connects directly to a 1 lb. cylinder and is the perfect solution for heating enclosed
www.homedepot.com
 
Bmarler said:
Minimal power? What’s your threshold for that? The vevor heater you linked will probably be more of a power hog than you want. Forced air heaters draw more than a refrigerator typically. A small bulkhead heater would be a better choice for low power draw. As a plus, you’d get a nice flame to look at and it would dry the interior of the boat.
Click to expand...
My house is 2 T165 Trojan 6Vs. Fridge draws 2-3 AHs.
 
DavidM said:
I used a similar one to heat up t...e combustion gasses stay in the cabin. David
Click to expand...
Thanks David, I would assume those that use it open a porthole window for that reason. Plumbing to the stove propane source would be a good idea.
 
Mainship Pilot said:
Anyone use on of these? Thinking I could get the XL propane canister to hopefully last thru the night. Tip over switch built in, I’ve heard of some boaters using these, curious of ant first hand experience?
www.homedepot.com

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy 9,000 BTU Radiant Propane Indoor/Outdoor Space Heater F232000 - The Home Depot

North America's Most Popular Portable Propane Heater. This patented radiant 4,000-9,000 BTU Liquid Propane heater connects directly to a 1 lb. cylinder and is the perfect solution for heating enclosed
www.homedepot.com
Click to expand...
They also produce quite a bit of moisture not being vented to the exterior.
 
CharlieO. said:
They also produce quite a bit of moisture not being vented to the exterior.
Click to expand...
Yea Charlie, That was brought up to me on a side conversation by rgano, a big consideration, Thanks!
 
You have a big heat sink in your engine. Would a car heater core, muffin fan & a small circ pump do it ? I have a spot under step to V berth, perfect. Same height as engine, no air lock worry, no eng fumes, no CO. Bring eng up to temp before 10pm
 
SIBERNUT said:
You have a big heat sink in your engine. Would a car heater core, muffin fan & a small circ pump do it ? I have a spot under step to V berth, perfect. Same height as engine, no air lock worry, no eng fumes, no CO. Bring eng up to temp before 10pm
Click to expand...
Interesting, Your assuming I can stay awake until 10pm! LOL
 
 
I was thinking something like this: Newport Diesel Heater - Dickinson Marine | Fisheries Supply

If it just won’t fit, I think you’d be ok with a small forced air unit. I think wallas has the lowest amp draw, but an espar d2 might work if you just want to keep the chill off.
If it gets colder, a d4 would be best.
I never ran my espar heaters when sleeping though, just turn them on and slip back under the covers for a half hour nap. You would need to do the math on amp hour draw to be sure you can support one running overnight.
The nice thing about the diesel bulkhead heater is essentially no amp draw. They make a propane version as well.
Cons are mostly about finding a mounting location.
If you go propane, you need a dedicated line from the propane locker, never tee inside the boat.
 
I had a kerosine fueled radiant heater that I used to warm up our unheated sun porch on chilly mornings. It worked great, but….

If I were to forget and leave it on for a couple of hours, the room would get stuffy. Probably low O2 and some unburned hydrocarbons with a little carbon monoxide thrown in the mix.

Not what you want to sleep in overnight.

And some will say: leave a window open for ventilation. That just means you have to run the heater more.

He Newport heater referenced in the post above is a good solution. But it vents combustion gasses upwards so you need a vent stack on the roof above. That may not work for some flybridge trawlers.

David
 
I would never consider running a heater that didn’t vent the combustion gasses outside the boat. Too many drawbacks and safety concerns.
 
Bmarler said:
I would never consider running a heater that didn’t vent the combustion gasses outside the boat. Too many drawbacks and safety concerns.
Click to expand...
OK, That Newport heater is way too big, and frankly way too expensive. I’m curious why this wouldn’t work based on your thought patterns on this? It’s portable, meaning y9u can use and stow, which I like, self contained, so no fuel plumbing, which I like, you can exhaust thru the galley porthole window, and it’s cheap…..also a concern! 😎 And it can run all night on one tank,
www.vevor.com

VEVOR Diesel Air Heater All-in-one 12V 8KW LCD Remote Control for Car RV Indoors | VEVOR US

VEVOR Diesel Air Heater offers easy installation, low energy consumption, intelligent dual control, and reliable safety for efficient heating in any environment.
www.vevor.com www.vevor.com
 
DavidM said:
I had a kerosine fueled radiant heater that I used to warm up our unheated sun porch on chilly mornings. It worked great, but….

If I were to forget and leave it on for a couple of hours, the room would get stuffy. Probably low O2 and some unburned hydrocarbons with a little carbon monoxide thrown in the mix.

Not what you want to sleep in overnight.

And some will say: leave a window open for ventilation. That just means you have to run the heater more.

He Newport heater referenced in the post above is a good solution. But it vents combustion gasses upwards so you need a vent stack on the roof above. That may not work for some flybridge trawlers.

David
Click to expand...
Great info!
 
If the Vevor really is vented and it conveniently doesn’t show it vented in any of the application pics, it might be a good low cost solution.

David
 
I'm enjoying this discussion as I'll have to figure this out for me as well but please folks, the reason for being out there in the first place is to enjoy Nature. Otherwise stay home. No one but no one wants to hear you generator run after dinner at night. We want to sit out and enjoy the quietness of the evening and slowly drain down for sleep. As a Camper, my whole life, nothing was worse than being put next to some rich guy that powered his motorhome and all of its systems with batteries that need charging with a generator long past dark. You steel the peace from me. What are you doing there in the first place if you want to run equipment into the night? When I buy my next boat I hope there are motor-less options to address all the needs I develop and allow me to remain a quiet and pleasant neighbor. Remind me of that when, in the future, I run my generator next to you, lol.
 
SIBERNUT said:
Hey, i offered a very quiet option
Click to expand...
Yes I know. I'm just stirring the pot. I would never give anyone a hard time but just wanted to remind folks that they're there for the nature and not the tech world. People with generators have bothered me in the past years, and this was the perfect opportunity, among colleagues, to state my desire that it is quiet after dinner and not wait until 10pm. Just pointing it out. I'm not grumpy and would not knock on your door to complain.
 
I just reread this thread from start to finish. Apparently the OP hangs out off of Catalina Island and wants to stay warm overnight. When I lived in SoCal a number of years ago, I too hung out off of Catalina summer or winter (well not in Jan-Feb).

I never felt the need for heat in the evenings or overnight, only in the early morning before the sun warmed things up. So I used a propane radiant heater that I ran for an hour or so each morning. Worked great.

Let me reiterate, I would never sleep overnight with an unvented propane, kerosene or diesel fired heater. Too much chance of CO poisoning.

That leaves three options for safe overnight heat: a wall mounted heater like the Newport, a forced air heater like the Espar, or the portable but vented Chinese diesel fired heater. I like the Newport best.

David
 
Last edited:
I had figured I'd use a Dickinson or other kerosene/solid fuel heaters like allot of Britt's do in their barges. They are vented outside and would control condensation to some degree. the radiant aspect is actually comforting on a cold day. Is there anyone here that has used them? If I understand it correctly they are not big enough for more than a small living area. I've also seen them on Sailboats in a traditional environment.
 
Mainship Pilot -- that's a really great suggestion, I had no idea they made units like that. We spend a lot of overnights in the cold at the beginning and end of our season. I can run the reverse-air system and it usually does okay, but the running water and loud hum all night does not make for a quiet sleep. And when the water is ice cold, the temp differential is so small the system doesn't put out a lot of heat. Thanks for that post.
 
kthoennes said:
Mainship Pilot -- that's a really great suggestion, I had no idea they made units like that. We spend a lot of overnights in the cold at the beginning and end of our season. I can run the reverse-air system and it usually does okay, but the running water and loud hum all night does not make for a quiet sleep. And when the water is ice cold, the temp differential is so small the system doesn't put out a lot of heat. Thanks for that post.
Click to expand...
You can get hot water coils for them as I under stand.
 
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