This past winter was cold. No, I mean really, really cold. But then, I don’t have to tell anyone that news, especially liveaboards who decided to stay in Chesapeake Bay country instead of smartly heading south like the ospreys. Most marinas froze over in the mid to Upper Bay, and only boats with bubblers remained ice free.
Unfortunately, remaining ice free doesn’t help very much when you are using a reverse air A/C heater. Once the water temperature reaches 40 degrees Fahrenheit, much like a home heat pump, the reverse air unit cannot produce enough heat to stay comfortable when temperatures are below freezing. Many liveaboards on our dock renewed acquaintances with their “land friends” and moved ashore until the worst of the Polar Blasts passed through.
Looking ahead, the Farmer’s Almanac has posted the following prediction for 2014/15: “Winter will be colder and slightly wetter than normal, with above-normal snowfall. The coldest periods will be in late December and early and mid-January. The snowiest periods will be in mid- and late December, mid-January, and early to mid-February.”
So, what is a boater to do? Well, there are options, and they all involve making an investment in a better heater for your boat (assuming your insulation is already up to par). I have used a ceramic heater for the past seven years, but it was time for a new one. I had two of these excellent ceramic heaters, and I alternated the years I used them. Not sure if this did anything, but it made me feel better. Many marinas do not allow boaters to use space heaters for obvious reasons, so you will need to check with your marina before making an unnecessary investment in a new heater.
Unfortunately, it appears that thermostats from China are now installed in the majority of ceramic heaters; they do not turn off the heat when the temperature rises above the level set by the manual thermostat. I bought heaters at West Marine, Home Depot, True Value, and Bed Bath & Beyond and all of them continued to produce heat even when plugged in at my home with a room temperature of 70 degrees. This caused me great concern because I want the heating element to turn off once the temperature in the boat is above 55 degrees for safety and energy efficiency.
Since our boat operates on gasoline for its engines and generator, having an efficient, but more expensive, diesel heater system installed was out of the question. My other option was an electric heater, but I wanted it to be proven and safe for boat interiors. Our express cruiser has a BoatSafe marine heater in the engine compartment. It has worked perfectly for 14 years. Given that I had a very positive experience with this engine heater, I checked out the website of this South Carolina-based company for an interior heater and found just what was needed.
On the website I found a sharp looking wall-mounted heater in either white or stainless. All of the heater’s specifications met our boat’s wiring and space requirements, so I called and talked with BoatSafe and purchased the heater. They even gave me a discount since I had one of their engine room heaters and spoke so highly of it. The fact that the heater is firmly mounted in the boat and impossible to tip over makes it attractive, and its mounting size of 12”x 6”x 4” makes it attractive with limited space.
The requirements for the heater state that it should be mounted at least four inches from the cabin sole and six inches from any wall and have at least three feet of open space in front. The Admiral and I considered and measured every possible wall space in the cabin and finally settled on the back of the dinette seat facing aft. This area was one of the few that was not covered in upholstery and is white laminate on marine plywood.
The tools necessary for this project included: electric drill with a one-inch drill bit, one-foot level, Phillips screwdriver, wood file, wire cutter/trimmer, butane blow torch, and one-handed reciprocating saw. I started the work by marking the cut-out dimensions on the corners and connecting the dots. Measuring again, I discovered that the top line was not level. So, I used the level to draw it again. I found that when you have to lay your head at an angle it can sometimes play tricks with your sense of what is level when measuring lines. As the saying goes, “Measure twice, cut once.”
Before starting the saw, which could make a mess of the laminate, I placed white duct tape over the area to be cut on the outside of the lines. This worked well, but I failed to do it on the interior of the bench seat so it left a few, small chip marks that I later covered with white caulk. Since the heater’s vent face plate is about an inch larger than the heater box, the small laminate chips became a non-issue (but a perfectionist might be bothered).
The heater box was slid into the opening, but it was a tight fit because I didn’t want it to be “floating around” in the mounting. A little more sanding and cutting gave me the additional 1/8 inch necessary to ensure a snug fit. Securing the heater box is done with a couple of screws mounted with L-brackets on the inside-back.
Since the project was going so smoothly, I should have known something was about to happen. I attempted to mount the vent cover to the heater box, but the second knob controlling the amperage did not match up with the hole in the vent cover. It looked like the knob stem in the box could be moved lower a half inch by loosening its mounting screws and sliding it down. Unfortunately, this was not enough distance to overcome the discrepancy. I determined that by detaching and turning the entire controller bracket upside down, it would place the stem in a position to be centered with the vent plate hole. Fortunately, this manufacturing error didn’t stop the project.
One important element of the decision to mount the heater in this location was its proximity to the electrical panel. The heater comes with a six-foot, heavy-duty 16/3 power cord with a molded three-prong grounded plug. This was not sufficient length by about 14 inches, so I cut the plug and attached additional 16/3 wire using a heated shrink-wrap to ensure proper protection. Securing the cord underneath the seat with nailed clips and leading the wire behind a false wall in the closet up into the electric panel was not difficult at all. My electric panel already had an empty space marked “cabin heater,” and it only required a 15-amp breaker to be installed. All of this work took place with the electricity turned off.
Once all of the wires were connected to the breaker, the power was turned on and the little light on the heater glowed indicating the heater was working fine. Now, if the power stays on at the marina, our boat should stay nice and toasty this winter!
About the author: Captain Paul "Bo" Bollinger is a contributor to Proptalk and Spinsheet when he is not cruising the Bay.