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Heating Systems

A question we are often asked is "How do you heat a boat in the winter?" Each heating system has its advantages and disadvantages. Many boats have two heat sources which should complement each other.

Solid Fuel Stove - space heater

Solid Fuel Stove - space heater

Solid Fuel Stove - space heater

Solid Fuel Stove - space heater

Solid Fuel Range with central heating

Solid Fuel Range with central heating

Solid Fuel Stove with central heating

Solid Fuel Stove with central heating

Diesel Stove drip feed central heating

Diesel Stove drip feed central heating

Diesel Stove drip-feed space heater

Diesel Stove drip-feed space heater


Solid Fuel Stove - space heater

Advantages

  • Easy to light
  • Quick to warm up
  • May be able to burn logs*
  • No battery power needed

Disadvantages

  • Needs fairly regular attention
  • Creates dust
  • Not thermostatically controlled - but you can open doors and windows!
  • Flue pipes need cleaning out

Solid Fuel Stove with central heating

Advantages

  • Easy to light
  • Stove is quick to warm up - rads will take longer
  • May be able to burn logs*

Disadvantages

  • Needs fairly regular attention
  • Creates dust
  • Rads may go cold when banked-down over night
  • Not thermostatically controlled
  • May use battery power to drive a circulation pump running continuously
  • Flue pipes need cleaning out

Gas central heating (Alde Compact boiler)

Advantages

  • Very user friendly / easy to control
  • Thermostatically controlled
  • Can have 7 day timer control of the circulation pump (but not the gas valve)
  • Quiet and clean
  • Room sealed appliance

Disadvantages

  • Uses battery power to drive a small low amperage circulation pump
  • Having to handle heavy gas cylinders

Diesel Stove drip-feed space heater (Bubble, Kabola, Refleks, etc)

Advantages

  • Constant 24 hour heat
  • Silent
  • No mess
  • Daily attention not required
  • Runs off the diesel tank (or separate tank)

Disadvantages

  • Manual heat control
  • Slow response to heat control
  • Diesel pan needs cleaning reasonably frequently
  • If not a gravity diesel feed, it may use battery power to drive an electric fuel pump to supply the diesel
  • Electric fuel pump, if fitted, can make a clicking sound

Diesel Stove drip feed central heating (Bubble, Kabola, Refleks, etc)

Advantages

  • Constant 24 hour heat
  • Silent boiler
  • No mess
  • Daily attention not required
  • Runs off the diesel tank (or separate tank)

Disadvantages

  • Manual heat control
  • Slow response to climate changes
  • Diesel pan needs cleaning every 8 weeks or so
  • May use battery power to drive a fuel pump to supply the diesel
  • Electric fuel pump, if fitted, can make a clicking sound
  • May use battery power to drive a water circulation pump

Diesel central heating compact forced air burner (Eberspächer, Mikuni, Webasto, Hurricane, etc)

Advantages

  • Very user friendly / easy to control
  • Thermostatically controlled
  • Can have 7 day timer control
  • Clean
  • Runs off the diesel tank (or separate tank)
  • Hurricane units reported to be much more reliable than its competitors

Disadvantages

  • Uses battery power to ignite the flame with a glow plug
  • The glow plug carbons up if the batteries are low and may need regular cleaning
  • Uses battery power for 2 motors running constantly whilst operating (air and circulation pumps)
  • Electric fuel pump can make a clicking sound
  • The exhaust can make a 'roaring' noise
  • Fuses in the control box need cleaning periodically
  • Needs regular servicing
  • Hurricane units considerably more expensive than its competitors


WARNING: Several deaths have occurred on board boats because of blocked/restricted flues - be it soot, tar, spiders, rust, birds' nest, crushed pipes - whatever. Make sure you have your flue checked & cleaned on an annual basis, more often if you burn a lot of wood or not smokeless 'coal'.


*Wood burnt in stoves should always be well-seasoned otherwise there is a risk of flammable tar building up in the flue and also your roof will become a black sticky mess!

Business Hours

7 days a week:

10.00am to 4.00pm

EMAIL ABNB

Our Offices

  • ABNB Ltd

    North Kilworth Marina, Station Road, North Kilworth LE17 6HY

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