On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 12:26:51 +0000, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

The more I get into designing the new interior of this '68 Chris Craft
Corsair I want to turn into a winter boat, the more I get to wondering
about different things. One of which was brought home this morning as
I took the dogs out for exercise.

Having arthritis, cold isn't my friend. Adding to that, I don't enjoy
the cold all that much - never have. I tolerate it, but I don't like
it. Therefore, it is paramount in a winter boat to have....

HEAT.

My thought was to pull heat off the engine much like the radiator
system in a car. The way the design is developing, there will be an
interior cabin of a sort or at least a place where one could get out
of the wind, rain, etc. Think of a Parker/Steiger type pilot house
without the adjoining cuddy space. This is where I would put the
heating unit.


I looked into engine heating when I had my 20-footer, and it's pretty easy
(What kind of engine do you have?) You just "interrupt" the bypass between
the water pump and the thermostat and take it to a radiator. Same system
as a car.

I suspect you can do the same as what's in my van: two radiators in
separate locations. Works pretty well.

Alternatively you could use any of several portable or built-in propane
heaters, like they use in RVs. The portable ones are OK as long as you can
tie them down somehow and have ADEQUATE VENTILATION

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36 - c/w Dickinson diesel heater