-----------Astronomertoo wrote:We used a Shipmate kerosene heater in our 27 fter for 6 years in Florida, where we used the boat nearly as often for night as daytime for ICW cruising or anchoring out behind our favorite islands in the winter time, and often with friends on board. The heater required priming with alcohol, like we used with our 2 burner stove, and once started was never a problem. Our exhaust vent was a small diameter SS which went up thru a typical external charlie noble. We made and fastened an aluminum plate with a rail on top of the heater to keep our coffee pot hot and safe while motoring or easy sailing. Our nights never got under 30 degrees but we never got cold. Our friends loved the heated boat, and I would do it again.
However, I can not find a way to add fuel heat to the little CD25.
Bob C
I should add, that we really liked that Shipmate kerosene heater on the colder nights, but more often on less chilly nights we too simply used the large trawler oil lamp hanging from the ceiling over the table. We used a bungie from the bottom of the lamp to an eyestrap to help control the swinging, and the lamp's warm glow was only exceeded with the welcome heat it put out unless throttled down to lower light output. The larger diameter round wick was easy to take care of, and if it was in the 40s outside, it was nice to run that lamp with the companionway door boards out on nice evenings both at anchor, or at the dock with friends.
When it was just a little cool, or damp, the smaller wall mounted gimbled oil lamps with 1" wicks were sufficient to make the cabin cozy. As every sailor knows, we learned to trim the wicks into the shape of a flame in order to make them burn cleaner and brighter. Something about the smell of burning oil lamps, Jimmy Buffet, and Mount Gay Eclipse rum on full moon nights brings back many good memories!
Alas, the big trawler lamp is too big for my current smaller CD 25.
Any suggestions on the optimal oil lamp for my purposes?
Bob C
