Installing heater
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Michael Ellis
- Posts: 83
- Joined: May 11th, '06, 12:57
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Installing heater
Sometime this week I will be picking up a Sigmar 120 diesel cabin heater for our Cape Dory 330. After picking it up I will then have to embark on cutting a 5 inch diameter hole in the top of the cabin. A task I am not enthusiastic to do. Has anyone had experience in performing this task and if so, any lessons learned? I plan to install the heater on the side of the head facing to port, just in back of the mast. If I run the stack straight up the thru-deck hole will be about a foot directly aft of the mast. I could angle it back to be offset to the starboard side of the cabin roof, but at this point I don't see any significant advantage in doing so. Any recommendations?
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Steve Laume
- Posts: 4127
- Joined: Feb 13th, '05, 20:40
- Location: Raven1984 Cape Dory 30C Hull #309Noank, CT
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I installed a Force 10 cabin heater last spring. It only takes a 2 1/2" hole but I had the same sort of concerns. Mine went on the starboard bulkhead in the main cabin. We are deck stepped and there is a pretty large hunk of steel imbedded in the cabin top to support the mast. You do not want to bore through that thing. I went from the liner up. Very gingerly in case there were any wires running between the liner and the deck. There were not any where I drilled. Once through the liner I drilled a pilot hole up through the deck then went top side and bored the hole down. You will need a large hole saw and a pretty hefty slow turning drill for a 5" hole. You could use a saber saw but it will create problems of it's own. If you do wind up using a saber saw I would still use a smaller hole saw up through the liner to get a look in there. There is not much room between the liner and the deck so the blade of a saber saw will want to bottom out and cause problems. I am pretty sure the total thickness would be too great to cut both layers at once. The hole saw is definitely the tool of choice. Gouge out and fill the core material with epoxy. Install the chimney. Then breate a sigh of relief. One thing to consider in your location is weather the mast will interfere with air flow and effect your draft. Another is weather reefing lines or the boom vang will get tangled up in the chimney. I was a bit concerned over stepping on our deck cap. It is very short and on a diagonal aft of the mast. So this has not been a problem. In fact it sticks up just enough to hold a coiled main halyard under most conditions. It is getting to be time to fire up the heater, Steve.
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M. R. Bober
- Posts: 1122
- Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 08:59
- Location: CARETAKER CD28 Flybridge Trawler
Michael,
Keep us posted.
I took RESPITE out for the weekend, and it is definitely getting close to the "I want heat in cabin" time of year. On the other hand, it is probably a lot harder to leave a warm cabin when going up on deck.
Mitchell Bober
Sunny Annapolis (home of "Cool Hands Luke") , MD
Keep us posted.
I took RESPITE out for the weekend, and it is definitely getting close to the "I want heat in cabin" time of year. On the other hand, it is probably a lot harder to leave a warm cabin when going up on deck.
Mitchell Bober
Sunny Annapolis (home of "Cool Hands Luke") , MD
CDSOA Founding Member
Also looking to install heater - woodburning
The information about drilling is very helpful, thank you!
Does anyone have any feelings (+/-) about installing a solid-fuel heater in a CD28? I am living aboard and will need heating throughout the winter here in Rhode Island. The solid-fuel heater seems a good, relatively safe, and even charming solution. If anyone has had any experience with one, or recommends a particular type, please give a holler.
Cheers,
Dave
Does anyone have any feelings (+/-) about installing a solid-fuel heater in a CD28? I am living aboard and will need heating throughout the winter here in Rhode Island. The solid-fuel heater seems a good, relatively safe, and even charming solution. If anyone has had any experience with one, or recommends a particular type, please give a holler.
Cheers,
Dave
Solid Fuel
We have a Dickinson wood stove aboard Femme du Nord. My brother and I installed it for Lake Superior sailing. Although I do love it and it has really made our cabin warm and dry I do have some comments. I suppose if I were living aboard I would consider a diesel heater as they are less dirty and you don't need stowage for wood. But a good airtight woodstove may work. The Dickenson should do nicely on a CD 28, but I would for sure have a Hella fan for circulation.
The pros are that it is not a HUGE deal to install if you are sure of placement and the flue pipe run and clearances. The hardest part of that was getting the angle right on the cabin top. SInce the 33 has a rather severe camber to it in that area it was a real trick to build the mounting flange for the deck plate and chimmney. Our heater is on the forward saloon bulkhead, port side just athwartships of the mast. we did a 45 degree jog aft and a little outboard below the cabintop for the flue to get the hole away from the mast. It is reletively out of the way for sail handling and I can unscrew the charley noble and screw in a deck plate for heavy weather or running around on deck. I like the placement and it looks right in the cabin. Heats things up well too. We used copper sheeting surrounding 1/2 inch durarock for the firewall behind the stove and flue. Looks good and the patina suits the Cape Dory asthetic. I will try to post a picture of the installation.
The cons are that the Dickenson stove does not keep a fire long, much to my sailing partner's chagrin. I use leftover shop wood and drift wood; the drift wood works better for longer burn times. We have a Hella fan in the corner of the saloon near the stove that I point at the flue just above the heater and that seems to keep the heat circulated nicely, just don't expect your feet to be completely warmed unless you can mount the heater on the cabin sole. We did not mount it low so our double berth could still be pulled out. I have slept with my feet right under the stove with no worries about fire or melting sleeping bag issues.
The ash rains down on deck and can get things a little sooty. Since the dorade box is just forward of the chimney I pull off the cowl before making a fire so it doesn't get blackened. Also, a full bin on the starboard side settee is used up for wood storage. It goes a long way though, sometimes a whole season. On a long trip I would be collecting wood, which I don't mind.
So even though the fire does not last long. I think a good stove like a Luke or maybe there is a middle of the road heater out there somewhere but i couldn't find one that fit, would hold a fire longer would be an ideal heater. There is nothing better than coming in from a cold wet sail and putting on the kettle to boil for a cuppa and making a nice fire to warm up by. We have had many evenings on the famously cold north shore of Lake Superior go very well due to that heater!
Paul
The pros are that it is not a HUGE deal to install if you are sure of placement and the flue pipe run and clearances. The hardest part of that was getting the angle right on the cabin top. SInce the 33 has a rather severe camber to it in that area it was a real trick to build the mounting flange for the deck plate and chimmney. Our heater is on the forward saloon bulkhead, port side just athwartships of the mast. we did a 45 degree jog aft and a little outboard below the cabintop for the flue to get the hole away from the mast. It is reletively out of the way for sail handling and I can unscrew the charley noble and screw in a deck plate for heavy weather or running around on deck. I like the placement and it looks right in the cabin. Heats things up well too. We used copper sheeting surrounding 1/2 inch durarock for the firewall behind the stove and flue. Looks good and the patina suits the Cape Dory asthetic. I will try to post a picture of the installation.
The cons are that the Dickenson stove does not keep a fire long, much to my sailing partner's chagrin. I use leftover shop wood and drift wood; the drift wood works better for longer burn times. We have a Hella fan in the corner of the saloon near the stove that I point at the flue just above the heater and that seems to keep the heat circulated nicely, just don't expect your feet to be completely warmed unless you can mount the heater on the cabin sole. We did not mount it low so our double berth could still be pulled out. I have slept with my feet right under the stove with no worries about fire or melting sleeping bag issues.
The ash rains down on deck and can get things a little sooty. Since the dorade box is just forward of the chimney I pull off the cowl before making a fire so it doesn't get blackened. Also, a full bin on the starboard side settee is used up for wood storage. It goes a long way though, sometimes a whole season. On a long trip I would be collecting wood, which I don't mind.
So even though the fire does not last long. I think a good stove like a Luke or maybe there is a middle of the road heater out there somewhere but i couldn't find one that fit, would hold a fire longer would be an ideal heater. There is nothing better than coming in from a cold wet sail and putting on the kettle to boil for a cuppa and making a nice fire to warm up by. We have had many evenings on the famously cold north shore of Lake Superior go very well due to that heater!
Paul
Great!
Much thanks for the advice! This was exactly the information I was looking for: first hand experience.
I will look around for the Luke.
Yes, a picture of your setup would be great if you get a chance.
cheers.
I will look around for the Luke.
Yes, a picture of your setup would be great if you get a chance.
cheers.
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Michael Ellis
- Posts: 83
- Joined: May 11th, '06, 12:57
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Heater installed
The heater is finally installed.
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M. R. Bober
- Posts: 1122
- Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 08:59
- Location: CARETAKER CD28 Flybridge Trawler
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Michael Ellis
- Posts: 83
- Joined: May 11th, '06, 12:57
- Contact:
Above deck
I don't, but after the rains stop long enough to do so, I will take a picture. The location of the stack and rain cap is not ideal, since I probably couldn't install a boom vang with the current configuration. However, since I currently don't use a boom vang, I didn't have to consider that immediately, and as an owner of a CD 330, you probably will agree there aren't very many good places to locate a bulkhead mounted heater. I felt I was somewhat constrained to how far from the mast I could locate the hole through the deck. The more jogs you have in your stack, the longer the stack you have to have to get adequate draw. I didn't want to chance not having adequate draw up the stack just to get a few more inches away from the mast.
Also, there are a couple of options if I do decide I need a boom vang. One is a shorter rain cap. The other is a flush deck mount that allows removing the rain cap when sailing. However, the flush deck mount is a casting and therefore rigid and won't bend to conform to the crown of the cabin top, whereas the sheet metal base I used did seem to bend sufficiently to make a good seal.
By the way, I went with a daytank for fuel supply. I converted an old 2.5 gallon brass fire extinguisher to a fuel tank by soldering a brass pipe fitting into the base and mounting the tank in the corner of the shower stall, above the heater on the opposite side of the bulkhead. The spout where the fire extinguisher hose used to attach, serves now as the fuel tank vent. The screw off top will even work as a soap dish for the shower.
Also, there are a couple of options if I do decide I need a boom vang. One is a shorter rain cap. The other is a flush deck mount that allows removing the rain cap when sailing. However, the flush deck mount is a casting and therefore rigid and won't bend to conform to the crown of the cabin top, whereas the sheet metal base I used did seem to bend sufficiently to make a good seal.
By the way, I went with a daytank for fuel supply. I converted an old 2.5 gallon brass fire extinguisher to a fuel tank by soldering a brass pipe fitting into the base and mounting the tank in the corner of the shower stall, above the heater on the opposite side of the bulkhead. The spout where the fire extinguisher hose used to attach, serves now as the fuel tank vent. The screw off top will even work as a soap dish for the shower.