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Stove or not to stove?


James Dunleavy

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Thanks Rob. Do you find its heat output to be easily managed? My worry is it wouldn't be used unless it's VERY cold. This new boat has foam sprayed insulation and even though the boat builder has a vested interest in installing a stove he's saying we shouldn't - however, the Mrs wants one! Who do I listen to????

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19 minutes ago, James Dunleavy said:

We're looking at fitting out a 57' nb, reverse layout, so the lounge will be mid-ships. Is a solid fuel or diesel stove too hot and turn out just to be nice to look at?

It depends on what you want.

 

A diesel water heater (in the engine hole) can heat radiators so it is just like a house central heating system, or you can have a coal / diesel 'fire' to look at - it is your choice.

 

(but it is a good idea to have both - have redundancy for when one of them breaks down on Xmas eve !!)

 

4 minutes ago, James Dunleavy said:

Thanks Rob. Do you find its heat output to be easily managed? My worry is it wouldn't be used unless it's VERY cold. This new boat has foam sprayed insulation and even though the boat builder has a vested interest in installing a stove he's saying we shouldn't - however, the Mrs wants one! Who do I listen to????

You definitely need some form of heating is it just the 'type' that open for discussion ?

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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I can’t imagine having a boat without a SF stove. A decent one like a Squirrel or Brunel are easily controllable and can keep a 57” boat toasty in the middle of winter and much cheaper than running a diesel heater.

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We have a stove at the front of our 62ft boat and gas CH. Unless it is very cold we don't use the CH. We burn a mixture of wood and smokless fuel in the stove. The downside of the stove is you need somewhere to store the fuel and you get dust from them. The plus side is that it doesn't use electricity to operate unlike diesel heaters such as Eberspacher which can be very fickle when it comes to battery voltage. We use a 12v computer fan to help move the hot air from the stove around the boat we don't have an Ecofan. We often cook on the top of ours - a casserole can simmer for hours on it and the kettel is always hot.

We don't live on board but use the boat all year round.

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For me, a sf stove is a must in a boat, or anywhere come to think of it! I now have the pleasure of 3 to look after, over 2 boats. A diesel stove is cleaner to manage,  but tends to create more condensation in our experience.  In our home boat we have 2 solid fuels, (one tiny wall mounted one in the non trad back cabin, plus a normal size one in the saloon)  plus a diesel central heating system, which we only ever use for hot water. 

Insulation will not be enough to keep you warm through winter, unless you are seriously menopausal! 

Our stove ticks gently 24/7 through winter, always has the kettle keeping warm, often has soup/stew/chilli on it too, gently blubbing away and filling the boat with welcome smells (unlike our dog!)

Its also messy to clean out and needs fuel hauling a distance to the mooring,  but i wouldn't be without it.

 

I'm curious why your builder is trying to put you off one?

 

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1 hour ago, dor said:

I can’t imagine having a boat without a SF stove. A decent one like a Squirrel or Brunel are easily controllable and can keep a 57” boat toasty in the middle of winter and much cheaper than running a diesel heater.

Anyone got a proper up-to-date comparison for SF vs. Webasto/Ebersplutter/bubble diesel heating costs with today's fuel prices, based on actual hours of use not just a theoretical calculation?

 

In the end I suspect it comes down to personal preference -- "toasty stove/traditional/real fire/cosy" vs. "I just want to be warm with no mess or dirt or hassle"...

Edited by IanD
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1 hour ago, James Dunleavy said:

Thanks Rob. Do you find its heat output to be easily managed? My worry is it wouldn't be used unless it's VERY cold. This new boat has foam sprayed insulation and even though the boat builder has a vested interest in installing a stove he's saying we shouldn't - however, the Mrs wants one! Who do I listen to????

Insulation slows the rate of heat loss, it does not stop it. Without a heat source, the temperture within the cabin will drop until it reaches an equilibrium point with the outside ambient temperature. 

Edited by nbfiresprite
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A boat without a stove is like a thingybob without a wotsit.  Ours has been ticking over gently these past few days, with the odd burst when the nasty weather fronts have come through. The central heating hasn't been used and rarely is. It's there to take the chill off first thing in winter whilst the stove gets back up to speed and/or give a tank of hot water. I don't think there's many who have them who would be without.

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8 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

And most of those have a diesel stove instead of a solid fuel one.

 

It's usually because of either dust (asthma etc) or not being physically able to moving bagged fuel.

Let's have a survey on how many have diesel stoves and how many have solid fuel. Look on brokers websites, my money is on multi fuel  outnumbering diesel by quite a margin. ?

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2 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Let's have a survey on how many have diesel stoves and how many have solid fuel. Look on brokers websites, my money is on multi fuel  outnumbering diesel by quite a margin. ?

I'd guess the same as you.

I suspect that diesel stoves would be found more often on upmarket boats than on cheap ones - because you have to buy diesel, whereas a solid-fuel stove will gobble up more or less any wood which you throw at it, and wood is plentiful and free in many places.

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8 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Let's have a survey on how many have diesel stoves and how many have solid fuel. Look on brokers websites, my money is on multi fuel  outnumbering diesel by quite a margin. ?

 

I agree.  I was simply pointing out that most of those who choose not to have a solid fuel stove go for a diesel stove, and usually for a specific reason.

 

Lots of people try and get by with just a diesel central heating system which is OK for the odd cold summer morning or taking the chill off, but they aren't great as the only heating on a boat used year round.  Too much electric use in winter if nothing else.

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Just now, TheBiscuits said:

 

I agree.  I was simply pointing out that most of those who choose not to have a solid fuel stove go for a diesel stove, and usually for a specific reason.

 

Lots of people try and get by with just a diesel central heating system which is OK for the odd cold summer morning or taking the chill off, but they aren't great as the only heating on a boat used year round.  Too much electric use in winter if nothing else.

I against advice fitted a diesel stove on my new build, worst decision ever, ne er again. Love my dust ?

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16 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Let's have a survey on how many have diesel stoves and how many have solid fuel. Look on brokers websites, my money is on multi fuel  outnumbering diesel by quite a margin. ?

Suggest 3 possible answers to the question about heating :

 

1) Solid fuel / wood

2) Diesel

3) Have both 1 & 2.

 

All of the Canal boats we have had (about a dozen) have had No3.

And if they have been No1 only we have fitted a No2 for convenience.

 

A solid fuel fire is really nice and gives of a good heat (and hot water) but it is of no use for the occasional cool morning / evening in Spring and Autumn. It takes hours to heat up, by which time you are 'up and gone', but with diesel you can lie in bed, push a button and within a short time have hot radiators and a nice warm boat to get up to.

 

If I could only choose one form, it would be a Eberspacher / Webasto, but, it is ideal to have both.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Suggest 3 possible answers to the questin about heating :

 

1) Solid fuel / wood

2) Diesel

3) Have both 1 & 2.

 

All of the Canal boats we have had (about a dozen) have had No3.

And if they have been No1 only we have fitted a No2 fir convenience.

 

A solid fuel fire is really nice and gives of a good heat (and hot water) but it is of no use for the occasional cool morning / evening in Spring and Autumn. It takes hours to heat up, by which time you are 'up and gone', but with diesel you can lie in bed, push a button and within a short time have hot radiators and a nice warm boat to get up to.

 

If I could only choose one form, it would be a Eberspacher / Webasto, but, it is ideal to have both.

Agreed. I do have both on this boat and use webasto for comfort bursts. If one system only it has to be multi fuel stove. 

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