me and my what ifs.

[alumi numb]

brains racing and can't sleep, will pay for it.
question.
i have a starcraft islander that i'm restoring and will have a complete soft top enclosure for over nighting and cold weather running.
there will be a chieftain in the future, ok gab over.
since both are aluminum hulls why can't the hull be used as a heat sink for a closed loop system.
many different ways this could be done.
then again i'm not seeing any reason that one can't design a swimm platform with a cooling loop on the bottom side of it.
the loop could be designed so no one comes in contact with it.
the lower unit impeller should be able to handle exhaust cooling shouldn't it?
on a car or truck the cooling system really isn't that heavy so i'm not seeing a major weight disadvantage.
in short i would like to be on the water in december inside a nice cosy enclosed boat.
any other suggestions?
since this is a new idea i haven't had time to research closed loop systems but will.
thanks for listening.

 

[5150abf]

Re: me and my what ifs.

So you want to heat your boat like you do your car?

First problem you would have to leave the boat running to generate heat but yes it can be done and they already make remote heater cores with fans.

They also make several other types of boat heaters, I have seen an electric one so maybe see what is available before you get alot of time into designing something.

Unless you are like me and would rather build things your self, in that case have at it and let us know how it turns out.

I have a camper top(made it myself) for my boat so I can fish longer into the fall/winter but I just have a propane Buddy heater, we can be out and comfortable in 35 degrees

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: me and my what ifs.

is this an inboard, or outboard?

 

[alumi numb]

Re: me and my what ifs.

sorry about that, 120i/o.
just in the research stage right now and want to do a lot of that before going further.
so would the impeller supply enough water for the exhaust?
thanks again.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: me and my what ifs.

this is more of an I/O question, but i believe the circulating pump on the engine is what would supply the heater core, not the impeller, the impeller supplies the circulating pump.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: me and my what ifs.

You can go buy a heater right off the shelf for that purpose today.

 

[alumi numb]

Re: me and my what ifs.

usually the simplest way is the best way and that may end up being an off the shelf unit.
mr heater big buddy may just be the trick.
hot vent may also work but the furnace has to be outside and the duct inside.
there are a number of catalytic style heaters out there that look appealing.
plus with overnighting they would work well.
thank you and if you have anymore suggestions the door is open.
didn't think of this but a heater would also keep the engine reasonably warm also and that's good.

 

[180shabah]

Re: me and my what ifs.

propane heaters and carb'd I/O's are not the best mix, but fresh water cooling and a remote heater would be a great soultion. Although it is pricier, it won't blow you up.

 

[alumi numb]

Re: me and my what ifs.

found it, boy was i off base.
designed for tent camping, Coleman ProCat 5053A751 3000 BTU's.
ceramic with fan, 2D cells last 18 hrs and a 16 oz propane container lasts 8 hrs.
since i'm still restoring the boat i can design pockets in front, back and or sides to the heaters to set.
it is said to be the best and safest for tent camping.
thanks all for your help.

 

[QC]

Re: me and my what ifs.

didn't think of this but a heater would also keep the engine reasonably warm also and that's good.

Actually an off the shelf heater would take heat out of the engine . . . Make it cooler if it was indeed hot, but as long as there is enough heat in the engine itself to get to operating temp the net result of a heater would be less cycling of the thermostat from closed (recirc) to open. Basically it would recirculate longer as some heat would be shed to the heater core.

I checked and there are none here, but as said above, available on the market in kit form.

 

[alumi numb]

Re: me and my what ifs.

Actually an off the shelf heater would take heat out of the engine . . . Make it cooler if it was indeed hot, but as long as there is enough heat in the engine itself to get to operating temp the net result of a heater would be less cycling of the thermostat from closed (recirc) to open. Basically it would recirculate longer as some heat would be shed to the heater core.

I checked and there are none here, but as said above, available on the market in kit form.

are you talking about a heater core such as in a car or truck?
if so yes i understand as the core would be pulling heat from the engine.
now my thinking is not to close loop it but leave it as is.
the islander will have a fully enclosed soft top and will be much like a tent camper if you will.
the coleman procat catalytic 3000 BTU forced air heater as mentioned is designed for tent and camper use and is very sturdy.
i'm thinking two of them would be more than enough.
the mr heater buddy model mh9b is 4000 to 9000 btu and can be wall mounted.
the mr heater is also dsigned for tent and camper use and also is very sturdy.
both have low oxygen shut offs and are for inside use.
since an i/o engine is inside the boat it should recieve some of the heat.
the islander to me is going to be a small camper on water.
just throwing this in but father in law and i ride bicycles a lot, 5000 miles this year.
he built a tear drop to camp in.
i then realized the islander cabin alone has as much sleeping room as the tear drop.
thus for me it is going to be a land camper and a water camper.
my truck is a 04.5 dodge cummins and pulling the islander at 65mph i get 20 mpg.
i won' get that with a camper unless it's a tear drop or a tent camper and they can't go on water.
this is for me, my wife does't see things like this.
she wants a 50' fiver with 10 slide outs that has a master bedroom/bath with walk in closet.
thanks.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: me and my what ifs.

I understand that you want to heat the cabin or tent area with engine heat but that would mean running the main engine all night? How about a small generator and an oil radiator? A buddy has an old party boat that he converted to a personal camping boat, it had engine heat to the cabin but it barely did anything.
His solution was to buy two oil filled baseboard heaters and a super quite generator which could run below deck with an external exhaust and vent. The result was a warm cabin with no noise to listen to overnight. I realize this was a larger boat but the same thing could be done in scale. The generator could even be on deck. Some of those small generators are so quiet you can barely hear them.

 

[alumi numb]

Re: me and my what ifs.

the small gen. is a good idea and am thinking in that direction also.
then can use thing like coffee maker and griddle on and on.
the electric heater idea is worth looking into, thanks.
not going to rule out using catalytic heaters however.
thank you all for you ideas, that's what this is for so great.

 

[Bondo]

Re: me and my what ifs.

Ayuh,....

You're so All over the place with this,...
I donno what to tell you about....

I've got an old Islander,...
My homemade semi-rigid bimini leaves about 4' of cockpit open for fishing,..
Most years, I fish til the launches freeze solid enough so you Can't launch..
For fishin' heat in the cabin, a little Heat-buddy keeps us warm...
Probably 50?, at 25? outdoors...

On a Bud's boat that he'd had a full inclosure built for,... A High-liner 222..
I mounted a Cab Heater out of an "R" model Mack, under the passenger's seat,+ plumbed it to his raw water cooled 4.3l merc...
It worked Great,.... It gets warm enough to turn it down...

Gensets are just Too Big for an Islander,+ are Noisy....
If you want 120V Power, other than Heat,... Get an Inverter,+ more Batteries...

 

[alumi numb]

Re: me and my what ifs.

Ayuh,....

You're so All over the place with this,...
I donno what to tell you about....

I've got an old Islander,...
My homemade semi-rigid bimini leaves about 4' of cockpit open for fishing,..
Most years, I fish til the launches freeze solid enough so you Can't launch..
For fishin' heat in the cabin, a little Heat-buddy keeps us warm...
Probably 50?, at 25? outdoors...

On a Bud's boat that he'd had a full inclosure built for,... A High-liner 222..
I mounted a Cab Heater out of an "R" model Mack, under the passenger's seat,+ plumbed it to his raw water cooled 4.3l merc...
It worked Great,.... It gets warm enough to turn it down...

Gensets are just Too Big for an Islander,+ are Noisy....
If you want 120V Power, other than Heat,... Get an Inverter,+ more Batteries...

never known a bad idea just some work and some don't.
my way, i travel the entire universe before landing an idea.
wife gets wizzed at me also, i'm used to it.
but to save face, one of my ideas want world wide in an industrial application.
no, didn't get rich but am proud of the idea.
this is just idea time and why set limits?
glad to hear the cab heater worked, at least now i know that thought is functional.
what BTU is the heat buddy?
will probable end up with procat heaters, two would be 6000 BTU.
than again maybe this info benefitted someone else, who knows.
thanks for yours bond-o.