Installed behind the propane tanks.

Adesso arrived from Rhode Island with a new air conditioner which would pump out a little heat but in the Pacific Northwest real heat is needed to survive snowy days.  The best heat for a larger boat are forced air or hydronic diesel furnaces that will put heat in a number of cabins.  In our case Sure Marine in Seattle has a great reputation, supplying Webasto heater kits for the marine industry and is close by.   We went with hydronic because of the installation, 1” hose was possible to run from the boiler where a 3” air vent line path could not be found.  The other big challenge was where to put the boiler itself.  All the room underneath the cockpit was already full of , generator, holding tank, water maker, spare anchor, auto pilot, leaving a small area behind the propane tanks the only choice. This was a tight fit, not to mention the contortions required to get into the area to install the unit as well.

Expansion tank mounted in locker

Exchanger mounted in cabinet

The other challenge was the expansion tank had to be above the boiler which meant I had to be creative to find a place that would work.  In the end the tank in one of our master cabin lockers keeps its contents dry and radiates nicely in to the cabin.  The small radiators were installed in the bottom of lockers and storage areas, cutting a little into the space but this was a small price to pay for heat.  The water loop ran from the stern of the boat where the boiler was, underneath the aft cabin bunk, along the removable floor boards to the forward locker, 150 feet of hose in all.  The install is not for the faint of heart as there are many components all of which have to squeezed in to the boat somewhere.

With three zones all on their own thermostats we are cosy aboard even when the snow falls! The other bonus is the efficiency of this type of heat compared to the drip feed stove.  Using a fraction of the diesel and a little 12V current has made Adesso our winter cruising home very comfortable.  A special thanks to Sure Marine for the great service and support getting this all running!   The air conditioner was sacrificed for room and power savings though we may regret that if we ever get to hot countries!