Anyone using an "engine room heater?"?

The time has almost come to put the boat away for the year and oh how I hate doing such. No more weekends soaking up the rays. No trips to the restaurants on a weeknight for dinner. No more Friday night happy hours on the dock either. No more nothing until she is de-winterized during the 3rd weekend of March. To go from the first week of December until almost April is just too long of a period…way to long.

Now, someone has said to put in an engine room heater. Not an engine block heater but an actual heater made for the engine room of cruisers. Supposedly keeps everything above freezing (45 degrees) and there’s no need for winterizing the engines. Sounds good to know one can take the boat out then whenever the weather cooperates. But this leads to some questions that are…

1. Has anyone ever used an engine room heater? If so what are your thoughts?
2. How about the cost of running it?
3. Lose power to the dock and how fast would it draw down the power from the house battery?
4. Pro’s?
5. Con’s?
6. Anything else you can think of?

I’m asking for we’ve got a friend on the dock who just put one in. Cost of the heater is mid $300’s and the cost of winterizing the engines and genset is over 600. Sounds like it could be a great plan and one I’m considering…for the 2009 winter…if his does the job it’s supposed to do.

Let me know if you’ve used one and your experience(s) too.

Thanks!

2008-10-31T09:38:28Z

ADDED NOTE: Tony M...answer reported to Yahoo...time you may be saying "goodbye" to the site.

2008-10-31T10:31:08Z

Thanks Mark. Great to know they work...when they have electricity!

2008-10-31T10:56:38Z

Thanks William but the thought of a lamp in an engine room with twin big blocks and 180 gallons of fuel in the tank is a little unnerving to me.

2008-11-03T05:23:56Z

Thanks to everyone for their great answers. Not easy choosing a "best one" but it's got to go to Mark for his. Richard, agree with you about our winters here in DC but Mark hit the nail on the head about the units. The question concerned use of the heaters and how fast they'll drain down a house battery without power.

All systems do get winterized in the boat and the marina drops a "jet bubbler" in to keep ice from forming around those of us who keep our vessels "wet."

So we'll see how our friends unit works this year and if his investment is worth it or not.

Thanks again folks for great responses...except the idiot who posted with the link...but Yahoo removed it so thanks to you too!

mark t2008-10-31T10:17:26Z

Favorite Answer

Hi Boatin, I have used the engine room heaters and they do work well until! You may never have a problem but as Murphy's Law states when it can go wrong it will. I used them in many of the boats I was responsible for when I worked for the Gov. Great right up until a long weekend in January when we did lose power for a few days. I lucked out and even though it was bitter cold and the raw water intakes, hoses etc did freeze we got it in time with no damage. It may be because I sealed the engine rooms up so the was no cold air coming in or just lucked out. After that scare any boat that was not needed was hauled and winterized, the ones we kept in I would still drain the systems including raw water and do it after every use. They were also checked daily.
On my own boat I have to haul by Nov. 15th, then I winterize it myself. But I do drain out the systems (fresh water, s/w washdown, head, a/c) even before I haul it.
It is a long winter to go without a boat, thats for sure!

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?2017-01-05T15:31:29Z

Boat Engine Compartment Heater

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mckillip2016-11-09T12:10:46Z

Boat Engine Heater

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Richard C2008-11-01T06:13:02Z

I read you question yesterday, but I had to think on it a while. Back in 1969 when I first started working on boats for Wm. J. Little in DC it was common to put a work light with a 100W. bulb in the engine compartment. Then later when I had my own boat, I lived aboard, so the cabin heat kept the engine compartment above freezing. Then later I kept my boat at Fort Washington and winterized it. I remember 10 inch ice on the Potomac. By the 1980, I was at Bladensburg , working for Safford and had a Bayliner. It had Volvo's with fresh water cooling, so I "drained" the raw water after taking "Princess III" out. Which I did a lot in the fall and winter. What I'm getting at is that there are ways to keep the engines running in the dead of winter, but each requires different steps to be taken due to changing conditions. Keep in mind that there are several other systems on the boat that you have to keep from freezing, in addition to those in the engine compartment. Like the Marine air and H2O tank. Would I buy an expensive engine room heater, No. I'd just drain those areas that were critical like the intake and strainers, and keep a little heat in the cabin. I hope this helps.....Fall and Winter is some of the best boating in DC. Good luck!

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Captain Bill2008-10-31T10:54:53Z

Have to agree with Mark. I have been on several boats that use engine room Heaters, they do work well. If the power does go out for only a few hours you will have no problem. We used them up through the first part of January and would then winterize the engine room when we were done till spring. (Located Mid Chesapeake Bay area)

Good Luck, Boat Safe!

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