[Rhodes22-list] Winter Sailing

[Roger Pihlaja]

Hi Al & Michelle,

Setting aside the issues of possible fire & explosion.  Even when operating
properly, the trouble with unvented heaters inside a closed space is
two-fold, carbon monoxide (CO) & moisture.  All combustion heat sources have
the potential to produce deadly CO gas under the right conditions.  Operated
properly, the alcohol space heaters, such as the Origo Heat Pal, don't
usually produce much CO, UNLESS YOU DEPRIVE THEM OF OXYGEN.  So, you need to
ventilate the cabin while they are operating to assure that the oxygen
concentration inside the cabin does not drop.  Lowered oxygen concentration
is also deadly for the cabin occupants, which is another reason for the
ventilation.  All combustion heat sources produce some water vapor in their
exhaust gases. (Unless you are burning pure carbon, in which case you will
get lots of CO!)   Add this combustion water vapor to the water vapor given
off by the cabin occupants plus any other sources like evaporation from wet
clothing and the humidity inside the cabin can soar.  Not only will this
make the cabin feel clammy; but, it will also lead to other problems like
condensation, mold, and mildew.  Again, the solution is to keep the cabin
space well ventilated while the heater is operating.  This requirement for
ventilation limits the usefulness of the unventilated type of cabin heaters.
Permanent cabin heater installations solve this problem by venting the
combustion products outside the cabin

Does your Rhodes 22 have a cooking stove on board?  If so; then, you can get
a little supplemental heat for the cabin by placing a terra cotta flower pot
upside down over one of the burners.  Terra cotta flower pots are the brown
unglazed ones.  Try to get a flower pot with a drain hole in the bottom, or
you will have to drill a hole.  Otherwise, you will snuff out the flame in
your burner &/or generate CO.  The heavy ceramic pot will absorb quite a bit
of heat.  Then, you can turn off the burner, close up your cabin, & the
thermal mass in the hot flower pot will safely warm your cabin for a couple
of hours without adding a lot of CO or water vapor.  This will also work
with the Origo Heat Pal units.  But, if you already have a cook stove; then
why bother with another piece of gear plus fuel?

In port, we use an Arvin M/N 29H40 electrical space heater hooked up to 120
VAC shore power.  This unit has 1500 watt, 800 watt, & fan only settings.
Usually, the 800 watt setting is plenty of heat to warm the cabin of a
Rhodes 22.  The fan only setting is nice in the summer to circulate some
air.  We like this particular model space heater because of its low profile,
which fits out of the way under the cabin step.  You just need to be careful
not to drop stuff down there by the space heater that would block the
airflow.

With proper clothing & a good sleeping bag, the low 40's is not
uncomfortable.  My family always used to stay zipped up inside their
sleeping bags while I lit the stove & warmed up the flower pot on cold damp
mornings.  Then, once the cabin was nice & toasty, they would emerge.  I was
surprised the other day when one of my sons told me it was one of his
fondest memories of cruising.

As far as hanging the gas cans over the side, I would worry about some idiot
dragging anchor & hitting them during the night.  If you are not using your
boom room; then, leave them under the cockpit seats.  If the boom room is
up; then, lash them on the foredeck.  That way, they are ventilated, not
vulnerable in a collision, and no where near any ignition sources.

Good luck!

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Al Miller" <al.shell at verizon.net>
To: "Rhodes List" <rhodes-list at sailnet.net>
Cc: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Monday, November 15, 2004 11:47 PM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Winter Sailing


Hi All,
Michelle and I did not have time to sail this summer.  Work and hurricanes!
We plan to sail long weekends over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.
The temp will probably drop to  the low 40's during the evening, maybe more.
We do have the boom-room.

My question is this.  Is there a safe heat source for when it is really cold
out?  We know how to layer our clothing and such, but we're curious about
SAFE heat sources.  We will be carrying 12-15 gallons of gasoline in two
regulation 6.5 outboard containers.  Should we hang them over the side at
night?  Does Coleman make a SAFE (read- not explosive!) heater.  Any
experienced answers appreciated.  We don't care to be a "Pan Pan Pan, Be
advised that there is a reported 22 foot sailboat afire 5 miles off
Clearwater Beach on channel 16.  Any vessels with further information please
contact the Coast Guard!!  :-)

Thanks in advance,
Al & Michelle-Tampa, FL
S/V Mishka




----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----


> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list