Heaters for 21 EC

G

Gizmo

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2010
Messages
11
Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C SE
Hull Identification Number
FMLT21151011
Vessel Name
Gizmo
Could anyone who has installed a heater in their 21EC give me the details as to type, where they installed it in their cabin and if they are happy with the outcome boating in cooler weather. Thanks. Gizmo
 
That partly depends on how much work you would like to do on your own. Take a look at my DIY heater at the following link in my album:

gallery2.php?g2_itemId=28212

I bought the same heater the factory installs and received not one, but two damaged units. Both had identical damage and both obviously left the manufacturer's in the condition I received them. The damage on both was to the grill, and I even offered to change it myself on the first one if they would send me an undamaged part. They insisted on having the entire unit returned to them. The process was pretty painful and literally took several months, what with three long trips diagonally across the continent, indicating the problem was one of long duration. The second unit also looked like it would have been of lesser electrical quality since an Italian motor was replaced with a much bulkier, cheaper looking, Chinese version. The wiring had also changed from a plug-in connection at the motor to a hard-wired unit.

After I complained about their quality control and they told me they had QC as good as anyone around I told them to keep their unit and built my own. Part of their attitude problem may be that they seem to be the only source of heaters of this type suitable for small to moderate sized boats.

It is not hard, but is a bit time consuming, and cutting those holes in the liner takes a bit of courage. I am happy with the result, and it even has at least two advantages over the factory unit in my opinion: 1. The location and locker space used is better in my opinion; 2. I can use it with the pilot seat up or down.

If I were to decide on the unit the factory uses, I would still consider installing it under the sink instead of in the starboard locker where it is blocked by the pilot seat if it is down (and might even damage the fabric).
 
There is something I do not understand. I have a 2010 R21 EC and it came with a cabin heater that runs off the engine coolant (like a car heater). It was standard equipment - not optional equipment. Was the heater not available on the earlier R21 EC's? I believe a heater was not available on the classic R21's.

The heater I have works great. In fact it works too great in that I have to turn it off after a while because it will get too hot in the cabin. I think I like the heater in the starboard cabinet better than the port, because of all the electrical stuff in the stbd cabinet. I like to limit what I put in the stbd cabinet. I only put the inverter in the stbd cabinet. Everything else goes in the port cabinet or under the bed.
 
Thanks for the reply's. We do have the bus heater, which works great as long as you are motoring. However, we do a lot of boating in the waters of BC Canada and North and often in April/May and Sept/Oct it is quite cold when you are on the hook for 3 or 4 days. We have heard of a Kerosene heater which has a blower - it is called a Wallas 1300 which you can install on the Port Galley counter close to the V-berth. We are wondering if anyone has used this or any other similar unit and how effective it is in cold weather (not only to take the chill off but also preventing condensation over night). Thanks Jody and Cliff
 
When I ordered my boat, I considered getting a Wallas stove/heater but thought it was over priced. I have since seen where some people had a lot of problems with the Wallas stove. Other people love it. I guess it is one of those thing that either works or doesn't.

Ranger is now offering a Webasto heater on their larger boats. It appears to be compact and is frugal on its use of diesel and electric. My concern would be: where would it be installed, and where would the vents be placed. It looks like a good option. Here is a link http://marine.webasto.us/products/webasto-heaters/air-top-2000-st.html
 
RProffer":iii7g6rz said:
There is something I do not understand. I have a 2010 R21 EC and it came with a cabin heater that runs off the engine coolant (like a car heater). It was standard equipment - not optional equipment. Was the heater not available on the earlier R21 EC's? I believe a heater was not available on the classic R21's............
Click to expand...

I'm not sure when it became standard equipment, but ours was built without one. We get a lot of nice winter days here where the temp would be just a bit low for real comfort, even with the sun shining. The heater has let us use the boat quite a few extra days.

I prefer to minimize the number and types of fuel tanks and containers I have on board. Even Butane can be an explosion hazard if a canister leaks. I take that chance because even a cup of instant coffee (Ptuii!) is better than none. Propane requires lots of thought and safety systems. Any open-flame unit presents a fire hazard and an oxygen depletion risk.

One problem with doing a great deal to an R21 is that space is so limited. And basic systems are not in place to support other types of heat. I am thankful our boat also has no A/C or refrigerator. The space they use, let alone the energy, is more valuable to me than their intended function. The tendency to turn a 21' boat into a 30' boat is generally a failure, with many dollars poured in and utility reduced to that of a runabout. That at not much less than it would have cost to buy the 30' boat in the first place.
 
Wallas makes a single burner (#800) cooktop/heater unit. They work on diesel. I had a two burner in my C-Dory and it worked great for cooking and heat. They are a little pricey, but you can kill two birds with one stone. No open flame either since that seems to be a concern of yours.

Mike Rizzo
 
Add one more vote for the Wallas.
 
When I saw a Wallas heater on a R-21 EC at the Ranger Rendezvous, I e-mailed Andrew asking what it would cost to get one on my boat. It turns out the owners of the boat I saw had the factory install the heater when the boat was built. It is definitely NOT a standard feature.

If I wanted to add it to my 2009 R-21 EC, here's what' Andrew said is involved:

"Wallas Heater approximate cost is $2000.00. Passenger seat has to be raised to allow for extra height of the stove.
Fiberglass cutout of existing stove has to be modified. Might have to make some sort of template as I think your cutout is larger than the wallas calls for. Have to change out vent fitting in the side of your boat with a larger fitting called for the wallas exhaust. This means fiberglass repair on the side of yours where the vent is for the butane stove."

"I would imagine this would be a two day project for an expert. Toughest part would be the fiberglass repairs of the cutout and the existing vent for the old stove. If you left the old vent in place and capped it off, this would certainly knock some time off."

So I concluded that spending $2,000 for the heater -- plus two days of work by an expert, plus associated parts, material, etc. -- it would be cheaper to spend my winters in the Sea of Cortez! 🙂🙂

Cheers,

JtheK
 
O.K. here's another vote for the Sea of Cortez !!
 
Well, alrighty then - it would seem that we are destined to be cold as the Sea of Cortes does not really work for us during the spring and fall, however, I do want to say thanks so much for all your inputs and if I find a realistic solution to my problem, I will be sure to let you all know. Gizmo
 
One clarification:

The Wallas 800 stove burns kerosene, not diesel. The larger model 85D burns diesel.

Thanks.
 
One thing that has to be taken into consideration with any heat-producing device that uses combustion, even catalytic "combustion", is oxygen depletion in a closed space. It is not only important to have a path for combustion products to escape but to have either an installed path for outside air or (even better and) an oxygen depletion sensor.

Our R21 has some paths through the bilge for air intrusion, but I still would not want to be in the pilot house very long without providing additional oxygen. I sure wouldn't sleep with the majority of combustion systems running. That, of course, is primarily when I would want "engineless" heat available. At my age, new brain cells are out of the question, and I am losing enough daily that I prefer not to speed up the process. And it is possible to lose enough due to oxygen depletion that all function ceases. 😱
 
I would like to install one of the tiny wood burning stoves. (Sardine I think is the name) Only place would be where the factory stove is. Then it would take away the passenger seat as well. But it would be very cozy.
Eric EC 21 Mechanicsburg Pa
 
eric":2dpb8bsx said:
I would like to install one of the tiny wood burning stoves..........
Click to expand...

But then you would have to tow a wood-pile and couldn't tow a dinghy.
 
We have the "Sardine" wood stove on our schooner and it works great, but, I don't think you would want to have it in a small boat like a 21 EC - way too hot - by the way, we burn 1/2 wood and 1/2 charcoal. We have pretty much given up the idea of an extra heat source on board our 21 - I think we either need a bigger Tug or don't boat in cold weather lol
 
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