Heater installation

This week I have made a start on the prep work for the heater installation, the first task was to seal up a number of redundant openings between the void space and the engine space, the largest being about 32mm diameter I cut out a plywood disk with a hole saw and sealed it in place with some thickened epoxy the remaining couple of holes were only small so they were filled with thickened epoxy. The plan is to take the air supply to the heater from the void space which has a direct connection to the saloon above the head lining in the quarter berth, this should hopefully give a re-circulatory air flow with sufficient fresh air make up via the dorade vents in the saloon to prevent condensation. I then moved on to cutting the openings in the various bulkheads for the hot air duct work using a 92mm hole saw, there are several of these openings that had to be cut blind particularly those behind the up stand in the quarter berth and the one to the aft cabin.

Two openings formed under the galley sink

I have shown a couple of the openings these are the ones that can be seen. That will be about all until after Christmas and I have obtained the necessary kit for the installation so I wish you all the seasons greetings, or bah humbug, depending on your views on the festivities.

Further thoughts on the heater

The first job this week was to finish off the cable duct in the quarter berth I cut some 12mm plywood, I used 12mm as I had some available, and then after fitting it between the two bulkheads I covered it with lining carpet and screwed it into place.

Cable duct through quarter berth

Now that I have more or less decided on the heater installation I spent today finalising the route for the hot air duct work. As previously noted the heater will be installed in the void space at the aft end of the quarter berth in a port/starboard orientation the hot air outlet will connect to a tee so that the duct work can be led aft to the aft cabin and forward to the saloon, heads and forward cabin. The duct to the aft cabin will go through an opening to be formed in the aft bulkhead of the void space through into the under bunk space and then connect to the air terminal fitted in the redundant engine exhaust opening.

Redundant exhaust opening

The duct will come through the bulkhead in the space between the inner moulding and the hull approximately in the centre of the photograph below

The duct work going forward will be installed behind the up stand in the quarter berth inner moulding which can be accessed from the void space, I used a piece of 90mm diameter HDPE to check that the duct will fit. This will conveniently take the duct clear of the water tanks installed in the two aft under bunk spaces.

Up stand in quarter berth below the timber panel

Access to space behind the up stand

A branch will run to the saloon hot air outlet terminal through the forward under bunk space in the quarter berth, the terminal will be just above sole level

Forward under bunk space

The duct will then continue through the space below the cooker into the locker area under the galley sink, I spent quite some time checking on the positions of the openings to ensure that there was adequate clearance from the gas pipe and other fittings in these areas.

Forward under bunk area the cross marks the position of the opening for the duct

Space under the cooker duct will run outboard of the timber gas pipe protector

Once in the under sink locker the duct will run forward and through to the under sink locker in the heads.

The cross marks the position of the opening for the duct

Cross marks the position of the opening through to the heads locker

The duct will then run through the heads locker with a branch to connect to the hot air terminal mounted just above the sole.

Access to the heads locker will be below the shower drain pump

The cross marks the position of the opening through to the forward cabin

From the heads locker the duct will run forward into the under bunk area on the port side of the forward cabin where it will terminate with a hot air terminal just above the cabin sole. At the moment the timber support will take a plastic storage box and a case of beer one of these may have to go to allow the duct through. This post is a bit of a ramble but it is a convenient way of recording my thoughts. Now that I have an installation plan it's just a case of ordering the heater and all the ancillaries and installing it probably after Christmas.

Further thoughts on the heater

I made up and fitted the edge trim for the door to the void space at the aft end of the quarter berth and during the week I completed the varnishing of the trim and applied a second coat of gloss paint to the bulkhead.

Door completed

Bulkhead painted

The next task was to attach the door and then fit and adjust the latch.

Door complete

I spent some time carrying out further investigation into the heater installation, I spoke to Planar's British branch re the length of duct required to heat all spaces throughout the boat bearing in mind the 5 metre limit on duct length. The person that I spoke to seemed to think that there will not be a problem he was apparently well acquainted with the Moody 33. I then went through and measured the duct work required for the installation of the heater in the steering gear space, this would require approximately 10 metres of 90mm flexible duct in all to get right through to the forward cabin. This was well in excess of the stated 5 metre maximum length so I started to look at plan 'B' which is to install the heater in the void space at the aft end of the quarter berth, after carefully measuring I found that only 7.5 metres of flexible duct will be required which is a considerable saving in length as well as saving some money. My only concern is that the heater exhaust will exit through the side of the boat and I have heard of cases of melted fenders or fender lines hence the original plan to install the heater aft and exhaust through the transom. I will probably go with plan 'B' I will just need to be careful when placing fenders and rafting up.

I finished up the week by starting to make cable duct through the quarter berth to cover up the cables that run through it, it should also cover a bit of a gap between the aft bulkhead and the cockpit side it will be nothing more than some plywood covered in the lining carpet to match the existing lining.

Cable to be enclosed note the gap between bulkhead and cockpit side