[Public-List] Cabin heating, ice box, & going electric

[Kurt R via Public-List]

Hi all - Some contributions on the various topics. :)

Re: heating - I have lived aboard year-round for over 11+ years on 2 boats,
an Ariel for 9+ years, then my current I36 for the last 2, and will be
living on the A30 starting in another couple of weeks for the foreseeable
future. I think I have tried every type of heater *except* for the
electric-powered, diesel-fueled, forced air heaters (which I hear are very
nice, but at $600 are a bit expensive to experiment with ;) ). Dockside, I
stick with electric radiant heaters - they do not heat the entire cabin to
keep you warm, they heat what they are pointed at, and instantly upon being
turned on. The one caveat with them - as with any electrics - is resistance
which can cause overheating of wires/connections and thus possibly a fire.
Feed them with fat cords to solve this; I run a dedicated 12/14g line from
the pedestal just for the heater, one of the quartz ribbon types from
WalMart for around only $30.
Last year I picked up a "Cubic Mini wood stove" (Google that) to add to the
mix, and for away-from-dock heat. These little woodstoves are manufactured
in Canada and seem to be the best bang-for-the-buck in their type. I used
the Cubic Mini last winter, and having done so, would say go ahead and get
the Cubic Grizzly, instead. It is just a few inches larger, but still a
good deal and those inches will make for easier and less frequent fueling.
I found that I get about 2-3 hours of burn between firebox reloads,
depending on the fuel. The "perfect" fuel, when available, are the
condensed sawdust (with NO additives) logs; cut each log into 3 pieces, and
you get 2+ hours of good heat per piece. Natural lumber burns quicker and
is 'free' from a money standpoint, but the time you spend harvesting and
cutting it to fit into the stove far outweighs the ~$5 cost of a six-pack
(x3 pieces = 18 burns total) of the 'manufactured' lumber. Also, the
sawdust logs leave very, very little in the way of ash.

Re: icebox - check out the Engel Fridge/Freezer - I have had one for 6
years, and they are "the bomb". :) Absolutely worth every penny.

Re: going electric - this guy rolled his own with a motor from a forklift.
Worth a look:
http://www.sailinguma.com/electro-beke/#why-electric