snowgoose elite heating system

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sistef51
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 4:39 pm

snowgoose elite heating system

Post by sistef51 »

Hello, I have just bought a 1988 snowgoose 37 elite. Does anybody have a scheme or photos about the installation of a Webasto or equivalent heating system?
Thanks
excalibur
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 11:26 pm

Re: snowgoose elite heating system

Post by excalibur »

I have a 1983 Snowgoose (non-elite) with a webasto hot water heating system installed. What would you like to know?
excalibur
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 11:26 pm

Re: snowgoose elite heating system

Post by excalibur »

Our Snowgoose has a Webasto water heating unit installed to the port side of the engine in the engine compartment. The exhaust is to the port of the rear engine access hatch. It heats glycol (antifreeze) which runs through heater hose up through the bottom of the center nacelle bilge. The hose supplies hot water to a hot water heater mounted directly below the main cabin queen berth, and to two ducted heaters in the main cabin. One ducted heater is mounted directly below the main entry door, and blows out into the floor of the central nacelle, the other is mounted up high in the starboard cabin near its entry door, and blows out onto the steps down into the galley. The previous owner also installed a switch to disable the ducted heater fans to not heat the cabin up too much while still making hot water. If this is a real concern, you could just install valves to the heaters and shut them down in the hot summer months.

It works pretty darn well. Our snowgoose is fully insulated, so that helps, but the heater will keep the boat at 70 when the outside temps are in the high 30's and rainy and windy. To do that though, the heaters are on 90% of the time. In better weather (say 50's) it runs about 20% of the time.

The unit is controlled via a wall mounted thermostat, so pretty simple.

I would not rely on it for primary liveaboard heating due to the component replacement costs (I use electric heat for that) but while out cruising, it sure is wonderful to have a warm boat.

I should mention this would work even better if the engine onboard was freshwater cooled, then the heating and water heat could just come from the engine while running, but alas I have the 3GM30, RAW water cooled version. Oh well. :roll:
sistef51
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 4:39 pm

Re: snowgoose elite heating system

Post by sistef51 »

Thanks for your answer. I still have to understand how to get inside the central nacelle to fit the hot water pipes but I'll find out. Do you have any pictures available of the ducted heaters and the place where they are installed? this could help me to understand. For sanitary hot water I was thinking about an instant gas heater (as it was previously installed and removed) in the port head. There is an electric boiler but it runs 220 v electricity and I can use it only when I am moored.
A Webasto air heater is probably simpler but I understand that it would need long pipes to duct hot air throughout the whole cat. I would like to warm up the head/shower as well.
Still which model is your WEbasto and how much diesel do you need per day in winter
I have a rough water cooled Yanmar diesel too but useless when you're wind sailing
Thanks very much
sistef51
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 4:39 pm

Re: snowgoose elite heating system

Post by sistef51 »

I think I have solved the problem of heating: bought a second hand Mase 2kw diesel electric generator. The 220 v wiring is already present in the cat and I'll use fan heaters. The generator will be useful for other purposes as well
Bye for now and happy sailing to everybody!

Stefano
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