If you’re starting from scratch, how
can you find out how much heat you need?
Well, you can estimate pretty
closely the hourly amount of heat you need for a cabin by multiplying the
volume in cubic feet by a number varying from 10 to 20, depending on how
fiercely cold the winter is in your area. The result is expressed in British
Thermal Units, or Btu/hour.
In sub-tropical Florida, for
example, the number would probably be 10; in southern California it would be 12
or 13; Washington state would rate about 15 or 16; and New England would be
about 20.
For example, let’s say you have a
cabin measuring 10 feet by 8 feet by 6 feet. That’s 480 cubic feet. If you lived in San Diego (number 13) you’d
need a heater capable of putting out 480 x 13 = 6,240 Btu/hour.
If you lived in Maine (number 20),
your heater should be capable of producing 480 x 20 = 9,600 Btu/hour.
If you take it into your head to
cruise all over the place, you should probably work out the coldest climate and
the length of time you’re likely to be there, and make some sort of
compromise. There’s not much point in
having a big, fierce heater if it’s not used for the majority of the time.
Very small boats might prove an
exception to the formula rule expressed above. I have cruised on boats so small
that a Coleman pressure kerosene lamp was adequate to heat the cabin and dry
out our soaked underwear as well.
Don’t be tempted to use a household
kerosene heater, though. They are too easily tipped over on a boat and they produce
enough carbon monoxide to kill you.
Remember that carbon monoxide is present wherever there is an open flame
or an engine exhaust. If your source of
heat is gas or kerosene you should either make sure to open a porthole or
companionway slide to admit fresh air (and thereby cool down the cabin, which
seems to defeat the whole object of the exercise) or have a proper smoke stack
to dispose of the fumes laden with carbon monoxide.
Finally, if you have no heater, or
your source of heat fails, try rum. If your insides are toasty warm, it hardly
matters how cold the surrounding air is.
Today’s
Thought
We
have all sinned and come short of the glory of making ourselves as comfortable
as we easily might have done.
— Samuel Butler the Younger, The Way of All Flesh
Tailpiece
Doctors keep telling us
that exercise kills germs. But how do you get the pesky little things to
exercise?
(Drop by every Monday,
Wednesday, Friday for a new Mainly about Boats column.)
