Staying WARM on a Sailboat - Dickinsons Diesel Heater Install [EP 221]
March 11, 2024 · 18 min · 50K views · Scotland
Crew laughs on snowy deck, boat docked in harbor
What this video covers
Adam and Khiara install a Dickinson diesel heater aboard their Tayana Vancouver 42 during a Scottish winter, rebuilding the saloon specifically to accommodate it.▶ 0:09 The fuel system uses a hybrid gravity-feed and transfer-pump arrangement: a T-junction splices into the main engine fuel line, a lift pump fills a 5-litre day tank, and fuel then gravity-feeds down to the heater through a flared brass fitting — eliminating the constant ticking of a direct-feed pump and preventing fuel starvation to the engine.▶ 1:29 Shutoff valves on both sides of the T-junction isolate the heater circuit from the engine.▶ 3:29 For the flue, they remove a Dorade vent box, cut down the fiberglass deck fitting, build a tapered wooden base to level the chimney on the sloped deck, and seal it with high-heat silicone — a job interrupted three times by snow.▶ 5:17 Wall protection behind the heater uses ceramic insulating bricks plus a stainless steel plate on standoff screws.▶ 9:13 Flaring the copper fuel line inside a tight cupboard requires two attempts.▶ 14:47 An airlock in the fuel line delays first light; disconnecting and reconnecting the line clears it.▶ 16:44 The heater takes roughly 15 minutes to reach operating temperature after priming.▶ 17:42 A day tank sized for roughly 12-hour intervals can be swapped for a larger one if refill frequency proves inconvenient.▶ 13:01
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