Shivering in Seattle

This fall has been uncharacteristicly cold here in the PNW. We have had a few weeks since the end of October that have been below freezing every day. Up until then the little space heater has been sufficient to keep the boat warm but even with the addition of two more space heaters, it just wasn't cutting it anymore.

One of the first purchases we bought for Sweets was skippy, a shipmate, cast iron wood stove.

Mark spent many painstaking hours installing the tiling and heat guards around it.

So pretty. We couldn't wait to use it and were completely sure it would keep our business at toasty warm all winter long.

Unfortunately, as with everything else on a boat, nothing is as easy as we anticipate it would be. Firstly, the stove is very small, so we can't use regular firewood, we need to buy the energy logs and coin them up to fit. They are decently cost effective but because of their small size they do not burn very long and the stove needs to be restocked every hour, not very convenient for overnight heating. 

Second, we struggled with a backdraft down the chimney. The combination of the crazy wind here, the addition of the cockpit enclosure dating and negative pressure inside the boat, we spent many days, trying to light a fire just to be choked out by smoke billowing into the cabin. 

Finally we managed to get the hang of lighting the fire very hot, very quickly, so that the heat creates an instant updraft and once it is going, it's fine for the day. 

We have all been snuggling up in touques and warm coats. 

On the freezing days, we wake up to the marina completely covered in ice, it was a bit disconcerting to see an inch layer of ice over the ocean. 

We love our little skippy, it heats the main cabin really well, with the addition of the thermoelectric fan, it circulates the air to heat better. Unfortunately because of the way the boat is laid out, the heat doesn't reach in the kids cabins or up front to the v berth very well, so we still use the electric heaters in these spaces.

Energy logs 

We needed to put heat sealant around the creases in the chimney pipe because when the fire would die down, smoke would start to seep through the cracks until we got it hot enough again for a strong draft, worked like a charm.

With so many option when it comes to boat heating, we researched them all, propane, diesel, alcohol, butane, wood, there are pros and cons to all options but we are happy with our choice of solid fuel. Even with the added hassle and mess of having to chop and haul in wood, we feel it is the hottest, driest and safest heat.