Cabin heater

[Gachong]

Did the 1977 Santa Cruz not come with a cabin heater? If it did, can someone please help me locate it? It’s getting colder here in the NW.

[Cooler]

They did not have that option. None of the boats from 77 had AC/Heat, although they did have shore power connection available. You can heat your cabin pretty easily with an electric heater. Just be sure to consider safety as a prime requirement. er

[km1125]

Are you talking underway or at rest??

Few boats of that vintage and size had AC or heat. I had thought for several years (and still occasionally) to put a heat exchanger off the engines to heat the cabin while running. We took one October trip shortly after I bought the boat and had a Coleman heater inside the cabin!!! It would get warm, but the windows fogged so bad you couldn't see outside!! (not to mention the safety aspects of having and running that inside a closed cabin!!)

Would be pretty easy to add heat exchangers. There are some kits on the market with blowers and all, but you could do it pretty easy DIY.

If it's for at rest or at the dock, then some small electric heaters were pretty good. Just make sure they are the safer ones and aren't used where they could cause a hazard. We used a "ceramic" one for a few years.

If it's for overnighting while still at the dock, another thing to consider is a heated blanket. We use on in the early and late season and it's awesome for some cozy sleep and doesn't draw too much power (200-300w). I feel much better using that than leaving an electric space heater running all night.

[tomschauer]

Also keep in mind a cabin heater will not keep your freshwater or engine cooling raw water from freezing.

[Gachong]

Source of the post Are you talking underway or at rest??

Few boats of that vintage and size had AC or heat. I had thought for several years (and still occasionally) to put a heat exchanger off the engines to heat the cabin while running. We took one October trip shortly after I bought the boat and had a Coleman heater inside the cabin!!! It would get warm, but the windows fogged so bad you couldn't see outside!! (not to mention the safety aspects of having and running that inside a closed cabin!!)

Would be pretty easy to add heat exchangers. There are some kits on the market with blowers and all, but you could do it pretty easy DIY.

If it's for at rest or at the dock, then some small electric heaters were pretty good. Just make sure they are the safer ones and aren't used where they could cause a hazard. We used a "ceramic" one for a few years.

If it's for overnighting while still at the dock, another thing to consider is a heated blanket. We use on in the early and late season and it's awesome for some cozy sleep and doesn't draw too much power (200-300w). I feel much better using that than leaving an electric space heater running all night.

Yes I’m wanting to heat up while underway. I was just thinking of just using a heater core with an adjustable blower motor.

[km1125]

Source of the post
Yes I’m wanting to heat up while underway. I was just thinking of just using a heater core with an adjustable blower motor.

That's exactly what I was thinking of doing, but just never did it.

Google around for some products. I don't have the link but there is a company that makes a nice unit with a heater core and blower and I don't think it was that expensive...maybe a couple hundred bucks.