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You can recognize boats with a solid fuel heater by the presence of a Charlie Noble of significant diameter protruding from the deck. And by the smiles of the crew who enjoy a warm and dry cabin in particularly cold and nasty weather.
This Charlie Noble (on Calypso, #543) protrudes from a fiberglass ring glassed into the cabin top. A plastic food storage bowl was used for the mold to make this ring.
The cozy cabin with a Dickerson Newport heater is Surprise, #426.
The installations on Surprise and Calypso are similar belowdecks, with Surprise taking a few extra steps. Notice the metal ring around the stovepipe and the shield on the bulkhead behind the stovepipe. These are worthwhile precautions to deal with the heat (and the ring provides a more finished look).
Calypso has never experienced any difficulties with the simpler installation.
As the stove on Surprise is mounted a little further to the left, the heat shield on the short bulkhead on that side is probably a necessity.
Here you can see the use of long bolts to privide an airspace between the stove and bulkhead on Surprise. On Calypso the stove (an older model of the Dickerson Newport) has a built-in space with insulation in the back.
This photo shows the height of the installation on Calypso.
This Hot Pot stove is an alternative to the Dickerson Newport.
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Offshore Sailing
by Bill Seifert with Daniel Spurr
We went to a Windjammers lecture to hear Bill Seifert and I was impressed enough to buy
the book on the spot. I've heard a lot of people talk about ways to improve a boat, but
I've never heard one person suggest so many good ideas that I hadn't considered. Part
of the charm is the specificity of the suggestions. Everyone says you should secure your
floorboards, hatchboards and batteries. Bill shows good suggestions on how to do so.
The suggestions are very practical for the do-it-yourselfer, too. Many show how to
make or adapt inexpensive solutions. Tip #12 on closing the deck blower vents is one
that will pay off for me without ever going offshore. I'll implement that one to
stop the wintertime storms from finding their way belowdecks.
Besides modifications, the book also includes advice for operating offshore, cooking,
boat selection, dealing with bureaucracy, and more.
Bill Seifert has worked at Tartan, TPI, and Alden Yachts. He's a veteran of many
Marion-Bermuda races and now runs his own yacht management company. His tips are
born of experience--not of book-learning--and it shows. He obviously knows his
stuff.
(Note: commissions earned from this link help defray the costs of this website)
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