Dickinson Heaters
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         Sailnet/TOG Tayana List 

     www.dickinsonmarine.com/shop5/categories-heaters.asp

   I have a Dickinson diesel heater that works well.  I installed it 14 years ago and it still puts out the heat.  Works well at a heel while sailing and it works well burning all night.  It does get dirty and you have to keep up with cleaning it.  That is the one advantage that propane heaters have over the diesel heaters as far as I can see.

John B. Van Zwieten    						 	               February 2002
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   I have a Dickenson Antarctic and find it runs very dirty.....nice heat though.  A fan ....12 volt or a Lafrano (?) on the stove makes all the difference. The nicest heater I have seen in the same price range is the Faball....never hear complaints on that one

Denis Beaudry										    February 2002
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Todd,
   We have a Newport diesel heater (Dickinson) ,uses the same fuel tank as the engine. The heat is dry and the boat stays warm especially with a cabin fan on. It does need to be leaned once in a while but it's not a big deal. It's been on the boat for about 13 years but didn't get much use in FL but does get used in WA and BC.

Bruce Walasek		 						   	    February 2002 
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Denis,
   Is that dirt (soot) inside the boat or on the cabin top?  I was considering buying the same stove as the one you have installed.

Jim Grant										    February 2002
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   When you go on a boat with the Faball.....the heater itself stays very clean...inside and around it.  Boils water on top very nicely  also. My Antarctic won’t do that. I have a friend who actually built his own (one of the nicest I have seen) for his last boat and currently has the Faball on his new boat.

   He loves it. I don't believe I get as complete a combustion as the Faball.  The fan on top is a must. I have a 12 volt fan on the bulkhead above and notice the difference within minutes, especially at a few degrees below zero.

Denis Beaudry									 	    February 2002
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   I have a Dickerson Chesapeake on my V-42.  It feeds off of the main diesel tank using an impulse pump that keeps the pressure in the line to the heater at a given pressure.  It works quite well - on cold days in Annapolis the pump impulses about once every 30 seconds and is almost silent when it does.  Its quite straightforward.

John B. Van Zwieten									      August 2002
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   I am using the same heater "Antarctic "and have a 2 gallon tank that feeds the heater by gravity. I have an electric fuel pump to fill this 2 gallon day-tank… easy as flipping a switch.  Same pump as is used to fill my Racors....which means I have a spare.

Denis & Patti Beaudry      S/V Tayana						      August 2002
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   We're getting ready to install a Dickinson Chesapeake diesel fired cabin heater and I would like some recommendations about supplying fuel to it. The most convenient way would be to use an electric pump to supply fuel directly from the main tank. The low tech option would be gravity feed from a "day" tank.

   The electric pump option avoids having to find a place to put the day tank and the inevitable fuel spills that would occur (in the cabin) when filling it. However, if the pump fails to cut off, it could pump the entire contents of the main tank into the bilge via the cabin.

    With the gravity feed option, the worst spill would be a couple of gallons. However, there would always be the drips from filling it.

   A small tank and a manual or momentary-on electric pump seems to be the best way to avoid spills, but at the complication of having both a tank and a pump.

   Has anyone had any experience with any of these methods? Are there alternatives? Can the direct feed method be made reliable enough that spills are extremely unlikely?

Coleman Blake      Traveler     T-37    #328						      October 2003
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   Prudence has a vintage Dickinson "Antarctic" model gravity fed diesel space heater. I've got a 5 gallon day tank in the "wall" of the head feeding the heater. Access for filling the tank is through an opening in the cabin top.

   I live onboard 24/7 and even though I'm in San Diego those cool winter winds DO blow across the bay. I've found the Dickinson to be reliable and easy to start with a pinch of toilet-paper. Also, it's quiet and goes for a looooong time on 5 gallons. Prudence also has an electric booster fuel pump plumbed into a two-way valve; one way primes the Perkins, the other way fills the day tank in the head from the diesel tank in the bilge.

   The flue is rather large at 4 inches, but it draws nicely and I haven't had a bit of trouble with the entire unit. If I were to replace it I would certainly look at a Dickinson. They seem solidly built and easy to maintain.

   There was also a small 12 VDC fan bolted to the underside of the heater, as an assist I assume to complete combustion. Since it didn't work I removed it to simplify the heater and I haven't missed it at all. Of course if I were headed to the real arctic (meaning north) I would certainly install a new assist fan.

John Kalpus     Prudence     Tayana 37     San Diego					      October 2003
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   Our T37 came with the Dickenson Arctic heater.  Learning curve for us.  It must be clean, clean, clean when you first fire it up.  Follow the owner’s manual.  Ours just had 'a little soot' in the area of the burner hole. My wife fired it up the first time.  Started easily, looked nice and went downhill from there.  (Diesel smoke is very oily for the uninitiated)  More checking showed a few potential problems.  We are gravity feed from the bow tank.  it runs through an automotive type sediment bowl/filter then a pressure regulator.  Those all needed to be cleaned.  Then the 'carburetor' needed cleaned.  Not really a carb, but a float bowl/needle valve regulator.  After all that and several internal soot cleanings it seems to be working OK, with the exception of a slow drip at one of the copper connections between the regulator and the stove.  Hard to get the copper bent sharply enough to make it all fit.  I'm sure it will fit, just need to hold your mouth right when assembling.

   We put a Webasto forced air diesel heater in our other boat and like it real well.  Our only sailing at this time is in the Pacific Northwest from November to March.  Did I mention condensation prior to the Webasto?  We had a Force 10 bulkhead kerosene heater prior to the Webasto.  Might be OK for an occasional snappy morning, but definitely not for winter cruising in the PNW.

   The Webasto is easy to install and maintain, runs on a thermostat and is out of the way.  We ran the ducting through the lockers with outlets strategically placed where my wife’s cold feet can always find them. Warm porcelain in the morning can be a good thing.

   If the Dickenson continues to belch out diesel soot, it's gone and a Webasto will take its place.

Michael Kahler	S/V Liberation		PH 37					     October 2003
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   Thanks for all the information and experiences regarding the diesel and propane heaters. Ours is actually a Chesapeake II model. It came (uninstalled and unused) with the boat. The manual mentions two ways to supply fuel:

 1) gravity feed from a storage tank 12" above the oil metering valve (I am not crazy about that being located in the hanging locker) which the manufacturer prefers, and 
2) an impulse pressure pump to supply diesel from the main tank (for us aft amidships between the galley and nav station). The manual also warns that, while this is the simplest method, the pump cannot pressurize more than 3 PSI or "dangerous flooding may result." 

    We don't know exactly how old the unit is, but it's not much newer than the boat, an '83). Perhaps there have been technological improvements in pump reliability and technology since the manual was printed?

   In any event, the yard will do the installation. They said that the most common installation is the pump from the main tank, but they are going to research and make suggestions and ultimately install it however we decide....

   It all comes down to the "what ifs"....bright idea - maybe I should check out a mfgr website and see if there is any worthwhile info. In the meantime, all comments are greatly appreciated.

   And yes, the heater may be a bit of overkill for the Chesapeake most of the time, but we plan to spend time cruising Maine.

Sandra Blake		T37 Traveler		Hull #328			  	     October 2003
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Sandra/Coleman:
   We also have a Dickinson aboard MISTRESS which is installed but has not been used since we bought the boat.  It is the "Newport" model -- not sure how that differs from yours, but I doubt the basic technology has changed much. Our system is gravity fed from a custom tank installed above the starboard hanging closet.  The previous owner said it worked well once you learned how to correctly light it and adjust the feeder line correctly.  I've heard from several sources that this unit will also run on kerosene, and that it burns much cleaner that way. I've misplaced the owner's manual, so I'll have to get some confirmation of this directly from Dickinson 
www.dickinsonmarine.com/shop5/categories-heaters.asp . If this is true, I would say that this would tip the balance in favor of a separate gravity-feed tank over the fuel-pump option in my book. Good luck.

Dayton Eckerson     T-37 #215 	MISTRESS 				  	      October 2003
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Dayton,
   We've got a copy of the Chesapeake owner’s manual - probably isn't that much different from the Newport. Big difference between the Newport and the Chesapeake II is that the Newport is still in production. The Chesapeake II is/was a taller unit and has a window "fireplace."  I visited the Dickinson site and plan to give them a call. I seem to recall that the manual said these heaters would burn either fuel, but they had to be set up specifically for one or the other.

Sandra Blake		T37 Traveler		Hull #328				      October 2003
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Sandra,
   I just got off the phone with Dickinson's customer support person. She said that the diesel heaters can burn kerosene if you recalibrate the fuel supply valve.  "John" is going to call me back to walk me through this.  The procedure is apparently described in the owner's manual, but I've managed to lose it somehow. . . . . When I get the call, I'll get his opinion on  how much cleaner the heater burns with kerosene.  I've heard from several users that the difference is significant. 

Dayton	 Eckerson 								  	      October 2003
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   I have the Dickinson "Antarctic".  It sure keeps the boat cozy. I have a 2-gallon tank for gravity feed. The tank is filled by way of a diesel pump. Owners with the "Faball" heater feel it burns much cleaner than Dickinson heater...and having seen theirs in operation, I agree.  I believe Faball was started by previous Dickinson employees.

Denis Beaudry				S/V Tayana					      October 2003
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   For those that live in colder climates, I was wondering what type of heating systems are being used.  Presently, I have a Newport bulkhead mount that runs on diesel.  The heat distribution throughout the boat is not good, as there are no external fans circulating the air.  Before I install the fans, I thought it would be a good idea to see what others are doing to keep the interior of the boat warm and comfortable on those cold/rainy days.  Appreciate your thoughts.

Dennis Rampe        	Seasmoke (hull #534 - Seattle) 				    February 2004
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Hi,
   I just installed a Dickinson P1200 propane fireplace (purchased through Sailnet) on our T-37.  The unit is installed at the end of the starboard settee on the side of the hanging locker.  It has a built-in fan and really cranks out the heat.  A very easy installation.  We used it this past weekend in Port Townsend and it kept the cabin over 70 degrees on the "low" setting.  On our trip back (up Rosario Strait), we kept the unit going- no problems, even with 30+ knot gusts.  I'd recommend the unit.

   I still have a installation-yet-to-be-completed Espar hot water boiler system.  I'll still finish the installation- but doubt that we'll use it much now with the propane fireplace.

   You can see a picture of the installation at 
http://groups.msn.com/ObliosPlace/heartsday.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=90

Steve	SV Victoria Rose    T37 #384    Sailing out of Anacortes, WA      		    February 2004
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All,
   It appears that Sailnet does not carry diesel heaters.  So I 'm publishing the below info.
 
   Go2marine is running a sale on Dickenson heaters at $499.  Seems like a very attractive price.
http://www.go2marine.com/frameset.jsp?servletPath=/g2m&action=GoBPage&id=20001F&WT.mc_id=em3
 
  I'm curious to know why prices vary so much.  Quality can be a factor, but almost $1k more?  Wow.
 
fyi, John        Celtic Dream							             November 2004
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Hey Group...
   My Prudence has a classic Dickinson "Antarctic" diesel heater, vented outside. It's one helluva heater, let me tell you! It's a simple gravity fed, cast iron, heater. There used to be a fan located below the whole shebang and I removed that due to noise. Now I simply use a Hella fan to blow air across the vent pipe and that keeps me toasty all winter long.
 
   Granted, San Diego isn't exactly the Arctic, but she DID come from the Pacific Northwest and one previous owner lived aboard in the Seattle area for 10 years.
 
Regards, John Kalpus		San Diego						     January 2005
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   Just a note, Dickinson Antarctic also sells a model with a water heating coil inside the heater, works great...

Bill McMullen										      January 2005
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Jordon,
   Here's my experience with the Dickinson stove. We keep it set to the medium burn level most of the time. Low just doesn't seem to give us consistent performance. In gusty winds we get smoky back drafts on the low setting. In heavy winds or while sailing we keep it turned up fairly high and have the fan on medium.

   Cleaning is less frequent if a good medium hot fire is used. The major reason for most cleanings is the soot build up on the walls of the fire chamber. The carbon will cover the 20 or so vent holes which will cause an improper air to fuel ratio and the fire can go out if this is allowed to continue for long.

   We aren't hesitant about leaving the stove going while we are away during the day. Maybe we should be, but we feel we've learned the stove well enough to know if things are OK or not. We burn about 1 1/4 gallons in 24 hours.  It's a great stove for the Pacific Northwest.

Bill Laughlin		CT37  FALCON	Bellingham, WA			     January 2005
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Nick,
   Oh boy! That was a good one. About a week before my main sailing vacation this year I figured I'd top off my tanks. Then an error made during the calibration of my new fuel sender resulted in my filling all the way to the deck. No big deal. A couple of squirts of dish detergent and the hose was enough to clean that up. Now I went down below and heard running water, or so I thought. A sound we are all tuned to recognize immediately. %$^&***** The diesel was pouring out of my Newport diesel heater, which I love by the way but that's one for another topic, over the starboard forward cushion covers. Like every installation design, it has to be considered under all conditions. I had not taken into account that the standing column of fuel in deck filler would reverse-pressurize the 1/4" copper return line to the heater control valve. Fortunately I have valves on every line and was able to shut the system down but not before I dumped the diesel onto my cushions.

    I drained the standing column of fuel out using the fuel filters then proceeded to remove the diesel out of the cushions via gravity before washing them repeatedly with hot water and dish soap. Then I tried clothes detergent. All to no avail - the cushions and lee cloth, even to my acetone, epoxy, anti-fouling, teak dust damaged male olfactory nerves still stank. Then I hit up on the EPA site and their idea worked a treat. In my opinion, the vanilla smells a little like diesel but much nicer. Hence the reason it masks so well.

    Even with my nose up against the cushion covers, 3-months later the cushions do not smell at all. Alternatively, perhaps I smell like diesel and therefore don't notice the smell any longer.

James Hambly									              November 2005
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John, 
    I am happy to provide photo's of the Hurricane install. As far as the maintenance goes the Dickinson heater is very low maintenance. I vacuum out the burner pot once a year when we were living aboard the boat. It takes about ten minutes.  We let it burn 24 hrs a day when the winds were not extreme. When the winds get above 25-30 we just be sure to maintain positive cabin pressure, in other words we make sure to not leave leeward ports open without a windward port open. I love the Dickenson, the boat is always HOT and dry and we showered everyday aboard for the 6 years we lived aboard. Great heater. I do not have a day tank. I installed a dedicated pickup from the main tank with a Walbro 2.5-5psi fuel pump. It just clicks once every 7-8 seconds like clockwork. 

    The Hurricane seems to be very well designed and very clean burning. I have not had it long enough to swear by it yet but so far so good. A family member has had a hurricane aboard now for a year and a half with no issues, just a once a year burner pot cleaning. No smoke and super quiet operation with no smoke.
 
BJ Benson   T-37 NelleBly   Port Ludlow   www.familyyachtclub.com		  September 2006
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Mike, John Keefe,
    You have both been asking about heaters.  Harvey has been kind enough to post some pictures for me. Thanks Harvey.

ftp://tognews.com/Heater_Dickinson_JHambly/

   I installed the Dickinson Newport diesel heater with water coil and combined a fuel polisher system using Rich's ideas. Thanks Rich. The water side I have not used but as a convection heater I love the unit. Low maintenance but does require 12-volts for the pump (unless you use gravity feed) and to burn cleanly the 12-volt, built-in fan used to create an increased updraft really needs to run on at least low. So as you've guessed, the heater is not silent when in operation. 

   I also noticed the deck head heats up to the point where the fiberglass is very hot to the touch if a fan is not run to blow the hot air back down and away from the head lining. I've been using a 110-volt AC unit for now as the heater is only run in the winter time on shorepower but will be installing one or two 12-volt fans to remove the shore side dependence. Perhaps a stack with a good heat sink would be an improvement and would not require a fan to remove the heat. Still, the warm air needs to be circulated around the cabin otherwise the area around the heater is toasty and the remainder of the boat takes a long time to heat up.

   There is some soot buildup in the bottom of the burn chamber but over two winters I have only had to clean the inside of the door so that I can see the flame burning nicely on those chilly winter nights. The deck has some staining around the stack but it's not too bad. When wrapped for the winter I run the heater with a 3' galvanized extension pipe out through a piece of ply sealed into the shrink-wrap.

   The only failure has been a bearing in the built-in fan. A replacement unit was mailed quickly although I have yet to install the new unit. To replace the fan I think that the entire heater will have to be removed.

   A word of warning if you use your main fuel tank as fuel source: turn off the heater's 1/4" return line when you fill your tanks all the way up. The fuel will siphon out when under pressure back to the heater.

James Hambly										 September 2006
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James,
   Nice installation job. We have the same model of Dickinson mounted in the same place as yours. It had a dedicated gravity feed tank, which has rusted out. Replacement tank not yet installed. We haven't used ours much, but when we have we've been using kerosene because it burns cleaner. Conversion to kerosene requires only a small adjustment to the burner. I'd be interested in hearing more about how, as a live-aboard, you use your heater during the winter months, i.e., do you turn it on only at night and on weekends when you are "home"?

Dayton Eckerson	T-37 MISTRESS (#215)			   		 September 2006
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