Accessing the Cabin Heater

Webmaster's Note: An exchange of postings took place on the SENTOA listserv in May, 2011, regarding the how to remove the forward steps and risers on the Nordic Tug to access the HeaterCraft cabin heater for maintenance (tightening hose clamps for example). Al McKenney (Nordic Star 32-178) has provided a write up with photo and illustrations. If you have any questions, you may contact him via email at aem28@verizon.net.

Note from Bob Shamek at Nordic Tugs: You can tell if your boat has a cabin heater if the hoses that feed hot engine ooolant to the domestic water heater also run through the forward engine room bulkhead. Only the 34 and 26 models are currently equipped with cabin heaters using engine heat. If your boat is not equipped with a cabin heater and you would like to add one it can be installed behind the steps going to the forward cabins. If you add a heater to your boat you will need to cut into only one line. I would suggest the line that comes off of the top of the engine or the outgoing line you will get the most heat off of it and put less heat into the domestic water heater which doesn't need to be at engine temperature. Remember the water circuit can not run above the engine and you should not have any loops that can trap air in the cooling system.

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