74. How do you keep warm on a canal narrowboat (featuring special guest!)

#narrowboat #narrowboats #canal #canals #liveaboard #cruisingthecut
We're right into the middle of winter now and unlike last year, this time it's quite cold with overnight temperatures in the Midlands (where I'm moored) dropping as low as -7C.
So although I've talked about my stove and the radiator system before, this is a dedicated video on the subject of narrowboat heating including various types of stove, diesel-fired radiators and insulation. Plus - there's a very special guest apppearance from Mads and Jökull from Sail Life!
Here's a link to Mads' Sail Life channel:
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Theme music: "Vespers" by Topher Mohr and Alex Alena, from the KZbin music library

[@callaaj1983]

he who chops the wood for the fire warms himself twice

[@johnswimcat]

Warms him or her self several times I'd say! It's a lot of work, I love it though...

[@charliemcgee9803]

Could warm himself 3 times if he cuts enough wood

[@robertwest6350]

@@charliemcgee9803 I see what you did there...

[@nonnius2861]

I've been watching SailLife for over a year now and just started getting into watching your vlogs this month. I had no way of halting the broad smile that spread across my face when you said you had a friend in Denmark with a diesel stove. It couldn't be!? But he did have a diesel stove on Obelix! There must be more than one sailing Dane with a diesel stove? No it isn't. Wait, yes it is! What an emotional roller-coaster of a segway! 😂 Love your videos. How come you didn't present for the BBC? Your videos "inform, educate, entertain" better than most of the dross on these days.

[@SailLife]

As always a fantastic video David! :) Thanks for allowing me to be a part of it :)

[@CruisingTheCut]

Thank you for being a part of it! And hugs to Jokull too!

[@ismiregalichkochdasjetztso3232]

Learning about Refleks stoves was worth the price of admission!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Good

[@johngerty8744]

I'm an electrician in NZ but originally from the UK, we tape up pvc cables with wide packaging tape here to stop the reaction with polystyrene which is used in apartment walls sometimes. Conduit will be hard to retrofit. love the VLOG 😊

[@folkblues4u]

Just started watching your channel today. Seen, maybe, 40 videos so far. I'm just fascinated at this lifestyle! Something romantic about it!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Welcome along!

[@niranthbanks3595]

The first place my wife and I called home was a 12x60 mobile home. It had a wood burning stove in living room that did a bang up job heating kitchen, living room and hall. The two bedrooms and the bathroom, not so much. I put a small battery powered fan on the hallwayceiling near the outside wall. As long as the door was open, each of the rooms was almost toasty. Perhaps you could do the same to keep the Concorde in the hanger.

[@ball__fondler2455]

Love the videos. My wife is a little worried that you don't seem to blink!

[@justbreakingballs]

I’m not sure the camera picks blinks up

[@fuzzylosophy]

Love these vlogs and If there was a drinking game about these videos and you had to take a drink every time he blinked you'd never catch a buzz.

[@waynemoore5747]

Iam from Canada suggestion for hard to heat area in you boat find a small fan that uses little power place it at the cold end of the boat facing the stove and be surprised the cold air blowing toward the stove will be replaced with warm air migrating alone the ceiling to those colder rooms will warm up nicely.

[@SoldiersDad]

I find that cold air flow toward warm air in my house. The cold room starts to warm up

[@juliephelps2026]

Hi David Thanks for another great vlog. We have a diesel stove on our narrowboat. It sits about a third of the way along the boat, and with it on all the time (like your guest presenter) and the ecofan spreading the heat around, it heats the entire boat, including the walk-through bathroom. We're delighted with it. No coal, ash, dust or other mess, just a slight blow back in gusty weather. If it were not for our solid brass (ie. very cold) portholes, we wouldn't have any condensation, either. During the freezing temperatures last week, we had our doors open during the day to regulate the temperature inside. Stay warm!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Thank you; that's good info! May I ask what it costs you to run, as other commentators have suggested a burn rate of about 5 litres / day which would be about £3.50. There's clearly a scientific study to be done about whether heat transfers through a boat better via a hallway or a walk-through bathroom!

[@juliephelps2026]

That's about the right, I should think. It's no more expensive than coal, I'd say. We used to have a multi-fuel Squirrel that made us lovely and warm at one end of the boat, but we got iced in on the cut for several days in January 2016, and were desperate for coal supplies in the end! I hope the main diesel tank (which feeds the stove) would keep us going for longer...

[@CruisingTheCut]

Blimey, where were you last year?! I recall it being quite a mild winter!!

[@juliephelps2026]

Lol! Maybe it was 2015...

[@johnbrookes2196]

So the lesson to be taken from this, for everyone fitting out their boats, is to get the solid fuel stove as central as possible along the length. Enjoyed that thanks

[@CruisingTheCut]

Yes - and to have to stove on the port side of the boat (because that means the chimney will be to port which will be more central when you're going through a tunnel or bridge and therefore less likely to knock the chimney off). Mine alas is on the right :-(

[@briansinclair3967]

Two items come to mind after watching this blog. A small 12 volt fan ceiling mounted just past your dinette would help move the warm air (close to the ceiling) further down the boat. Secondly, here in Canada you can find magnetic windows to add to your caravan windows for winter camping. Don’t know if they would be available there in the uk.

[@VC-Toronto]

For cheap "double glazing", there are kits where you put 2 sided tape around the perimeter, apply a clear film, then using a hair dryer or heat gun to "shrink" the film to get it tight and wrinkle free. Gives that extra break and dead air between the film and the glass.

[@Gail2910]

What I’ve found is that warming our boat is easy - it’s cooling it down in the summer that we have difficulty with…

[@kmanison]

For me, this is probably the most important of your vlogs. Having lived in the tropics for over 40 years, if I do return to England and end up on a narrowboat it HAS to be warm! My blood's thinned out too much over the years. Whenever I went back for a visit with family they complained I kept the house too warm. So the 24/7 capability of a diesel stove looked good, but some of the comments are not very positive. But it does seem that such a stove with a water heater attachment and a convective circulation central heating system is worth more research, for me anyway. Thanks again for a very informative vid.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Definitely worth looking into though it sounds as though it wouldn't be as cheap as coal. Good luck!

[@shaneanderson1036]

A little tip on cleaning the glass door on your solid heater . Cold stove get news paper scrunched up . Dunk news paper in water then into the ash from your fire . Then onto the glass and scrub . Make a slurry by repeating water and ash keep scrubbing . The stains in the glass will easily scrub away . Once clean polish up with a clean scrunched news paper . Job done . Also good for cleaning dirty pots n pans .

[@0HARE]

Thanks for another great video. I really enjoyed it. The cut-away to the diesel heater on the boat in Denmark was excellent. I really like your little coal fired stove. It reminds me of cast iron stoves my grandmothers had when I was a boy. It's so comforting to think of needing heat on your charming boat. Here in Texas, we no longer have real winters any more. The summers here are brutal, though, and air conditioning is essential. Stay Warm!

[@CruisingTheCut]

I don't think I'd like a Texas summer, I don't like it much over 21C!

[@wellingtonfour]

I find putting blanket or thick curtains up at doors and windows will act as extra insulation. Always remembering not to block or cover airway covers as you need air cerculation, Keeping cold out but not airflow. Always take down in the day time or open curtains and open windows for drying in daytime. Condensation needs air flow to dry Bottled Gas can produce 1 gallion of water per bottle when combusted. Hope this is useful? Enjoying the vlogs, hints, tips and comments. Well done!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Plenty of airflow here; windows often open, there are ventilation holes in the roof and in the doors too. Cheers

[@michaelhall9722]

I just wanted to say a quick thank you. You, amongst others, have helped me decide to move onto a narrowboat, finally! Been thinking about it for the last few years so I'm glad to have made up my mind.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Crikey, big decision, hope you have fun!

[@doctorpc4x4]

That stove in the winter would be great for beef and ale or beef and kidney stews

[@NoahTheFacts]

Look into an ash vacuum? It’s like a shop vacuum, only with metal canister, corrugated metal hose and some kind of layered fire-resistant and super-fine filter. I have one for a 1930’s wood and coal cook stove at home, and it’s just brilliant. The most tidy way to deal with ashes.

[@valeriejoyc]

Nice to see you are all snug and warm. Looking forward to seeing some cruising videos this year. Would love to see a video of a typical day for you.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Yes, there will be cruising videos when I go out. "A Day in the Life" is also on my to-do list!

[@myhillslife27]

Thankyou for sharing, LOVE his boat and his heater..

[@MichaelsMustang]

Another excellent vlog, you were practicing your editing skills back then to make life easier now, the switch between the two people was seamless. There are pros and cons of both types of heaters, if I was purchasing new I like the diesel option but in most cases you end up with what the original purchaser chose until a replacement is required. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@russveinot5754]

FYI, As to your cold bedroom, run a 3"-4" tube from the bedroom to the open area of the boat and put a fan to blow air from the bedroom to the front. Keep the intake end low to pull the cooler air out of the bedroom and the warm air will flow in. It won't take much flow in such a small area. I know you get tons of text to read but if you want more info on this idea, let me know. Just found this channel and am enjoying it a lot. Thanks, from over here in Wisconsin, USA.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Cheers

[@MrJimbaloid]

Hello David that noise is what truck drivers have to put up with all winter although when I've finished for the evening/night I turn mine off and use two quilts. It does make a fantastic alarm for the morning if you set it to come on 15 min before brekky though. Then you get out of bed to a lovely warm cab.

[@victoryfirst2878]

Thank you for letting me know about the polystyrene insulation and electric wire insulation reaction which causes fire safety problems. Stay warm too.

[@michaelpilling9659]

Lovely Snuggly. Great video David. Very informative especially the piece from Denmark

[@MrOlddave]

Nicely done. Quite comprehensive. I want to get one of those boats someday, although since I live in the US, I would go with a wide beam. I have the Erie Canal not to far from me. Quite a bit different than what you live with. The speed limit is 45mph in the open zones so I would need a boat that could handle large wakes. It also comes out in the great lakes after about 330 miles so if you want to keep going and do the great loop, you need a more seaworthy vessel. I do envy your life aboard. I have a 38 ft sailboat with a 12 ft beam. I may rent a canal boat and give that a go.

[@JimParris]

Fantastic and thorough! I love how you pulled Mads into it! He's another great channel!

[@CruisingTheCut]

He's a top bloke even if I can't say his name properly, I'm told!

[@DragonForgePottery]

LOL I have been following Mass for years. Got onto your channel during COVID. This cross over made me ☺

[@shnboardman1]

Only recently started watching your channel, truly fantastic

[@CruisingTheCut]

Welcome aboard!

[@slipperedlobster]

heat escaping from windows is always a big pane.

[@MrJimbaloid]

Hmmmmmmmm LOL.

[@helenoftroy4017]

😆 lol

[@dtcov]

Hey Dave your good at this. You even make heating a boat exiting & informative well done, you

[@vetchb.s.c.1612]

It's always nice when you have an unexpected collaboration between two of the KZbinrs you follow.

[@free2binnh]

I watched your video from the other sie of the pond, was quite educational as I did not know what a canal narrow boat was. I liked the idea of the coal brickets, we don't have those here in the US. I think heating with coal would be safer than with wood. You can have a chimney fire if you don't burn the wood correctly. I also liked the diesel stoves, I think we call diesel, kerosene in America. overall, was a good video. I live in Maine, winter will be arriving soon.

[@TubeLVT]

@Steve Allen It’s the same diesel here in the USA. There are diesel stoves and furnaces for RVs. They run from the same fuel tank as an RV’s engine.

[@AndreasEUR]

Yeah, diesel is diesel, kerosene is kerosene. Both are petroleum products, but not the same :D Trucks run on diesel, boats on diesel, som cars on diesel..

[@hanskniezand2049]

@@AndreasEUR And jet aircraft run on kerosene.

[@bryanreilly4117]

Idk what happened but this channel keeps popping up and I keep watching.... never figured I’d watch tiny boat trips haha

[@thehappychannel1905]

Fascinating, as always, particularly the bit about polystyrene and wiring. Thanks, David. Cheers, Maggie & Dave from Vermont.

[@CruisingTheCut]

:-)

[@ngauge22]

Got the multi purpose torch behind you on the shelf (shown in another video and this one at 9:20) Very nice tool to have and it's been in use since purchase. Thanks again.

[@dasy2k1]

You are the first person outside of the railway I have come across who knows the plasticiser leaching from PVC cables causing cable degradation! It's a huge problem on the railway too

[@CruisingTheCut]

Hmm, why on the railway?

[@dasy2k1]

@@CruisingTheCut rubber sheathed cable and PVC sheathed cable if mixed together makes the PVC very brittle and the rubber turn to goo which is not good in vital signalling cables! Hence we have to be very careful to make sure they aren't mixed in the same trunking

[@snidepete5700]

One needs to be wary of CO pollution when burning coal, particularly in confined spaces. Caveat Combustor!

[@tonydeleo3642]

Excellent Program, thanks

[@ThePhiltrenbath]

I loved my time living aboard for six years. I had a reverse layout with a centrally placed solid fuel stove which worked well with the eco fan. I replaced the original stove with a diesel bubble stove for one winter but never really liked it. The final, and best, solution was a morso squirrel with a back boiler running three rads. It was lit in autumn and stayed lit until spring. One year it was minus 20 on the mooring and I had the hatches open to let heat out 😀 I miss the boat but miss fellow boaters even more. Thanks for the vlog.

[@for.tax.reasons]

I'm sure this isn't remotely true but spraying on insulation sounds like incredible fun

[@JasperJanssen]

Re the radiator that cannot be turned off, in conventional house central heating at least that’s not about overheating primarily, it’s mostly about the circulation pump. If everything is turned off, the water cannot circulate, and the pump will be pushing against an infinite resistance, which will make the pump overheat, and might cause the pressurized part of the system (pump to all the radiator valves) to get enough pressure on it to spring a leak. There is a secondary effect where without circulating water, the burner/heat exchanger will heat up a lot quicker than intended, but that basically should just activate the thermal shutoff. In our house, the always-on radiator is replaced with a bypass valve - you put it at a few meters from the furnace between the feed and return lines and it opens when the pressure gets too high. So if all our radiators were to turn off (fat chance) at once, the hot water from the furnace would get only a little pressurized and then squirt directly back into the furnace, avoiding the entire litany of problems mentioned above. So: the always on bathroom radiator is the conventional way of solving the problem, but it’s not the only way. (Incidentally, furnace manufacturers and thermostatic valve manufacturers recommend the bypass layout with TRVs on all radiators, not the always-on-bathroom-radiator).

[@petersimonsen9278]

Being danish I appreciated your special guest which did well for a very good and pro explanation of you warm feelings...

[@MCP53]

HAPPY NEW YEAR! This was a really good video, and I liked the foreign correspondent touch. As you know, I am keeping my narrowboat warm with a small potbelly stove and yes, sometimes I get too enthusiastic with the coal and end up opening doors and windows to let the heat out. However, I am nervous of CO poisoning and generally let it go out by bedtime and then use a small electric heater to maintain a comfortable level of heat overnight (I have shorepower, so it's really easy). I also have a Webasto diesel heater with its own dedicated fuel tank. You're right, it is noisy! It must also use quite a lot of battery power to make so much noise. I confess I haven't given it a proper try yet. I think I'll give it a try over the weekend and report back.

[@CruisingTheCut]

I've got two CO alarms and the one with the digital readout has never shown even the slightest whiff of toxic gas so I'm happy to let it burn gently. Better cautious than not though!

[@PKWeaver74]

I'm sure one of the other 1.2k commenters will have said this, but I'm sure you would find a small 12v fan on or after near your floor at the back of the boat pointing towards will push the cold air towards your stove, creating low pressure higher up, which will suck the warm air near the roof and stove towards the back of the boat and warm it.

[@thomvogan3397]

Would have liked to have seen a fuel cost comparison between the diesel and coal stoves

[@sid111sid111sid111]

I agree, a hours of heat per gallon/litre of diesel would be very interesting

[@matthewnickerson3991]

I've been binge watching some of you're older videos. You're history in broadcasting really comes across great in you're KZbin videos. You're channel and Country House Gent's are my favorites.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Thank you

[@migranthawker2952]

That's YOUR, not YOU'RE. You're stands for you are. Just saying 😇

[@floridasaltlife]

I really liked that diesel heater and read up on it. The Refleks Diesel heater seemed quite thirsty for fuel over the coarse of a winter season. Specs showed it consuming as much as .8 to 1L of fuel per hour on the 5kw model.

[@CruisingTheCut]

I liked it too but the downside could be the consumption, as you say.

[@courierdog1941]

Yes the Diesel heaters are noisy. Mounted in my truck it sits outside, under the Drivers seat. This makes it quiet inside as only the heater motor fan is running at a selected speed. Outside it sounds exactly like your Blog. Sound like a small jet engine running. It runs for an entire day on less than a litre of fuel. I also noted you do not run a centrifugal Fuel Filter nor a centrifugal oil filter in your engine. Since my truck is a 2017 it has all the EPA antipollution equipment on the engine. This makes for extremely dirty oil (BLACK) and the degraded non sulphur diesel is full of all forms of contaminates. The centrifugal filters keep the contaminate down to the micron level, the engine has well over 1,000,000 Km on it and will quite likely do another 1,000,000Km with out any need for a tear down. Clean Oil, Clean Fuel and Clean Air are the key. It is very strange I do not see any mention of these items on any of the marine channels. It is quite common in the serious truckers forums especially on the larger long Lorries, Her it is noting to have a job due 3000Km away and to be there ASAP and this is at a moments notice, which is why my truck has a heater 24/7 as I used to be called out anytime to go virtually anywhere. Keep up the Blog it is extremely interesting and very practical.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Canal boat engines really do seem to be very basic compared to modern automobiles, certainly. That said, my boat is 20 years old so I suspect a newer boat engine would be slightly better...

[@bobcranberries5853]

My brother worked at UL and tested the flammability of the spray foam type and that stuff is about as flammable as gasoline/Petrol. It almost got out of control in a testing facility built specifically for testing flammability.

[@edwiser3547]

Wow, that is good to know.

[@andychrimes7071]

Another good video, in need of a new diesel heater myself so this was handy to watch.

[@4k8t]

Nice video. Look forward to your continuing adventures in narrowboat living.

[@CruisingTheCut]

:-)

[@derekmulready1523]

There is such a thing as a back boiler wood/coal/ Diesel stove, using this type too heat the rads and supply hot water

[@JohnSmith-vy4lh]

Quick way to make double glazing is to use cling film . It does work amazingly well .

[@CruisingTheCut]

I tried but it wouldn't stick to the wooden window surround.

[@benv5812]

@@CruisingTheCut If there is a frame or molding around the window, try a large elastic to keep the cling film tight

[@michaeljones1475]

@@CruisingTheCut Use double sided tape!

[@RVJimD]

Nice job! The sailboat chap segment was also very well done! Very rewarding feeling of a bit of "self sufficient" living on a boat especially in winter. Have a nice year, jim

[@CruisingTheCut]

Cheers Jim!

[@kickiekick4294]

Hi. I really love your videos. I'm planning on buying a narrow boat to live aboard and find your videos really really useful! Thank you!!! 😀

[@CruisingTheCut]

Thank you and good luck!

[@jugglerjim01]

Catching up!! I'm now only 2 years behind lol

[@jugglerjim01]

Oh, and Happy New Year too 😎🎉

[@Andophonic]

Are compressed wood products popular in the UK? They're immensely popular here in the states. They're as convenient as coal, with less ash, extremely long burning, and the environmental impact is significantly less than coal. One log or brick can burn for several hours, making them ideal for heating overnight.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Some people use them, certainly. At a guess I'd say boaters tend to prefer the coal briquettes

[@lifeislikesailing]

Loved this lesson on heating a narrow boat!! So well done and enjoyable to watch! :) Thank you!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Cheers Alfy! Hope you're keeping warm up there :-)

[@lifeislikesailing]

CruisingTheCut So far so good and summer is coming soon! :)

[@flyfliker]

great information, well delivered.

[@ericwedin4154]

-5 degrees?! My god!! We are not that impressed here in Scandinavia. 😊👍

[@bigtony4829]

Damp cold especially by the water ..worse than you imagine ..

[@ronbiggar6958]

Put one or two computer fans up near the ceilings to push hot air along the corridor.

Excellent idea.

[@almontepaolilli4909]

Well produced video. Covered my questions.

[@marklandgraf7667]

There is something rather special about being inside a small space that's toasty warm when it's frigid outside. This morning, I'm in my little country house in rural Minnesota where it is a nice 70°F but it's 22°F below zero outside. No desire to go out there whatsoever. Thanks for the vlog!!

[@virginiaelliott6537]

Using Taybright means emptying the ashpan at least twice a day if you can still get it Excel or Blue Flame burns really hot with very little ash

[@CruisingTheCut]

I’m a fan of Newheat myself, much less ash than anything else I’ve used

[@johngardiner6800]

Just a little suggestion for your Danish friend re down draft on his boat to his heater, just fit An H pot terminal, this will prevent down draft.

[@jonarnel.nygaard7598]

Great episode! I love the smell of wood burning, and the wood/coal creats a wonderfuly soft type of heat. Think the autum and winter time onboard must be very cozy.

[@CruisingTheCut]

It really is :-)

[@argrundy]

Another excellent and comprehensive vid. I, too, have a Refleks diesel stove although not as flash as your friend in Denmark! Like him, though, I love it! Mine has been on 24/7 since late October, but just before Christmas it packed up. The reason - condensation. This can gather in the pipe feeding the fuel, the float below the regulator and, in my case, a water trap fitted just before the regulator. This is my first winter living aboard so the stove is completely new to me but thanks to spot on posts on a forum with step-by-step instructions, I managed to clear all the gathered moisture and get it going again - hoorah! It has been on 24/7 since and is going fine. I should have bought these sooner, but you can get diesel stove cleaning tablets that you chuck in whilst it's on the go that clear out soot build up. These should arrive shortly and will hopefully help. As regards the position, mine is right at the front but, by pure chance, this suits me fine. The saloon becomes toasty, as does the galley. The bathroom is cooler but still warm and the bedroom slightly cooler again. This I like, as I prefer to sleep in a cooler bedroom. In the last couple of days, when the weather has suddenly become milder, I have found myself waking up, too hot in my bedroom even with the setting on its lowest! It was pure chance that I happened to buy a boat the had a diesel stove and I'm v glad about it, having lived in a cottage for 4 years with only a log burner for heating. Pro's for the log burner: fun to light, mesmerising flames, super hot, smells great when burning wood. Cons: clearing the ash out and achieving the almost-impossible feat of keeping it going overnight in order to easily get it going again first thing in the morning (although this is a massive positive if achieved!) I doubt I'll ever be able to afford a brand new boat, but if I were lucky enough, I'd almost certainly install a diesel-fuelled stove (maybe with a traditional stove too, just for the smell!) Cheers!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Thanks for that good info. I think I'd definitely consider one if I got a new boat. Cheers.

[@mikebikekite1]

Love watching your videos, it's almost as peaceful as cruising the cut but without any of the expense! Few questions: How long does a bag of coal last on a boat like yours? Do you ever cook on top of the coal stove (stews, curries, baked potatoes etc)? Is there any simple central heating system that could run off of the stove to distribute the heat a little better? Have you tried using a coalcage to reduce the amount of coal used?

[@CruisingTheCut]

I heat the kettle usually. Yes, some boats do have a back boiler on their stove to send hot water to radiators

[@nathanberry4339]

Is there any type of coal brand you would recommend for stove or is it just a personal preference thing ?

[@CruisingTheCut]

I like Newheat but it does seem to depend on the stove, I think (I have a Villager Puffin)

[@nathanberry4339]

@@CruisingTheCut thanks David I’m trying several different types of smokeless but still welcome any information from those that know or use log burners mines a brand new Henley

[@icooper5236]

Homefire ovals seem to burn longer

[@suetaylor5186]

Excellent and interesting review CC and great to have a Danish correspondent! Love his dog! Keep up the good work

[@CruisingTheCut]

Thanks Sue

[@romanysmith5886]

I have a diesel/keroscene stove on my narrowboat... Harmony II Amazing clean effortless! Best dissision I made on my boat.

[@btrowbridge8958]

Do most boaters have a small fire extinguisher on hand?

[@CruisingTheCut]

Yes, they must in order to pass the boat safety test (my boat has three)

[@RealLuckless]

I'm kind of surprised that more narrowboats don't have narrow square ducting running down the length of the ceiling and a return pipe set down one side of the lower hull. Would not take a great deal of power to run a small blower fan to pump the heat from above the stove into the rest of a vessel that size.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Not a bad idea, and if returned through the bilge it would help ventilate there too against condensation...!

[@16jan1986]

I live near where they make the the reflex oven. during my work I had to get two 20 year old ovens revived and even though they were very banged up they fixed them no problem each new oven are hand made in a small factory in a small hamlet by craftsmen and it is just lovely work

[@beboboymann3823]

I’m glad you talked about insulation. I was questioning that and spray foam insulation stood out in my mind. Condensation and or minor leaks would not saturate it.

[@davidbagley1783]

Ask for closed cell insulation..

[@simontuffs4106]

You don't have to let Ash dry you can cut it straight from the tree, put it straight on the fire. 'Ash wet or ash dry, A king shall warm his slippers by'

[@pricey130]

Simon Tuffs Coal ash is toxic for plant life

[@johnmulligan7609]

Ash tree,not ash from the fire. But you do need to let the wood dry out.

[@danhillman4523]

@@johnmulligan7609 Not entirely true, but yeah, it's a quick seasoning log. I have red and white oak 2 years old and some still isn't ready. I have to cut trees every year and get them bucked up and piled, ready to split. Should get it split, too but oak will kill a guy as it's so heavy green. Beech isn't too bad and I do usually have a beech or two ready to go. All of our ash except for a select few trees is gone. The ash borer is easily the worst ecological disaster I have ever seen.

[@jjb2004mk2]

Diesel stoves seem to be the best option (in my totally uninformed opinion) but I bet they cost a bob or two.

[@johnthorogood6601]

Thanks for a great VLog... Already follow Madds, both you and him are part of my getting up routine here in Sydney as you post during our night, a good way to wake up! I'm waking up here onboard my 33ft sail boat to a rainy day.... won't be moving the boat today!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Ah what a glorious harbour to sail around in, you lucky chap!

[@Jrhair1969]

Great video! Always a joy to watch and learn.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Thank you

[@Darth.Fluffy]

Coal..... Wood that has seasoned for 100,000 years.......dinosaurs added...

[@davidchandler8881]

You're too young to remember David but there was a great storm in the 70s that brought down thousands of trees and this kick started the sale of wood burning stoves in the UK. Like your stove many were not very well engineered and required an asbestos seal around the door to make them as air tight as possible, but these seals don't do the job very well and stoves with these were smokey and did not burn very well. Then someone started importing stoves from the continent where they had been burning wood for many years and these stoves were so well made and engineered that the doors were metal to metal and much cleaner and more efficient to use. As you know if you can't control the air getting in the stove you can't alter the temperature and burn rate very effectively but with the continental stoves this wasn't a problem. I had one of these called Lange and although they seem to be out of production now I see there are some still for sale on ebay. Just a thought if you ever decide to upgrade your existing stove.

[@CruisingTheCut]

I do indeed remember the 1970s!!

[@saffronsworld1508]

I just discovered your channel. I saw your comment on a recent video by the Wynns. I have never fantasized about being super wealthy, good looking, or a celebrity, because I have so much desired to live on the water. I have lived on large ships but never had the chance to have my own seaworthy boat. I am older now, in my 70s, and without good health; so I am able to vicariously live the adventurous life through the videos of the Wynns and others. Before I retired to Louisville, Kentucky I drove from London to Aberporth, Wales and stayed one night at a motel that was next to a canal, and as I gazed out at the narrowboats docked along the canal I thought, ""I could live like that!" I am now physically unable to sport about the Caribbean in a Catamaran, but it seems that life in a narrowboat appeals very much to my now laid back lifestyle. I live in a country setting and no one around here knows their neighbors. That is sad because I am a people person. Large plots of land isolate each of us here from the rest. But I suspect that interaction between fellow narrowboat enthusiasts is unavoidable and a pure delight. I look forward to watching all of your videos. Cheers!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Thank you for tuning in; yes, narrowboaters do seem to be a lovely friendly bunch (mostly!). I hope you'll enjoy the videos. Cheers to you!

[@ItsANarrowboatThing]

Great in depth vlog, we have a very similar layout to you and agree with the point about not getting enough heat to the back of the boat. Liking the look of that diesel stove for the sole reason that they don't generate any dust!

[@CruisingTheCut]

I know!! Damned dust :-(

[@theother9941]

Why aren't masonry stoves more common in English-speaking countries? They are great for dispersing radiant heat around an open plan space so would be ideal in a narrow boat? The fuel is combusted completely meaning less mess, less risk of fire and more efficient use of fuel (ie, you need less of it) and the heat is distributed evenly to all parts of the space.

[@imnotconvinced4833]

Because you can’t have equal heat distribution on a boat lined in wood. It’s not an open space. It’s long and narrow. You can easily get too much heat on a boat within such a small space.

[@michaelhearmon9965]

arr £11 a bag, can tell this was a while ago :D

[@freighter1097]

Yep they're averaging around 18.70 a bag now.

[@patrickjobling8676]

As always my favourite intrepid roving reporters on the spot .. amazingkts ..😁pip pips

[@bentfx1942]

I spent some time on fishing boats up in Alaska. They burned a diesel cook stove 24/7, similar to the Reflex stove the chap in Denmark has. Same principle; A day tank, ours was fed by the diesel return from the engine. A regulator, commonly called a carburetor. Then the fire pot, same sort of fire pot, just in a rectangular housing with a cook top and oven. Burns all day on a low setting, and gets cranked up to cook. Great videos. Thanks!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Those fishing boats must be chilly without that! Cheers

[@MrJimbaloid]

Hello David that noise problem with the heating is something I'm very accustomed to being a trucker and our (webasto/ebaspatcher) heaters only heat air. But on very cold nights it's like going to sleep with a hairdryer on. I know that new trucks have very quiet ones but my truck is 8 yo so an old one. But I wouldn't be without it especially in Scotland or Cumbria Yorkshire etc.

[@CruisingTheCut]

I know what you mean as I have a Propex gas-fired air heater in my campervan and it is noisy too, though I recently added a different type of ducting which has slightly quietened it down.

[@MrJimbaloid]

@@CruisingTheCut Hi David well due to emission regs i might be having a newer truck for London. So I'm hoping I won't have to do anything. As regards heating. But Smashing and hello from Chesterfield.

[@CreatingtheReaper]

hahahahaha winter with no snow, and minus 5 is cold? im here in cananda like "thats t-shirt weather"

[@CruisingTheCut]

Anything less than +15 constitutes cold in my book!!

[@mcpheonixx]

I spent some time in Ontario working as a subcontractor building communication towers. Part of that time was spent in early winter and being from the southern US I can attest to how cold it gets in Canada. Personally I like cold climates but my poor work mates were miserable. Canada has great people but damn its cold up there lol

[@christopherlussenden3021]

Another very informative and interesting Vlog CTC. Thank you for your effort!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Cheers Bruce

[@robertlegg9783]

I’m surprised that you have not met a fellow narrowboater who has a diesel stove. I have a Bubble stove and I think it is great! Silent running, toastie and warm and really quite efficient. Granted, I don’t live aboard, so I only use it in the colder months, but have certainly done so in freezing conditions in the middle of winter. There is a knack to getting it started (but that is also true of solid fuel). Once lit it burns away on just a trickle of diesel. Mine has a separate fuel tank in the well deck which is gravity fed.

[@ankerstang1878]

We are a to people from Denmark who like to make a holly day on a narrow boat. We ask what time of the year from April to August? Love from Anker and Christina age 65 and 60

[@CruisingTheCut]

Any time from April to August is good although July & August will be very expensive and quite busy on the canals because of school holidays.

[@ankerstang1878]

CruisingTheCut o yes of course July August is busy. But thank your it look worry cost.

[@ankerstang1878]

I mean worry cosy. We live near some canals and lakes here in Denmark, and paddling a type of kano where you can be sitting and slipping inside it but not the same scales as a Narrowboats. We look forward to the trip.

[@ankerstang1878]

I mean very cozy this time it would be spelled right ha ha

[@rogerthedodger5558]

to add that the autumn is very enjoyable maybe more so for adults who know how to keep warm. The school holidays finish in early september and represent excellent cruising at a discount. Just lookout for the Autumn half term school holiday which is one week in October, when the price (and conjestion) does go up. I once spent Christmas week on th e Kennet and Avon and it was one of the best holidays Ive had in 40 years of inland boating

[@EASYTIGER10]

Why do you need a stove if you have central heating?

[@CruisingTheCut]

As a backup. Or rather, the central heating is a backup to the stove.

[@TrevorMarty69]

Great article!! I really appreciate this video. I've learned a lot. Thumbs Up!

[@CruisingTheCut]

Good! Thanks

[@b17marko]

I use a multi fuel stove in my house and its great, I also have to thank you for the heat fan idea as before you done your review on it, I had no idea they even existed, I have one now and it works well.

[@CruisingTheCut]

Glad to hear it!