how to start a Taylor Yacht Heater

The Taylor Yacht heater - a header tank, a drip feed, no electricity, almost silent. The best boat heater ever made.

[@smaarch1]

Just finishing the install of mine. Need to have the flue fabricated and just ordered a chunk of wood for the deck fitting. Much looking forward to it as I'll likely be sailing the Northeast coast of the USA this summer. Thanks for the video

[@mikevickers1391]

Hi Dylan, I love your videos, what a great film maker you are. Can't wait to see the story of your Fisher purchase and home bound delivery trip...I thought you referred to tyhis boat as a 'project'. I hope you take us along for the refurbishment ride. All the best!

[@KeepTurningLeft]

it has diesel bug, messed up electrics, five leaks and a dangerous gas system..... some rotten wood, a rusty mast tabernacle..... I will compress six months of fettling into a ten minute film - I will leave the endless boat fettling videos to others to make.

[@hansg4933]

Looking forward to your adventures with your new boat. Congratulations Mr Winter.

[@KeepTurningLeft]

I have waited a long time

[@mikec983]

Installing one over here at the Jersey Shore, US. I went with the pumped version that uses a lift pump to feed the heater directly from the boats main diesel tank. Many thanks for the video. Placed many of the components in perspective.

[@KeepTurningLeft]

so far it has been excellent - even when it is below 0 outside. The header tank means that this one runs more or less silently.

[@GeoffreyMH]

I really like the Taylor's products.Have had their paraffin stove in the past but now have a mighty gas number that they no longer produce, such a pity as it is a magnificent beast. The heater also looks practical and efficient. We went for a log burner-enjoy the play value as much as anything and now we are not doing much distance sailing it is a cosy addition to the boat. Interesting to see that you have the same flue pipe to us- bent to spec and very efficient.I found them very helpful re spares recently when we refurbished the gas stove, they hunted thru the cellars to find some bits that had not seen the light of day for many years. Very helpful bunch.Congrats on the Fisher.

[@KeepTurningLeft]

my son lives on a boat heated by smokeless fuel. It may be smokeless but it is not dustless

[@jerrylynch5611]

Very civilised Dylan!

[@KeepTurningLeft]

hotter than a plate of candles - but it is a bit of a beast. However, it is dry heat, which is needed for winter sailing.

[@tonywoollcombe1799]

Enjoyed the info thanks

[@KeepTurningLeft]

I aquired the heater with no instructions and could not find a good video about the heater on the web - so I made this film for those who follow in my waker

[@AndyUK-Corrival]

Well that’s better than a bloody candle heater! Could put one of those fans on top to distribute the heat but seems to do a great job. Andy UK

[@eamonnonolan1330]

Excellent,love diesel heaters on a boat! Boat is looking good :-)

[@KeepTurningLeft]

endless days fettling -

[@eamonnonolan1330]

Happy place to be. I suspect you’re probably the only one on the river, most days.

[@KeepTurningLeft]

few out today - but weekdays it is mostly just me and the birds

[@CheersWarren]

Similiar to an old Prius stove to start but no pressure. Any smell? What happens if flame goes out ? Thanks for posting here and not sailing animals! Cheers Warren

[@Wattsegler]

@@CheersWarren You see the blue knob abvoe the dripping glass? It is a heat-controlled valve. To start, you have to press it, until the oven heated up a little. When the flamme goes out, the valve closes and no more fuel can drip into the oven. Very simple, but extremly effective. I have an Taylor too an it runs fine. For better distribution of the hot air I use a electricityless fan (driven by heat) mounted on the stove pipe.

[@timnutting2423]

Oi oi, Dylan's back...and has his fisher...back to the website I go...

[@robinwells8879]

Wow. And all without any electrical demand. Can’t say the same about my cheap Chinese knockoff Webasto! Feeling even more envious about the new boat than ever. One day maybe.

[@KeepTurningLeft]

so far so good battery management just got easier

[@boatifullife4161]

Where is the intake air going in to the heater?

[@Tillersweep]

Since we don't see the video I guess the acquisition of this boat, during a pandemic, was not filmed. That seems reasonable but I bet the story is a good one. You are such a great writer could you edit some of it into the video description? We would all love to share the excitement (especially now).

[@KeepTurningLeft]

I filmed the day I bought her, the prep, the launch, the five days solo down the north sea in October, the 36 hour overnight across the wash, the engine giving up on me, the fettling, painting, varnishing, engine maintaining. It will make an entertaining, enlightening, thoughtful, uplifting 12 mins or so. All the better for the wait.

[@Scruffy1000]

Looks to be reasonably fool proof and does what it says on the tin , and a bit of a beast to boot Any smell from the diesel when it burns and can you control the heat? R

[@KeepTurningLeft]

I don't think is smellss as long as you keep it diesel leak free - there are a lot of olives that can weep. You can control the heat quite precisely.

[@john3Lee]

Very impressive... Hey, do we get a new boat tour ?

[@KeepTurningLeft]

I think the whole story of buying it, sailing it home and fettling it to get it ready for for cold sailing is maybe 6 mins of nicely edited film

[@john3Lee]

@@KeepTurningLeft I will look forward to that video...

[@edb5154]

Looks good Dylan, a proper heater should make things a lot more comfortable. Do you still have KTL or is the Fisher it's replacement?

[@KeepTurningLeft]

The minstrel is beside the shed on her trailer. She is perfect for east anglia - sails like a dinghy but in 13 inches of water. The Fisher is for five years - for sailing in cold wet deep places.

[@chrismccartney8668]

Love to see new boat and its purchase or how you come to buy do u still have ktl ?

[@KeepTurningLeft]

The story will make a tightly scripted 12 mind. It has diesel bug, electrics from he'll and had five leaks.... down to 3 D

[@thomasgertsch4171]

Where is the fresh air coming from ?

[@alexmccauley3140]

What is that part you screw onto the meths bottle to fill the starter compartment? I'm trying to start my Taylor heater on a new-to-me boat, I bought methylated spirits but don't see a safe way to get the fluid into that little compartment.

[@KeepTurningLeft]

you could try a washing up bottle - the meths nozzle came with the boat D

[@jeffellis1149]

Amazon. 100ml syringe with tube?

[@SirPrancelot1]

Interesting, thanks. Hadn't heard of this heater but then know little about boats except for what I watch on KZbin. I would associate diesel with smell but from the comment below and your answer this isn't an issue if well maintained. Can you give an idea of how much diesel this would burn in 24 hours? Would be interested to know the cost of running it in winter. Lovely shot at the end with the birds flying over. What part of England is it?

[@KeepTurningLeft]

I have only been running it this autumn. I am going to guess that it might use 2 litres a day if you run it low setting. I would not run it over night. So far it does not smell inside the cabin. When sailing you get the odd whiff from the chimney. I sail on the Deben - we have geese but every couple of weeks or so the gun fondlers come along in their combat gear and attempt to blast them out of the sky - then the geese go away for a week or so. They also shoot the teal and widgeon - both delightful birds. Seems a shame to come to a beautiful place just to blow the wildlife into the next world.

[@SirPrancelot1]

@@KeepTurningLeft Thank you for the information. Looks like a good heater and a beautiful river. Shame about the shooting. I've only been as far as Woodbridge, on foot, and had a good meal at Pin Mill on The Orwell.

[@Davesunflower]

ive just stripped my heater for cleaning, there are two baffles in the main unit, do you know how these are orientated?? held by screws on the outside of burner casing, rang Taylors, like getting blood out of a stone, unless of course you send it to them and pay x

[@KeepTurningLeft]

sailing is never cheap.... I love my heater

[@Davesunflower]

@@KeepTurningLeft do you know about the baffles in the heater case?

[@Davesunflower]

when your heater was glowing red hot it seems to be dripping very fast, ive read the online instructions. and should drip around 110 a minute, less than 2 drips per second. you had it about right at the beginning then you must have turned it up too much,

[@KeepTurningLeft]

I need to dismantle the needle valve ..... I have run it at two drips per second as per instructions and it does not run very hot. Me and the Taylor are at the boottom of a learning curve.

[@doulafrank1257]

Hi, just a question. You use diesel. Could you use petroleum?

[@KeepTurningLeft]

please don't do that

[@junkbarny6958]

Does this work better than a tea light and a flowerpot?

[@KeepTurningLeft]

4 tealights - it is hotter and will allow me to sail in low temperatures. Running a flower pot and candles is not sensible while under way. The candles also produce some moisture, while the taylor produces completely dry heat. These also cost over £1000 new - a plate of candles and a flower pot costs about £1

[@trevorgurr8845]

So Dylan you do have a Fisher 25? now? Nice and simple heater lot less hazzle than these Chinese diesel heaters.

[@KeepTurningLeft]

maybe

[@trevorgurr8845]

@@KeepTurningLeft I'm a fan of Northshore Yachts myself having owned 5 different Southerlies over the last 30 years

[@KeepTurningLeft]

@@trevorgurr8845 it is hard ti imagine two more different yachts coming from the same stable. I have owned a drop keel yacht before (an E Boat). I like the simplicity of twin keels for east coast sailing.

[@trevorgurr8845]

@@KeepTurningLeft it's the draft of the Southerlies I like a 37' yacht floating in less than 2' of water and their so easy to beach. Though I've also always fancied a Fisher the finish inside both stablemates is the same and they both have character.

[@KeepTurningLeft]

with my eboat I was always nervous about rocks where I was grounding. The good thing about the centaur was the iron keels - in scotland I could enter a drying harbour, tie up to a wall and not worry about drowned suermarket trollies under the boat. I was looking for a southerly 28 but went for the slower, shorter, uglier boat that could be shoved along by my 6hp Tohatsu

[@doulafrank1257]

I just got the boat, they are saying to use Petroleum for this same heater. But would it then be best to use Diesel?

[@KeepTurningLeft]

surely not petrol - that sounds v dangerous

[@johnoflegend1529]

I think using petroleum you would only light it once.

[@SkipperSmudge]

Hi Dylan had not known you have another boat did I miss something All the best Dick

[@KeepTurningLeft]

Project Fisher 25 - buggered engine, terrible electrics, dangerous gas...... however, it is all fixable.

[@andrewbragger2679]

I wonder if there's a website where we can all pay $1 to see some whale videos. That would be great.

[@KeepTurningLeft]

I have not yet started editing or posting whale films.......I am recording them - but it is endless fettling - six months of which will be squished down to a ten minute rapid epic. I am no Mads of boatlife.

[@deh5860]

Seems like its able to burn waste oil too?

[@KeepTurningLeft]

heaven forefend

[@tommyskarb9210]

No electricity?

[@Helliconia54]

i see they are still dying metho purple. LOl i remember as a kid in Cardiff mid 60's. Only buy it at chemist,never on a sunday and having to sign poisons book. You buy it by the litre or more here in Australia at any hardware store. No fuss

[@KeepTurningLeft]

it is delivered to my door in 5 litre containers .... five at a time. No paperwork.