Brrr, it’s a chilly morning and there’s frost in the cabin. Do I really want that early start? I reach out of my sleeping bag to start the Portable Buddy heater and snuggle back in the sack for another 10 minutes. It’s soon a lot warmer and a pleasure to get out of bed to get dressed. Time for breakfast—when it gets too warm, I’ll turn the heater off.The Portable Buddy, a radiant infrared propane heater from Mr. Heater, is a practical way to extend the boating season. It’s not a 24/7 solution that will take you to Alaska, but I’ve used it for winter weekend outings aboard JUST ENUF, my Kohler-designed catamaran outboard cruiser, to warm the cabin, especially just before turning in. I usually turn the heater to the middle setting for 10 minutes, then turn it off another 10 minutes—it doesn’t take much to warm the cabin. The Portable Buddy will shut itself off if it tips over or if its sensor detects a drop in oxygen levels.
Photographs by the author
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Even though, in the article, this heater isn’t recommended for prolonged use, be aware that (even though the facts are suppressed by the propane industry, and heater manufacturers) the products of unvented propane combustion ARE harmful, and it goes way beyond the condensation of moisture. Much scientific evidence exists to support the fact that breathing these fumes is unhealthy for humans.
After using unvented propane heat in my house for several years, I developed severe “seasonal” allergies (this in my early 50s) that persist to this day (late 60s). My allergy “season” lasts from January through December. And this syndrome is well documented in the aforementioned scientific evidence. Maybe in small increments, it won’t get you, but are you willing to take a chance?