J
I HAVE BUILT A SYSTEM FOR MY BOAT (1986 FISHRITE) THAT MIGHT WORK FOR YOU. YOU CAN DO MOST OF IT YOUR SELF. FIRST I USED A 2-1/2 GALLON PROPANE TANK. I TOOK AN 18 INCH PIECE OF PRESSURE TREATED FIR 4X4 AND CUT A HALF CIRCLE INDENTATION INTO ONE SIDE OF IT. BOLT THE 4X4 TO THE LOWER SIDE OF THE BACK OF CROSSMEMBER THE ROWING SEAT IS MOUNTED ON. MOUNT TWO EYE HOOKS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TANK AND USE A BUNGEE CORD FROM EACH EYE HOOK AND AROUND THE TANK TO SECURE IT. NEXT I WENT TO MY LOCAL PROPANE SUPPLIER AND BOUGHT RUBBER PROPANE HOSE (1/2 OR 3/4 DIAMETER I CANT REMEMBER). THE LENGTH WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR YOUR BOAT. CAREFULLY MEASURE FROM YOUR TANK TO THE GUNNELL AND FORWARD TO YOUR LOWER DECK. GIVE YOUR SELF AT LEAST 2 FEET EXTRA LENGTH. ONCE YOU HAVE THE LENGTH HAVE THE PROPANE SUPPLIER MOUNT THE SCREW FITTINGS ON EACH END OF THE HOSE. MAKE SURE YOU BRING YOUR HEATER (I USED A MISTER HEATER SINGLE BURNER) WITH YOU TO MAKE ASSURE THE SCREW FITTING WITH WORK. NOW TAKE THE HOSE AND RUN IT ALONG THE LOWER EDGE OF THE ROWING SEAT SUPPORT AND UP TO THE THE GUNNEL. I SECURED THE HOSE TO THE SEAT SUPPORT BY DRILLING 1/4 HOLES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE HOSE AND THEN RAN A ZIP TIE THROUGH THE HOLES AND AROUND THE HOSE. THE HOSE WAS ZIP TIED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GUNNEL AND FORWARD. BE CAREFULL AROUND THE OAR LOCK AND MAKE SURE THE OAR LOCK DOES NOT RUB ON THE HOSE. I RAN THE HOSE TO FRONT OF THE BOAT AND DOWN TO THE LOWER STORAGE AREA (THE SMALL DECK NEAR THE PASSENGERS FEET). IF YOU DONT HAVE A WELDER THIS PART YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE FABRICATED. I TOOK A 4X4 INCH PIECE OF 1/4 OR 1/8 INCH SHEET METAL AND USED IT FOR MY BASE. NEXT I TOOK A 8-10 INCH (HEIGHT DEPENDS ON THE HEIGHT OF THE LIP ON YOUR LOWER STORAGE DECK) OF 2 INCH DIAMETER PIPE AND WELDED IT TO THE BASE. I NEXT WELDED A ARM TO EXTEND OUTWARD (90 DEGREES, AGIAN THE ARM LENGTH IS DETERMINED BY THE DEPTH OF THE LIP ON THE LOWER STORAGE DECK) FROM THE TOP OF THE PIPE. I BOLTED THE HEATER TO THE ARM. THE HEATER HOOD SHOULD BE EVEN WITH THE FRONT (PASSENGER SIDE) OF THE UPPER AND LOWER STORAGE DECKS. THIS WILL KEEP IT FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM PASSENGER WADERS AND KEEP THE HOOD FROM GETTING BENT FROM PEOPLE GETTING INTO THE BOAT. I USED STAINLESS STEEL NUTS AND BOLTS AND SECURED THE BASE TO THE LOWER DECK. I TOOK AND OLD CAR INNER TUBE AND MADE A RUBBER GASKET TO GO BETWEEN THE BASE AND ALUMINUM ON THE LOWER DECK. IF YOU TAKE YOUR BOAT TO THE METAL FABRICATOR HE WILL EASILY BE ABLE TO BUILD YOU A BRACKET. I LATER MADE ANOTHER BRACKET THAT I CAN ROTATE LEFT AND RIGHT. YOU CAN BUY A "T" SPLITTER THAT GOES INLINE ON THE HOSE AT THE PROPANE SUPPLIERS. USE THE SPLITTER TO INSTALL YOUR SECOND HEATER. I DID NOT INSTALL A SECOND HEATER FOR THE OPERATOR, BECUASE I USUALLY KEEP WARM FROM ROWING. ALSO ONCE YOU GET IN FRONT OF THE HEATER IF MAKES IT TWICE AS COLD AWAY FROM IT. IF THE HEATER IS INSTALLED WHEN THE BOAT WAS BUILT THE HOSE IS RAN UNDER THE DECK. I COULD NOT GET THE HOSE UNDER THE DECK. CHECK YOUR DECK MAYBEE YOU CAN, THIS WILL MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR YOU. HOPE THIS HELPS IF YOU HAVE FURHTER QUESTIONS E-MAILL ME
TYEETERROR@AOL.COM
_________________________
these aint my pants