Mr Buddy Buddy heater in a boat

[Mark W]

Anyone ever use one of these in a boat? I have tomorrow and Tuesday to hunt and while it is not super freezing cold (and not really that cold to tell the truth), as I age, the weather seems to get to me more and more.

I have a Buddy Heater for my ice house (camo version - was thinking ahead) and was wondering if it would help keep off the chill while sitting in the duck boat. I went out on Friday and got drenched. Thought I had the radar and reading of it accurate in the blind but the rain came an hour earlier than I thought and I got hit with a torrential downpour that got everything wet. Went out Saturday and the wetness of the blind, combined with the strong cold winds made siting in the duck boat a challenge.

I am hoping that a buddy heater will help the next could of days. The boat blind has no top on it so don't know.

Anyone have experience doing this?

Mark W

 

[Andrew Holley]

Yep, I use one sparingly in the boat. Mainly when my kids come along, trying to make it enjoyable.
My little one is enough for them to keep their hands warm, and maybe roast a marshmellow. If it comes along, I also bring an extra fire extinguisher, and am mainly watching it, not birds.
Andrew

 

[RLLigman]

I've used them on rain hunts and late season hunts(Hard to recall how many years ago it was actually cold in the late waterfowl season.) They sometimes shut-off automatically when the boat starts bobbing around in a strong chop, but that is a safety feature that simply verifies to me it is working.

 

[Pete McMiller]

I have used them on occasion but only to warm hands for a few minutes or to heat up some soup. The issue I had was a 100lb. Chessie in the boat with the lit heater - had to keep the dog away from it for safety (his and mine). Eventually I put large headed screws to mounted it to the inside of the coaming but it just slide down over the screw heads and was easily removable.

 

[Anthony Babich]

Love mine, used it last season in the duckboat and made it very toasty for the crew. Wouldn't leave the dock without it... Usually go through about 4-5 tanks in the late season. Also turn it sideways to warm up breakfast.

 

[Mark W]

Non issue for me tomorrow morning. Got it out of the box (my old one quit last year and attempts to fix fruitless) hooked it up to a 1 lb cylinder and it didn't work. Nada, nothing. Good thing it was within the return period. Brought it back to Cabelas to exchange and I hey have nothing in stock. 12/2 is the earliest I was told. What a bummer.

Looks like sitting in the cold tomorrow. Was really hope not to give it a try.

Mark

 

[steve schrat]

Use mine in the duck wrangler with the roof up late season and it seems to keep the heat in the boat better !

 

[Tom Scholberg]

Never in a boat but wouldn't go to the deer stand without it.

 

[George Goodsell]

Mark,

I have 2 of the Mr. Heater heater/cookers on hoses off a 20 lb LP tank. Each heater has a 12V DC computer fan above it running off boat batteries to move air around. Used to have the setup for two of us and the dog in a Mud buddy flip over blind on a 16' semi-V. Why get cold???

George

 

[SJ Fairbank]

I have them for icefishing, they work great. In the boat I just can't get past the proximity of 2, 6 gallon gasoline tanks in the same compartment.

 

[Bomber]

I am not sure about the small one but the big buddy one with the fan will heat up the inside of an 18 foot boat rather well. They are great for thawing out a gun or keeping you or your dog warm. We tend to break them out any time the temps start getting around 20-25 or less, and have used it on a -8 day with the sun out and they work great . As a bonus they also work well for heating up ham and cheese sandwiches.
As far as the gas tank issue in a boat, I keep it mid ship or forward and there is an automatic bump switch in case it gets bumped or knocked over.

 

[roy brewington]

Some have battery operated igniters. Did you check that out.Try makeing u a small deflector to hook into grate or over handles to push heat flow out instead of straight up to get best warmth from those heaters in open top blind. Fashioned right you can even warm food up on deflector. Use a trick I picked up on ice fishing blog w mine. Aluminum paint tray roller grid from lowes fits perfectly around handles and covered w tinfoil gives warming surface and acts as deflector. Works great and grid stows easily w heater. Put some heat tape around hooks on grid to keep from damageing buddy heater handle though.