I Often Eat Lunch On My Boat All Year Round - so Mr. Heater Is A Welcome Guest.
April 1, 2012 
I used an older version of the Mr. Heater Portable Buddy for years on my houseboat. This new version offers a fold-down handle for compact storage and a new swing out regulator for easy fuel connection. I use the 1-lb. propane tank, which screws into the unit itself. It provides about 3 to 6 hours of heat with depending on the high or low setting. The low heat setting produces 4000 BTU and the high heat setting, 9000 BTU. The company says this unit is fine for heating a 200 sq. ft. area. With an optional hose, you can also use a 20-lb. propane tank, which should be kept outdoors with the hose running inside to the unit. Portable Buddy is an ideal way to have temporary heat for tents, campers, workshops, garages, etc. It should never be used in an airtight location even though there is an Oxygen Depletion Sensor designed to shut the unit if it senses low oxygen. Once you attach the propane tank, you turn the switch to “pilot” and push down to ignite it. You don’t need matches. Once the pilot lights, you select “high” or “low” heat and Portable Buddy heats quickly. There’s also an accidental tip-over safety shutoff. When it’s heating, it gives off a red glow and looks a bit like a tiny fireplace. It’s perfect for heating the cabin on my 23’ foot Farallon workboat. If you live in California, there is a very similar unit that meets some different California state rules. MSRP is about $100, but if you do a web search you can find it for about $75. If you need more heat, there’s a slightly bigger model that uses two 1-lb propane tanks at the same time. Here’s a listing on Amazon. I have not shopped at this e-tailer.
http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-Buddy-Portable-Propane/dp/B0030OHCJ0
The Giz Wiz Video of the week: http://youtu.be/HUTf-qmUFk4
The view from the Dropcam inside my boat facing the Hudson River:
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