The Dangers of Not Using a Boat Engine Heater

A boat engine heater is a needed investment for boat owners once the colder weather comes around. It’s safer than using a lightbulb or a standard heater since those can cause fires and explosions. Plus, with a boat engine heater, your engine will stay warm and usable at any time.

We all know the dangers winter can cause on your boat, especially if there’s water inside your engine and gear case. Water inside could cause a cracked block or housing and a repair bill to cost you thousands of dollars. Prevent damage from freezing temperatures and avoid the rookie mistake of using a portable electric heater to keep your engine warm. 

What is a Boat Engine Heater?

A boat engine heater is a specific heater to keep your boat engine warm in the winter and colder weather. At Xtreme Heaters, we specifically made a boat engine heater just for that purpose. We created the safest, most reliable, and more efficient boat engine heater. The goal of boat engine heaters is to maximize circulation. Because the more the air is circulated, the more evenly the temperature is controlled in the engine compartment. 

We offer three sizes to choose from to fit your boat engine: small Xtreme Heater, medium XXtreme Heater, and large XXXtreme Heater. And having the various sizes allows you to mix and match the boat engine heaters to achieve the best circulation. There is no precise science to heater placement and installation. But it's why we have installation guides for Ski/Wake/Watersports/Runabouts boats, Cruisers, and Houseboats. We also have our customer testimonials so you can read what combination worked best for them and their engine. 

Why Should I Use a Boat Engine Heater?

An estimated 4,000 boats are affected by fires or explosions every year. And about 400 of those are a total loss or extremely costly to rebuild. While some boat owners might think a portable electric heater is a substitute for keeping their engines warm, it can cause a fire. This happened to  one boat owner and because the boat was docked in a covered marina, the fire spread to several other boats. Boat U.S. marine insurance claim files confirm the leading cause of winter vessel fires is from unattended portable heaters and overtaxed electrical systems. 

But don’t believe us! We have cautionary tales from other boat owners. Mike said his neighbor put a small electric space heater in his boat and set it for the lowest setting. But as the weather got colder, the heater switched back and forth between on and off until the extension cord melted and set the boat on fire. The boat was a total loss since the fire destroyed the entire inside of the boat. Brett says he used to use a light bulb to keep his boat engine warm until the light rested on the holding tank, causing burn marks. The plastic in the ABD was burnt and he’s grateful his boat didn’t end up in flames. “You could not pay me to put a light bulb in my engine compartment now. They were not made for boats and are just too risky,” said Mike. And we agree! 

Get peace of mind with our Xtreme Boat Engine Heater!

It’s why our Xtreme Heaters were designed with safety in mind and were tested to confirm it. Our Xtreme Heaters have been independently tested and passed the requirements for electrical components as stated in the ISO Standard ISO 8846 as well as the Electrical System Standard, Title 33 CFR, Part 183, Subpart I, Section 183.410, SAE J1171and the ABYC Certification Handbook. We even went a step further and tested beyond the standard ignition protection safety standards. We tested our Xtreme Heater with Military Spec testing to prove it will last during the most demanding environments and it passed! We are proud to offer the safest, most reliable, and most efficient boat engine heaters available. 

Our boat engine heaters are also safe due to the modern, efficient, Positive Temperature Coefficient technology we built our boat engine heaters with. With this technology, our heaters are self-regulating, which makes them safer than a portable electric heater. 

If you’re ready to save money on winterization and keep your boat’s engine warm and safe from the cold, buy a boat engine heater today! We ship out on the same day of purchase. We also guarantee quality with our boat engine heaters. We have a 2-year warranty so you can exchange or repair your effective boat engine heater within the first two years of purchase.