Snip: "I've got a Gray Marine 4-71 (Detroit Diesel) in my boat. I'm
installing a Seaward water heater, that has a heat exchanger for heating the
water with the coolant from the main engine. I've got a few questions on the
installation. First, where does one hook up the heater hoses to the engine?"

Have you checked the plugs on top of the freshwater circulation pump? These
should be threaded for hose connections. Ideally the water will be hotter at
the thermostat but on my 453 DD's there is little room to get in there
without moving the thermostat up. I run hot water of both engines and found
that installing circulation pumps with remote switch assists heating
considerably. They might even work as a back up to the freshwater cooling
pumps in an emergency! I use one engine for the hot water tank and the other
for space heating via a heat exchanger in my Hurricane circuit

Ron Barr
Lady Brookhaven Hatteras LRC
Newport RI

De-lurking momentarily/seeking input:
Frank and I have been searching YachtWorld and he has honed in on the
Nordic Tug 26... I think she's cute. HOWEVER, the pictures don't seem to
show opening windows?! Portholes aren't enough to get a decent
ventilation in the Caribbean we don't think.

Intended Range: Coastal, (think ICW, I'd like to revisit the St.
Lawrence Seaway and the Thousand Islands) and then south, perhaps as far
as Venezuela)

Will she work?

Janice & Frank, with a house on the market and a boat on the horizon.
Next we need to find "the one" (model)

Guidance appreciated. DEFINITELY SMALL -- less than 30'
Less than 3' draft too. Decent range, willing to go slow to increase
same. Not in a hurry -- if we want to get some place fast, we'll fly.

We've also looked at the Brandlmeyer, Hercules and Alaskan24.
Thank you.