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Peggie Hall
 
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Default Living on a boat: winter??

It's not that hard to keep a boat from freezing, especially if it's
heated. The biggest issues in winter months a

1. Toilet waste management--in your waters it has to go into a holding
tank, which can only be emptied by pumpout, and pumpouts are closed
during the winter.

2. Fresh water supply...marinas turn off the water to the docks during
the winter.

That means you'd have to use the marina facilities as much as possible
and keep a portapotty onboard for use when you don't want to walk 100
yards or more to the bathroom...carry the portapotty off the boat to
dump it down a toilet and carry jerry cans of fresh water onto the boat.

Heat can be another problem if the power on the dock goes out...'cuz any
kind of fossil fuel heater that isn't specifically designed and
installed for use on boats can kill you in a closed up unventilated
cabin (CO and oxygen depletion).

Then there's a certain amount of boat maintenance to keep all the
systems you can use in the winter time working.

It can be a fun way to spend a summer if you don't need much closet
space...but as Don said, a VERY uncomfortable way to spend a
winter--especially if you're not already a seasoned live-aboard boat owner

Peggie
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Peggie Hall
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/html/get_ri...oat_odors.html

Don White wrote:
Some people do it in Halifax, but I'm not sure why.
The Armdale Yacht Club bubbles the water to keep it from freezing.
The main harbour 'never' freezes (well, maybe once in a lifetime or so) so
if you could pay to tie up at a wharf, it's doable
although noisy& bright most nights.
I couldn't imagine a more uncomfortable, cold, damp way to spend a winter.

sergem wrote in message
...

Hi folks, hope someone can answer my question!

Last week I talked to someone who told me they lived on a sailboat
year round! I found this an interesting concept, especially being a
bachelor.

I'm entertaining this idea but I have a few questions:

1. I would be interested in a powered boat.. like a cruiser or
something w/ cabin. My understanding is that most of these have a
fiberglass hull.. what would happen in a Canadian Winter when the boat
is docked.. would it be damaged? He mentionned an "agitator" or
something?

2. Is this even possible? The boat would remain dock 99% of the time..
it would be treated as a floating bachelor apartment basicly.

Any advice / input greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Serge
Toronto, Ontario