wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm thinking about moving onto a boat. I'm a bachelor and living on
the shore in New Jersey, was looking at house but they're insane right
now. I'm thinking about buying an old Chris Craft (wood hull) and
moving on the water. Has anybody ever done this in NJ? Know about good
marinas for such a thing? I'm worried about the water in the winter,
heat and the wood hull. If anyone has any experience I would appreciate
some feedback.
Thanks!


I know a couple that have lived aboard an older, wooden Chris Craft here in
MA (Cape Cod) for several years and survived fine. There are bubblers
installed at the marina at each piling and although the water iced over in
some sections, the area around the hull was fine. Last summer they got rid
of the Chris Craft and got an older, fiberglass houseboat and spent their
first winter on it last year.

I left my boat in the water last winter. I had it hauled, had the hull
cleaned, replaced all the zincs, winterized the engines, generator and water
systems, then put it back in the slip. I have four reverse cycle AC units
and, although they were winterized in late November, they still were
producing adequate heat. After they were winterized as a precaution, I
installed 120v outlets tied to each of their electrical services and bought
four, 1500 watt ceramic space heaters. I left the refrig running and had
use of the convection/microwave and stove top. I didn't live on it ... but
I did visit off and on during the winter and spent a couple of overnighters
on it last January and February. Surprisingly, I was quite comfortable
after the heaters warmed it up. I only ran a couple at a time and was able
to maintain the pilothouse and main cabin at around 65 degrees with below
freezing temperatures outside. At night I ran one heater in the main
stateroom and was very comfortable ... in fact I had to turn it down after a
while.

Obviously without the water system, I had to use the marina head and shower,
but it wasn't bad. They have heated, clean facilities, open year round.

My slip neighbor told me he did the same thing one year but ran his engine
block heaters all winter. His engine room stayed nice and warm once the big
diesel engine blocks warmed up and he never had to winterize his water
system. I've installed heaters on my engines and I plan to see how
effective they are this coming winter.

I enjoyed it. It was very different sitting on the boat during the middle
of the winter with snow all over everything and nobody around. I plan to do
it again, but I doubt I'd ever be inclined to live on it full time.

Oh ... I also did not shrink-rap anything. I just buttoned up the full
enclosure and it survived fine, despite a couple of heavy snowfalls.

Eisboch