Trying something different ...
 

Every year I've had the boat winterized, shrink-wrapped and stored on the
hard for the winter. Location: Cape Cod, MA.

This winter I am considering leaving it in the water. The marina I am at
offers in water storage and, for a nominal fee, power throughout the winter.

I talked to several people that do this and they have never had any
problems. There are a couple of live-a-boards here that spend all winter on
their boats. If fact, they have mentioned some of the most enjoyable times
is sitting in your boat during a snowstorm with the wind whipping and
rocking the boat.

The section of the marina where my slip is located is equipped with air
bubblers at each piling. The water tank on the boat is molded into the
bottom of the hull, so draining and winterizing the domestic water could
wait until it really gets cold (January). I'd leave the reverse cycle
A/C-Heat units operating until the water gets too cold to extract any heat,
then use space heaters (only when I am aboard).

I am not going to "live" on the boat, but I think it would be different to
spend a couple of days aboard once in a while during the cold, dreary
winter.

Eisboch

I have used a bilge heater and a cabin heater to allow me to use the boat
late into the season.


"Eisboch" wrote in message
...
Every year I've had the boat winterized, shrink-wrapped and stored on the
hard for the winter. Location: Cape Cod, MA.

This winter I am considering leaving it in the water. The marina I am at
offers in water storage and, for a nominal fee, power throughout the
winter.

I talked to several people that do this and they have never had any
problems. There are a couple of live-a-boards here that spend all winter
on their boats. If fact, they have mentioned some of the most enjoyable
times is sitting in your boat during a snowstorm with the wind whipping
and rocking the boat.

The section of the marina where my slip is located is equipped with air
bubblers at each piling. The water tank on the boat is molded into the
bottom of the hull, so draining and winterizing the domestic water could
wait until it really gets cold (January). I'd leave the reverse cycle
A/C-Heat units operating until the water gets too cold to extract any
heat, then use space heaters (only when I am aboard).

I am not going to "live" on the boat, but I think it would be different to
spend a couple of days aboard once in a while during the cold, dreary
winter.

Eisboch

Starbuck's wrote:
I have used a bilge heater and a cabin heater to allow me to use the boat
late into the season.



Sissy!

Don,
Yes, but I am a comfortable sissy while sleeping aboard in Dec.


"Don White" wrote in message
...
Starbuck's wrote:
I have used a bilge heater and a cabin heater to allow me to use the boat
late into the season.



Sissy!

I agree with Harry that boats left in the water suffer more wear and
tear, and get dirtier.

There are also other risks: An exceptionally cold winter can overwhelm
the bubbler system causing ice damage to docks and boats; Same issue
with an extended power outage; Frozen seacocks can crack and sink the
boat; Leaves and debris can clog scuppers and cause interior flooding.

And why wouldn't you want to be in Florida instead?

wrote in message
oups.com...

I agree with Harry that boats left in the water suffer more wear and
tear, and get dirtier.

There are also other risks: An exceptionally cold winter can overwhelm
the bubbler system causing ice damage to docks and boats; Same issue
with an extended power outage; Frozen seacocks can crack and sink the
boat; Leaves and debris can clog scuppers and cause interior flooding.

And why wouldn't you want to be in Florida instead?


Ummmmm.... I hadn't thought about the seacocks. You think they could freeze
even though they are all well below the waterline? The boat draws 4 and a
half feet , so I would guess the hull is at least two feet down. The
seacocks are all brass - maybe I could put heater tape on them when it gets
really cold.

As for the dirt, etc., I have never done this before so Harry's point is
worth consideration. The boat is now five years old but I have tried to
maintain it and it still looks new.

Another con is, as you pointed out, this boat does not have true scuppers in
the cockpit. It has perforated drains that often require unclogging. The
boat is a dry boat so there is no need for real scuppers, but sometimes I
wish it had them anyway.

I'll have to think about this some more.

Thanks for the comments.

Oh - Florida. Yes, we will likely be back down there but not for 6 months
at a time like we've done for the past 3 years. Mrs. E wants to spend more
time with the family - her parents are elderly - and she also misses seeing
the grandkids growing up. So - I need something to look forward to up here
during the winter other than shoveling snow, otherwise I'll go completely
bonkers.

Eisboch

On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 22:33:41 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:


You could hang out with Tom...by spring, you'll smell as fishy as he does.



As I sit here on my boat, he is across and a bit down the bay from me.
Sometimes, when the wind is just right ......

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...


I agree with Harry that boats left in the water suffer more wear and
tear, and get dirtier.

There are also other risks: An exceptionally cold winter can overwhelm
the bubbler system causing ice damage to docks and boats; Same issue
with an extended power outage; Frozen seacocks can crack and sink the
boat; Leaves and debris can clog scuppers and cause interior flooding.

And why wouldn't you want to be in Florida instead?



Ummmmm.... I hadn't thought about the seacocks. You think they could freeze
even though they are all well below the waterline? The boat draws 4 and a
half feet , so I would guess the hull is at least two feet down. The
seacocks are all brass - maybe I could put heater tape on them when it gets
really cold.

As for the dirt, etc., I have never done this before so Harry's point is
worth consideration. The boat is now five years old but I have tried to
maintain it and it still looks new.

Another con is, as you pointed out, this boat does not have true scuppers in
the cockpit. It has perforated drains that often require unclogging. The
boat is a dry boat so there is no need for real scuppers, but sometimes I
wish it had them anyway.

I'll have to think about this some more.

Thanks for the comments.

Oh - Florida. Yes, we will likely be back down there but not for 6 months
at a time like we've done for the past 3 years. Mrs. E wants to spend more
time with the family - her parents are elderly - and she also misses seeing
the grandkids growing up. So - I need something to look forward to up here
during the winter other than shoveling snow, otherwise I'll go completely
bonkers.

Eisboch



Those pesky cockpit drains. Last month I removed the two seat drains,
and the single cockpit floor drain and replaced with bigger ones. Of
course I also had to upgrade the drain hoses and true-hulls to match.
I found the leaves would clog the smaller drains while the boat sits in
my driveway.

You could run the boat down to Florida and use it for a weekend or longer
getaway, like you had originally planned. Just don't hire Captain Crunch to
move it for you. Here's a new motto for you. "When the snow flies so doth
Eisboch"
JIMinFL
"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
oups.com...

I agree with Harry that boats left in the water suffer more wear and
tear, and get dirtier.

There are also other risks: An exceptionally cold winter can overwhelm
the bubbler system causing ice damage to docks and boats; Same issue
with an extended power outage; Frozen seacocks can crack and sink the
boat; Leaves and debris can clog scuppers and cause interior flooding.

And why wouldn't you want to be in Florida instead?


Ummmmm.... I hadn't thought about the seacocks. You think they could
freeze even though they are all well below the waterline? The boat draws
4 and a half feet , so I would guess the hull is at least two feet down.
The seacocks are all brass - maybe I could put heater tape on them when it
gets really cold.

As for the dirt, etc., I have never done this before so Harry's point is
worth consideration. The boat is now five years old but I have tried to
maintain it and it still looks new.

Another con is, as you pointed out, this boat does not have true scuppers
in the cockpit. It has perforated drains that often require unclogging.
The boat is a dry boat so there is no need for real scuppers, but
sometimes I wish it had them anyway.

I'll have to think about this some more.

Thanks for the comments.

Oh - Florida. Yes, we will likely be back down there but not for 6
months at a time like we've done for the past 3 years. Mrs. E wants to
spend more time with the family - her parents are elderly - and she also
misses seeing the grandkids growing up. So - I need something to look
forward to up here during the winter other than shoveling snow, otherwise
I'll go completely bonkers.

Eisboch

OR "when the snow flies Eisboch flees"
"JIMinFL" wrote in message
ink.net...
You could run the boat down to Florida and use it for a weekend or longer
getaway, like you had originally planned. Just don't hire Captain Crunch
to move it for you. Here's a new motto for you. "When the snow flies so
doth Eisboch"
JIMinFL
"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
oups.com...

I agree with Harry that boats left in the water suffer more wear and
tear, and get dirtier.

There are also other risks: An exceptionally cold winter can overwhelm
the bubbler system causing ice damage to docks and boats; Same issue
with an extended power outage; Frozen seacocks can crack and sink the
boat; Leaves and debris can clog scuppers and cause interior flooding.

And why wouldn't you want to be in Florida instead?


Ummmmm.... I hadn't thought about the seacocks. You think they could
freeze even though they are all well below the waterline? The boat draws
4 and a half feet , so I would guess the hull is at least two feet down.
The seacocks are all brass - maybe I could put heater tape on them when
it gets really cold.

As for the dirt, etc., I have never done this before so Harry's point is
worth consideration. The boat is now five years old but I have tried to
maintain it and it still looks new.

Another con is, as you pointed out, this boat does not have true scuppers
in the cockpit. It has perforated drains that often require unclogging.
The boat is a dry boat so there is no need for real scuppers, but
sometimes I wish it had them anyway.

I'll have to think about this some more.

Thanks for the comments.

Oh - Florida. Yes, we will likely be back down there but not for 6
months at a time like we've done for the past 3 years. Mrs. E wants to
spend more time with the family - her parents are elderly - and she also
misses seeing the grandkids growing up. So - I need something to look
forward to up here during the winter other than shoveling snow, otherwise
I'll go completely bonkers.

Eisboch