Attention: Massachusetts Boaters

[CarlF]

There's a small brokerage show in the spring but the main show is right around the corner. Well worth attending.

Newport International Boat Show | Sailboat and Powerboat Show | Newport Rhode Island

[ontherocks83]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

Isn't the Newport show in April?


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

The show is September 11- 14

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by ontherocks83

The show is September 11- 14

Ok, thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by JK n Smitty

GG,

I think a lot of the problem you are having is that those that live aboard full time in MA tend to be more the DYI type.

I would recommend you join the Yahoo group for Boston Liveaboards. Once you are a member, post the question there. I bet you will find someone to install your system that way.

What marina are you planning to stay at for the winter? We will be at Constitution Marina in Charlestown.

Good luck,

Jesse

Jesse,
Do you know what kind of heat the liveaboards at constitution are using? Does anyone with a fairly large boats use space heaters that you know of and how does it work out?

I'm considering using space heaters for now but would like to hear from someone who has done it before.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

Maybe your right I should think about it more. If it can handle all this a/c load then it should be able to handle electric heat load. I should be back hopefully in about 3 days. I'm going to take a ride over to Constitution they have about 100 winter liveaboards and see what those guys are doing about heat. I know that 2 of the boats in MA that I looked at were both live aboard and both were using space heaters.

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

Jesse,
Do you know what kind of heat the liveaboards at constitution are using? Does anyone with a fairly large boats use space heaters that you know of and how does it work out?

I'm considering using space heaters for now but would like to hear from someone who has done it before.

One quote from the other thread, one from here...

I think that's why it might be interesting to compare diesel to the newer electric heat pump split systems (e.g., Mitsubishi, etc.). Electricity is probably relatively easy to deal with, in a big marina situation -- since your A/C load is proving viable -- and pulling wires is maybe sometimes easier than routing plumbing. And if marina power goes down, your genset steps in, nothing further required.

Imagine some combination of new split units, plus maybe insertion of resistive heat sources into your existing reverse cycle A/C systems (assuming your A/C units are in good repair).

The couple in our marina who added resistive heat -- Cruiseair HMDL-2, in their case -- simply shut off their raw water inlet and pump for the winter once water temp hit about 40°F, so the compressor didn't run. They had decent heat, though, using the existing unit's air handler for forced air circulation. Smaller boat, smaller module, of course, but the concept seems interesting.

The newer split system heat pumps are said to be way more efficient, likely way more cost effective than resistive heat (but dunno comparison to diesel). OTOH, maybe it'd be possible to only add a few of these, if augmentation with resistive heat might be viable.

For example, it looks like I could easily heat our own flying bridge with a split heat pump; compressor on top of the hardtop, air handler mounted to the underside of the hardtop, relatively easy to pull wiring... And then adding resistive heat modules to the existing A/C systems -- for those times when sunlight through the windows isn't enough -- would be relatively painless, too. In that case, no space heaters required (I think); the resistive heat modules inserted into existing A/C systems would likely be more efficient than space heaters (I think).

Just thinking out loud, as it were. And of course it's usually not generally as cold here, for long terms anyway.

-Chris

[JK n Smitty]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

Jesse,
Do you know what kind of heat the liveaboards at constitution are using? Does anyone with a fairly large boats use space heaters that you know of and how does it work out?

I'm considering using space heaters for now but would like to hear from someone who has done it before.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Lots of them seem to be using space heaters. I know Whales Way used them bc they just offered me their old ones a couple of weeks ago (they are back living on the hard for now). That boat is about as big as yours.

Again, I suggest the Boston Liveaboards Yahoo group. There is a lot of discussion on this there. They also do a meetup in the fall fir noobs to ask questions.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Sun and Moon]

I did a bunch of work at Barlows Boatyard in Pocassett.
I was happy with the work done - quality workmanship and fair prices. Nice people, too.

https://www.facebook.com/BarlowsBoatYard
(508) 563-3213

*I have no relationship with this yard except satisfied customer.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by JK n Smitty

Lots of them seem to be using space heaters. I know Whales Way used them bc they just offered me their old ones a couple of weeks ago (they are back living on the hard for now). That boat is about as big as yours.

Again, I suggest the Boston Liveaboards Yahoo group. There is a lot of discussion on this there. They also do a meetup in the fall fir noobs to ask questions.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

I will try to join the group again, today.

If you speak to Whales Way would you mind asking them what kind of special plug they were using? I remember seeing outlets on their boat that were labelled "heaters only". Are they in the Yahoo Group or on Cruisers forum? I would love to be able to be able to ask them a few questions.

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it. Are you at Constitution now or do arrive for the winter season?


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by Sun and Moon

I did a bunch of work at Barlows Boatyard in Pocassett.
I was happy with the work done - quality workmanship and fair prices. Nice people, too.

https://www.facebook.com/BarlowsBoatYard
(508) 563-3213

*I have no relationship with this yard except satisfied customer.

Thanks for the referral? I will give them a call today.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by JK n Smitty

Lots of them seem to be using space heaters. I know Whales Way used them bc they just offered me their old ones a couple of weeks ago (they are back living on the hard for now). That boat is about as big as yours.

Again, I suggest the Boston Liveaboards Yahoo group. There is a lot of discussion on this there. They also do a meetup in the fall fir noobs to ask questions.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Jesse,
Sorry to bombard you with so many questions.
Do the winter liveaboards stay at Constitution all year?


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[chrisjs]

Apart from cost, relying exclusively on electric heat exposes you to the risk of power outages, though I guess you could always use your generator to power heating if necessary. It can take a lot of power to keep a boat your size warm enough in the Boston Winter. Would strongly suggest you shrink wrap to reduce heat loss. The other problem you will encounter is condensation. The outside of the vessel is cold and inside is warm/wet from cooking, breathing, showering etc. Avoiding condensation and mold can be a big concern. Mattresses can get quite wet on the unheated (down) side.

[sailcruiser]

Should you decide to go with space heaters is suggest something like this: http://m.homedepot.com/p/DeLonghi-Sa...715T/202547365 plus covering your boat with a clear shrink wrap if possible. (Think green house). That is what I use on the hard for winter work and it's decent.

I think the Boston liveaboard group is run by Ahmet. Try to PM him here:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...cer-68564.html

I think he was at Constitution at one point. His blog has some info on winter liveaboards:
http://sv-waterdancer.blogspot.com/2...chive.html?m=1

Hope this helps a bit!
SC


SC

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by sailcruiser

Should you decide to go with space heaters is suggest something like this: http://m.homedepot.com/p/DeLonghi-Sa...715T/202547365 plus covering your boat with a clear shrink wrap if possible. (Think green house). That is what I use on the hard for winter work and it's decent.

I think the Boston liveaboard group is run by Ahmet. Try to PM him here:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...cer-68564.html

I think he was at Constitution at one point. His blog has some info on winter liveaboards:
http://sv-waterdancer.blogspot.com/2...chive.html?m=1

Hope this helps a bit!
SC


SC

SC,
That info is a big help! Thank you. I have pm's Ahmet. Hopefully I can get into that group.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by chrisjs

Apart from cost, relying exclusively on electric heat exposes you to the risk of power outages, though I guess you could always use your generator to power heating if necessary. It can take a lot of power to keep a boat your size warm enough in the Boston Winter. Would strongly suggest you shrink wrap to reduce heat loss. The other problem you will encounter is condensation. The outside of the vessel is cold and inside is warm/wet from cooking, breathing, showering etc. Avoiding condensation and mold can be a big concern. Mattresses can get quite wet on the unheated (down) side.

I will definitely be shrink wrapping. If for no other reason but to keep snow of the deck. I am not interested in hauling boat snow all winter


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[JK n Smitty]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

I will try to join the group again, today.

If you speak to Whales Way would you mind asking them what kind of special plug they were using? I remember seeing outlets on their boat that were labelled "heaters only". Are they in the Yahoo Group or on Cruisers forum? I would love to be able to be able to ask them a few questions.

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it. Are you at Constitution now or do arrive for the winter season?


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

I will ask them about the heater only plugs but it's probably just that they wired additional shore power points for heaters. A lot of winter live aboards will do that. Some will split in actual outlets while others will have their port side on one shore power hookup and the starboard side on another. Others, like us, will have a winter only panel that they install in the fall and remove in the spring that is wired to a couple of outlets dedicated to heaters and dehumidifiers.

At Constitution you can get as many extra hookups as you want. The power is metered so it really doesn't matter. You are limited in how many heaters you can connect to each shore power connection. So most boats will have 2-3 shore power connections and some will mix 30 amp and 50 amp. We will have 2 30 amp connections to run 3 heaters (2 small fan style heaters on low and 1 oil-filled radiant heater) and a dehumidifier.

I know the owners of Whales Way are on the yahoo group but I don't know if they follow it too much. I am sure if you post on that group what you have for a boat and ask for advice on heating it you will get some good responses.

Someone mentioned shrink wrap and to add to that, clear shrink wrap. Creates a greenhouse affect during the day. But I think I remember Whales Way telling me that they stopped doing it because its not as affective on the big motor cruisers. Mattress pad heaters are another good idea. Redundancy in heating systems is another big thing. So either having a generator that can power some heaters or having propane backup or something similar. Again, this is all been covered many times on that Yahoo group so getting access to it will give you a lot of these answers. Ahmet on Waterdancer has some really great stuff on that group.

A lot of the liveaboards at CM do stay there year round. We are in Hingham for the summers and will only go there for the winter. So people do it both ways. We did a lot of research and CM is really the only truly liveaboard friendly marina in the area. They have good plans for liveaboards and actually like having them from as far as I can tell. One of the owners lives on his boat with his family.