Challenge: Cruising in the Cold, Staying Alive

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Charlie

I would think those things were a bit warm under water. Pretty good heaters and AC I imagine.

On the surface you stand lookout watch, so you get to be up there in the sail with whatever conditions are going on. And then you're still in the north atlantic. So you're going to be in Connecticut, Scotland, Greenland, Iceland... hell, we even broke ice in the north pole. I'm a Blue Nose!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Thames

Sorry boatman as you know I don't know much about boats I reckon it'll be plenty of insulation and a little wood stove in my boat, not least because I have to endure the first winter or two in bonnie England

Hey Thames... no worries mate... for a minute you got me excited... 'Big Boy'...

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by thinwater

SD and Portugal in cold weather? Pretty funny stuff!
We are talking about very different amounts of cold. I have a trawler lamp, but it does'nt contribute anything useful in December here. It is all about BTUs, draft reduction and insulation, and there are no tricks.

Well blow me down sideways.... is that a fact...
If I was that far Nth then maybe I'd do something along those lines but as its a 2 - 3 mth inconvinience that rarely freezes I don't bother... but I'm familiar with cold weather... been there, got the T-Shirt...
However... the OP was after something cheap and quick... preferably free ideas.
Ok.. you can mock the clay pots and tea lights... but then maybe your not aware of the psychological comfort even these 'sad and misleading ideas' can bring... try and Igloo sometime with just 3 people sharing and no heating other than bodies and see how warm it can get in there.
Agree strongly with the draft reduction tho'.... blows out the tea lights...

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by Bright Eyes

Our inverter wasnt cheap and can power everything on our boat including the microwave when the batteries are full. So hopefully it can handle a 1 amp blanket. We will keep an eye on it though.

The problem is that I used the term "inexpensive" which might be a bit broad. The problem is not the inverter's capacity, it's the inverter's wave form on the output. My Xantrax 2500 inverter will easily run my microwave and some other stuff at the same time, but the wave form is a modified sine wave. It did smoke both controllers on my dual control electric blanket. The blanket was on less than 10 minutes before I smelled smoke and burning electronics, and that was the end of the electric blanket. The inverter was not cheap when I bought it, but you can get similar ones now for a few hundred dollars. Some people do not see a few hundred dollars as inexpensive. If your inverter does not have a true sine wave output, do not use your electric blanket with it. If you do you will only have an electric blanket for a few minutes. Stay warm.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by boatman61

...
Its just a shame no ones come up with a way of circulating the raw cooling water from the exhaust round some radiators yet..

Check out Zenith Marine's automobile style Hydronic Heating system
➥ Zenith Marine :: Hydronic Heating

ZENITH MARINE
Fener Kalamis Cad. Kordon Yolu Sok. No:1/1 Kalamis, Istanbul, Turkey
E-mail info@zenith-marine.com
Phone +90 (216) 345 81 80
Fax +90 (216) 336 52 90

[boatman61]

Now thats a sweet little system.... Cheers Gord... I'll bear it in mind when I've got a 'Big Boat' again and living 'Up Norf'..
Doubt it'd work of the outboard...

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by thinwater

SD and Portugal in cold weather? Pretty funny stuff!

A trawler lamp keeps the cabin warm? In Tampa, perhaps, which only gets as cold as some keep there houses all winter here. On the Chesapeake now, that would'nt even keep their hands warm.

We are talking about very different amounts of cold. I have a trawler lamp, but it does'nt contribute anything useful in December here. It is all about BTUs, draft reduction and insulation, and there are no tricks.

when the underwater is 50 and the over air is 29, we get 38 as a temp. lol is a bad winter for all so dont pan kali-- san diego hits 38 for many days if the year,that is not fun, in any locale. yes i have endured 10F to minus 10F degree weather-- but i dont HAVE to-- got smart but not smart enough yet-- have to go more south. yes kali and portugal get cold--look on your maps of weather and history. LOL.on the water in a boat in so cal is not a paradice --is a cold and wet winter. come on out and do a winter here in el nino or la nina years.....maryland is not spozed to be cold , either-- so what is up there?? rofl.....you gwt our weather aftter the midwest is done with cooling it off.. have fun-- will be a lot of it... so far this storm series has brought 4 days of wet and wind. more coming--lookslike 3 more days --thatis gonna be from pacific northwest-- that is what brings the freeezing weather. so far they havehad tornadoes in nw and things not common to pnw. SF AND PNW HAVE HAD TORNADOES THIS WINTER.... have fun. is not normal pattern.
so--when someone says a place is freeking cold--listen. you may learn something. oops did i say that out loud????

[galynd]

Mr. Heater buddy. CSA certified, designed and approved for emergency indoor and outdoor use, automatic low oxygen shutoff and accidental tip-over shutoff. very safe. I wouldn't go without it during the winter. uses a 1 lb. cannister of propane every 6 hours. though.

[hugosalt]

Coleman SportCat ™ Perfectemp™ Catalytic Heater with InstaStart™ Technology

Coleman SportCat ™ Perfectemp™ Catalytic Heater with InstaStart™ Technology Provides comfortable warmth whether indoors or in a tent
Electronic ignition for for quick and easy matchless lighting
1,500 BTU output operates up to 14 hours from one 16.4 oz propane cylinder (not included)
Portable integrated handle makes heater easy to carry
Stable, detachable base provides a strong stand for the heater

I have used for several years... they are good for indoors but I never leave on overnight, use to warm up cabin then shut off before gong to sleep and then again upon waking up in a.m.
cost less than $80. also smaller size less than $60.
Don't leave without something safe to take the edge off!

[Surrymark]

Damn! I've been thinking of going south to spend a winter month or so on the Chesapeake!

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by hugosalt

Coleman SportCat ™ Perfectemp™ Catalytic Heater with InstaStart™ Technology

Coleman SportCat ™ Perfectemp™ Catalytic Heater with InstaStart™ Technology Provides comfortable warmth whether indoors or in a tent
Electronic ignition for for quick and easy matchless lighting
1,500 BTU output operates up to 14 hours from one 16.4 oz propane cylinder (not included)
Portable integrated handle makes heater easy to carry
Stable, detachable base provides a strong stand for the heater

I have used for several years... they are good for indoors but I never leave on overnight, use to warm up cabin then shut off before gong to sleep and then again upon waking up in a.m.
cost less than $80. also smaller size less than $60.
Don't leave without something safe to take the edge off!

i8 gave 3 of those away .found in my boat when i bought her-- gave to friend...lol...i donot use those--prolly will want to this year but i dont usually use heaters--just the lamps....HAVE heaters, just dont use them....kats tend to make them fall after burning their fur--stinkyyy...lol

[BELISLE]

We are thinking about leaving Wilmington, NC around Jan 5th to head for Longboat Key, FL. Any suggestions on the cold. We are in a 43 Silverton Sport Bridge. We normally leave in late Oct, but were not able to this year. Trying to decide if January or February would be better. Any ideas?

[Pblais]

We normally leave in late Oct, but were not able to this year. Trying to decide if January or February would be better.

The thing to worry about are ice storms. While snow storms could happen the ice storms are more common and probably more treacherous. They can shut you down quickly. I wouldn't think any time is better but more about being lucky and watching weather so you don't take off in the morning only to find at noon you are in the middle of it with no place to hide. January affords more days and so more good days since you could lose 5 days easy in each period of poor weather. Most all sections of the trip require good visibility. There still can be commercial traffic at all times. Starting a few days ago you are gaining about a minute of daylight on each end. Managing your daylight hours is going to be the biggest problem. Late October has a lot more daylight and you could travel in borderline weather. The colder water in the rivers is also going to have a potential impact on weather / visibility. Jan and Feb tend to have a lot more gray weather too. The water would be at minimum temperature at those times.

To be dry is to have a chance at being warm. If you can make dry heat you'll be doing better than any type of combustion based heat that isn't vented to the outside. Dry heat will help remove moisture rather than add to it. Moisture will condense inside the cabin and make the visibility more difficult and at the end of the day just make you feel damp and you will feel very cold. Extra interior condensation is not anything you want.

For this time of year the catalytic heaters would be a very poor option. Staying warm and keeping the ports clear will be a serious job and may limit days when you can even travel.

[BELISLE]

I did not even think about the dampness and fogging up to where we can't see. Great points. What do you know about this type of heater.

Coleman SportCat ™ Perfectemp™ Catalytic Heater with InstaStart™ Technology

We have never traveled during this season so all is new to us. What about coming across from Marathon to Longboat Key, FL during this time. Is there any chance of good weather without high seas. Last time we came thru around Nov 9th, we had 6 ft seas all the way from just outside Marathon to Marco Island. Also, what about running thru at Stuart thru the locks, instead of going around. Maybe that would be better. Any news there. We draft 4'6.
Thanks,

[perchance]

Wrap yourself in Caribou skin and consume copious amounts of seal blubber. It worked for the Eskimos.
Me being a smart ass.