Challenge: Cruising in the Cold, Staying Alive

[redmirage]

I have found that if my feet are cold I needed a warmer hat. I lived in Maine for a while as a lighthouse keeper and had a very warm fur hat and found that I could easily regulate my body heat by taking my hat on and off. Also try not to overdress and sweat, once you do you will get chilled fast. Wear many layers. Also wool insulates up to 70% when wet so it is a good choice. A wind proof layer on top helps a lot. Don't forget to drink lots of water. If your lips start to chap you need water!
Small ceramic type heaters work great inport.
You can stop by and see us at Coosaw Marine, between Charleston and Beaufort at Lucy Pt Creek, call ahead for a slip if you would like to stay, check us out at WWW.ACEBASINTOURS.COM. 843 521 3099.

Capt Charles

[ConradG]

Might be old school but I love my Barbour oilies! They don't make bibs any more but Filson does. Cotton, yes, but on the outside and impregnated with oil/wax. They wear like iron and last and last. My experience with Gortex is that it doesn't last. Seams start leaking after a few years. With old fasssion oil skins the fine thread canvas breathes and they can be recoated if they ever start to weep. Mine are a decade old or so and still dry as a bone. Snap in synthetic vest liner and it's been my winter outer layer for years also. Ski jacket and winter coat that I wear every day, work or play, and in the summer out comes the liner and it's my rain coat. Warm and keeps the wind out but breathes nicely in the heat. Doesn't get clammy like pvc and other non breathing stuff. Not exactly designer though if you care about such things! Oh, with a good heavy wool swaeter and down vest undernieth I'm good into the double digits below F. Pack several heavy wool sweaters incase one gets wet. Doubtful you'll need the down vest but they don't weigh much at all. Keep dry in large ziplocks cause that humidity below tends to find it's way to everything. Don't add to the problem by burning unvented propane! If at all possible instal a real heater. Even in the tropics it's nice to be able to take the chill off after a shift in a downpour. Dry things out too. If you have diesel for an engine I'd consider a diesel pot burner style heater. Less to go boom and gives options for cooking if propane is dear. I can be in a t shirt within a few hours or so of lighting mine (42 ft boat) when it's below 0 F and it burns around a gallon in 24 hrs on low.

[ShaunJ]

Originally Posted by mrybas

Is the C&D Canal clear?

The C&D was clear as of 4pm Sunday afternoon. There was a bit of ice at the Chesapeake City basin, but most ice was gone. The sassafras river was mostly free of ice, just a few floaters.

[Bright Eyes]

Thanks for all the advice guys. The best idea we used was tieing up clear plastic sheets on the sides of the bimini to get a makeshift enclosure. There is a night and day difference in wind chill. Huge thanks for that idea!

Other than that we just wear alot of layers and use hand warmers. The off shift person sleeps with a blanket on and so far we have been fine. One day we got a little wet and it was pretty cold but other than that we have been staying warm and dry and have gotten used to it. Only another week or two till we start shedding off the layers.

Thanks again!

[Furface]

Do you really use a wood stove Thames? I was going to ask the people on this
thread if anyone does. I plan to live-aboard in the future and have already started
to make a wood stove out of an old 10lbs propane tank. If nothing else, it would be
a good back up for when you've spent the last of your propane money on beer.
A word of caution when using propane tanks! Drill a hole in the tank under water and
let it fill with water to drive any gas out, before proceeding with any more work.

[Furface]

I have the same little heater, I couldn't leave it running, it would cook me out
of my old Hughes29. Great heater though.

[Furface]

My last enty was in refference to the " Little Buddy" propane heater.

Furface

[Surrymark]

Originally Posted by redmirage

I have found that if my feet are cold I needed a warmer hat. I lived in Maine for a while as a lighthouse keeper and had a very warm fur hat and found that I could easily regulate my body heat by taking my hat on and off.
Capt Charles

My rabbit-fut hat worked like a toaster during a December storm (real storm) in Block Island sound, even with regular doses of icy seawater. Took a lot of fresh water rinsing when I got home.

[captain58sailin]

Although they have no style they will keep you warm, insulated carhartt's coveralls, & insulated extra tuffs boots with felt inserts, have 2 extra pairs of inserts and 2 pairs of boots, change every six hours, stuff the ones not being worn with newspaper to help dry out. I have heard it said, you lose about 90% of your body heat out your head, so keep it and the face covered. Check in with your favorite snowmobile shop. Keep the wind off of you and keep dry, change clothes often, it really makes a marked difference. 2 people in a sleeping bag really helps. As others have stated, a school bus heater core and fan will make a big difference and it really only involves inserting "T"s in your cooling system and some simple wiring, I would make the effort for this time of year running.
My Father was fond of saying "A duck's head is only an inch wide and he is smart enough to fly south for the winter.".

[Auspicious]

Sounds like the original poster is making their way South and should in "Florida cold" soon instead of "Chesapeake cold." Fortunately they didn't start with "New England cold." *grin*

Some thoughts of my own, based on deliveries when I can't build in a lot of kit to the boat.

The flower pot on the stove isn't useful - burns cooking fuel and dumps water into the boat. Making tea and chicken broth is better - more heat into the boat, same water into the boat (bummer), and drinking it warms you up.

Zippo (the lighter people) still make hand warmers. The cost break-even point happens real fast compared to the chemical throw-away bits. You can get lighter fluid anywhere and it's real cheap.

Really good underwear is the bomb. I use Damart stuff, although a little hard to get in the US these days. This is the kit Chicago motorcycle police use in winter. Worth every penny.

Have two or three sets of warmest clothing so you can rotate through and allow it to dry.

Take a layer off BEFORE you go do something that might break a sweat.

Two pairs of ski gloves (or better mittens) per crew is another good investment.

You've got to be able to see. You've got to keep the wind off. No good answer to both those. Do your best.

Motorcycle heated gear with more insulated clothing on top beats the heck out of electric blankets or other kludges.

Pull back the bedding when no one is in the berth - you want to give the fabric every chance to dry.

I have some other heat on my boat, but the original question was for lowest cost. Nice to have a warm dry boat while iced in on Back Creek in Annapolis. Low was 16F last night and the boat stayed dry and in the mid-70s!

[boatman61]

[QUOTE=Auspicious;604013]
The flower pot on the stove isn't useful QUOTE]

Toss that flower pot into your 'bag' 5 mins before you get in and say that...
The temp difference from cockpit to saloon is huge... I usually take of my jacket.. changing watch... the one coming of makes the 'Cai', Coffee... warms up over the stove before going to bed...
Ok... I've never sailed in minus f*.... but how many do...