Sleeping on your Boat on the Hard

[Saltyhog]

I sometimes think I've spent more nights onboard on the hard than in the water. The most entertaining times were the first year we did this. We had a 95 Lb. Golden Retriever -Buffett. Every night I would carry her up the ladder and every morning I would carry her down the ladder. Our marina is on the "Yachty" side and this seemed to entertain a few folks.

[DennisM]

I did it for a short time while my boat was hauled for repairs during a cruise. The hardest part was carrying my dog up and down the 10-foot ladder. Other than that, the accommodations were fine.

[Boracay]

We did it when out for our last survey so the boat was still in the travel lift slings.

It was fine, though the slight motion of the boat when the wind got up was interesting.

If you have a holding tank then a slosh of fresh water should suffice.

[Seaworthy Lass]

We spend about a month on the hard every two years and stay on board each time. Apart from savings in accommodation costs, it saves going to and fro and wasting a lot of time.

Bash is right though, the lack of movement feels very weird!

A few tips:
Request a spot not far from the shower block
Make sure they prop the boat as level as possible
Lash on the ladder (mentioned in other posts, but worth repeating - I have seen serious injuries resulting from falls)
Shove a wide funnel into the sink outlet to stop any discharge trickling down the hull (may affect adhesion of antifouling) and place a bucket under this
Shove rags into though hulls to stop unwelcome visitors (should be done whether or not you stay on board)
A plastic water jug with lid works very well as a piss bottle

[boatman61]

I used to line my bilges and other bits of the hull I could get to with a thick layer of newspaper... cuts down on heat loss through the bottom quite a lot...

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I am in the process of doing a refit which will likely cost in the neighborhood of $100k when all is said and done. The boat is on the hard in Cowes with the mast out. In the context of that kind of expenditure, some nights in a 50 pound B&B don't really change the weather. On the previous two visits here, I stayed in the atmospheric Duke of York, where the gaff of the former royal yacht Britannia is hung in the main dining room.

Still, it galls me to spend money on a hotel when I have a perfectly good bedroom on board. There's no water or sewage, obviously, but I've got electrical power and heat. I'm thinking seriously about staying on board, brushing my teeth out of a jug, and peeing in an empty antifreeze container.

Am I crazy? Anyone else done this?

Done it several times. It's either too hot or too cold...but then... that's boating! Might be worth buying a cheap Porta Potti.

[SailingChance]

We're doing it right now! We're in Florida right now so the cold weather really isn't an issue. Mosquitos are a much bigger pain when your port lights are out to refinish the deck. We also did it when our boat was in CT. Just grabbed a lot more blankets and snuggled up. We're on too tight of a budget to do it any other way.

Kelley

[sushirama]

I do it quite a bit, I have new composting toilet so that really helps after a Taco Bell binge. I used to use an old gas can with a funnel for peeing and then dump it every day or so. If I could find something to neutralize urine Id be set . I have full power and a/c. NO running water now since that system is being rebuilt. Though living aboard is not really allowed its ok for a short period. The yard has showers and everything. Ill stay on for a week or two then hit a hotel for laundry and a better shower for a night or two, then back to the boat. I

[roverhi]

My wife and I lived in our VW bus and moved aboard as areas of the boat was finished. Took a year from start to launch. Had a head with shower that fortunately was right next to the boat.

Spent two weeks on the boat when I hauled out in Alameda, CA a couple of years ago. Worked out fine with a head in the yard and shower in the near by marina.

[sloopygirl]

My longest time living on the hard was 6 months in Venezuela - the head a long way away. It's not that bad, I put a hose in the galley sink thru-hull so that it would drain away from the boat in an area by a fence. I would rather be with the boat, it's more convenient. I always lash the ladder at the top, just to keep it stable. Enjoy!

[SV Demeter]

While your at the refit Vacuflush heads and a holding tank and you won't need to bother with the pee bottle. Good luck and yes lash the ladder!

[barnakiel]

We lived in our boat while on the hard for up to half a year at a time. You may be able to use the boatyard's facilities - ask the staff / management.

In fact I think the stay in the boatyard was in many ways better than our long stays in some marinas.

b.

[Doug Brown]

Hi - we spent 12-months living on the hard in Lymington, UK, for our major re-fit. It's easily do-able and lets you work long into the night on interior projects (if you want to).

Pee bottle saves lots of walking, especially thru snow at 3am. Most loos ashore usually have sinks and showers too.

We bought a small microwave for simplw cooking or re-heating food and making hot water. Didn't need a refridgerator during the winter as it was cold enough that milk and juices kept without spoiling by just storing them outside the companionway.

Small oil filled electric heater will keep the boat warm. An electric blanket is really wonderful to have! Turn it on 1/2-hour before crawling under the covers at night - it's heaven!

Really tie off your ladder so it doesn't go walk-about. If you are out for a year, you may want to spend a couple of days and make a substainal set of stairs going up to the boat. You can enclose the underneath portion of the stairs and have a mini-storeroom for tools and supplies.

If it gets incredibly cold or you have to do some horrid inside job (fiberglassing/painting) you can get a room for a couple of nights ashore. Also lets you do laundry and major scrub job on your body so you can get squeaky clean or at least remove the first couple of layers of boatgrime.

Sometimes you can rent a small flat for not much money and have the advantage of a "home base" with funtional kitchen, lots of hot water, toilet, etc. We rented one for 2-months when it was freezing cold (2-ft of snow on the ground) yet still could go to the boat and work each day because we left the flat warm, well rested and with a meal in us.

Happy camping!

[SabreKai]

For the guys, a 2 liter apple juice jug or fruit juice jug makes a handy container. I have dozens of them on the boat for all sorts of things. That is just one of them.

As for neutralizing urine, try ammonia bleach. Read that somewhere a year or so ago. cap full into the bottle.

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by Bash

Make sure you lash the ladder. Seriously. And not just for the sake of safety. I got up one morning and discovered that someone in the yard had borrowed ours, not realizing I'd spent the night aboard.

A tough situation when you've really got to use the restroom.

+1 there! BTDT!