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Old 12-09-2020, 07:14   #31
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

This badly damaged shrink wrap was caused by a loose tarp on the boat next to it. There is an $8,000 gelcoat claim under that wrap.
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Old 12-09-2020, 07:24   #32
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

I once handled a claim on a 44' motoryacht with over $150k in racoon damage. There were about 12 racoons living in it over the winter. It had been tarped (quite securely actually). It was written off.

Owner was not disturbed, he got about 50K more on the settlement than he could have sold it for.
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Old 13-09-2020, 03:03   #33
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

I'm going to have to store my boat on the hard this winter (and I'll be following Mike's excellent advice!) but for next winter is it feasable to live aboard anywhere on the Great Lakes?
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Old 13-09-2020, 04:43   #34
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarwinHolmstrom View Post
I'm going to have to store my boat on the hard this winter (and I'll be following Mike's excellent advice!) but for next winter is it feasable to live aboard anywhere on the Great Lakes?
I assume you ask this because you have no experience with winter on the lakes. It is not like winter on salt water. Harbors and marinas shut down. Services end. Power is turned off. Many marinas boot everyone out and the travel lifts are winterized. Fresh water freezes readily and the shallow basins freeze first. Some recent years all five lakes have frozen over completely. If you experience any disaster you will not be able to move your boat with dynamite. Since places are shuttered, no snow or ice is removed. Finger docks become mounded with ice.

You might be able to find heated indoor storage but I know of none that would allow a live aboard. You could ask. Torresen in Muskegon, Michigan has indoor heated facilities.

Grand Haven lighthouse on a bad summer day and in winter.
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Old 13-09-2020, 06:08   #35
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

I know in water storage and liveaboards have been done here in Rochester (south shore is lake Ontario). But even here it's rare. I'd expect that further north where ice issues are more significant it's even less common.
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Old 13-09-2020, 06:52   #36
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

Winter liveaboard is allowed in my marina, but you wouldn't need both hands to count how many Chicago area people do it.
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Old 13-09-2020, 07:32   #37
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

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Originally Posted by DarwinHolmstrom View Post
I'm going to have to store my boat on the hard this winter (and I'll be following Mike's excellent advice!) but for next winter is it feasable to live aboard anywhere on the Great Lakes?
I do not know where your wish to winter over, but there are several marinas in the Toronto area (Lake Ontario north shore) that have winter live-aboard communities.
The marina runs bubblers or small propeller devices to bring warmer and deeper water circulating to the surface to prevent ice forming around the boats.
They have holding tank pump out facilities able to go to the docks.
Toilets and showers are open and heated.
Electricity is usually metered for individual boats, as most use electric heaters for heat.

Cost is higher than for summer docking.
Your insurance company will have to provide you with a verification that you and your boat are covered for winter live-aboard in the water.
A full boat cover, usually white shrink wrap, is essential to prevent extreme condensation on the interior. Blue shrink warp or tarps distort colors and are dark. Heavy canvas covers do not let in any light and make living on the boat similar to living in a cave. Snow has to be kept off the deck and out of the cockpit.
If your question was if there are ice-free harbors on the Great Lakes where one could winter over on their boat, I do not think global warming has advanced enough to prevent possible boat damaging ice forming anywhere on the Great Lakes.
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Old 13-09-2020, 07:55   #38
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

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If your question was if there are ice-free harbors on the Great Lakes where one could winter over on their boat, I do not think global warming has advanced enough to prevent possible boat damaging ice forming anywhere on the Great Lakes.

Agreed. Last winter was an exception around here, where we never had more than a thin skim of ice in the marina basin and not much in the river, but that's certainly not normal. It's the only winter I can think of from the 9 I've spent in this area where you could have taken a boat out at pretty much any point without much ice to stop you.
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Old 13-09-2020, 08:55   #39
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

We winterize our schooners here and leave them in the water in a marina. There are 'bubblers' that are suspended underwater around the boat to circulate water. I knew of someone who lived on his boat every winter. You still have to be careful that your thru-hulls are plugged well from the outside, and filled with antifreeze.

You could winter at anchor on a river, if the current is strong enough. You just want moving water, and hope that it doesnt get so cold the river freezes thick.

In Michigan, we do it. But you will need to keep close tabs on whats happening with the temperatures. I dont know, I dont have tons of experience on this BUT I know it's doable
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Old 13-09-2020, 09:00   #40
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarwinHolmstrom View Post
I'm going to have to store my boat on the hard this winter (and I'll be following Mike's excellent advice!) but for next winter is it feasable to live aboard anywhere on the Great Lakes?
I personally know of a few locations in the Toronto area, as well as one marina in Belleville (at least they did a few years ago). Kingston used to. I've heard of at least one crazy person who successfully wintered on Georgian Bay, but that's really odd. I'm sure there must be locations on the American (south) side of the lakes, but they would be few and far between.

I seriously considered do this, but decided against it. I'm sure if can be done, but wouldn't be much fun.
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Old 13-09-2020, 09:06   #41
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

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Originally Posted by Mike OReilly View Post
I personally know of a few locations in the Toronto area, as well as one marina in Belleville (at least they did a few years ago). Kingston used to. I've heard of at least one crazy person who successfully wintered on Georgian Bay, but that's really odd. I'm sure there must be locations on the American (south) side of the lakes, but they would be few and far between.

I seriously considered do this, but decided against it. I'm sure if can be done, but wouldn't be much fun.
Been doing it in Toronto area since 94'. Only thing better is when we cruise Bahamas in Winter
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Old 14-09-2020, 13:14   #42
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

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How do you guys store your boats on the hard over winter in the northern Great Lakes?
If you PM me your email address, I'll share the instructions that the previous owner of our current boat left for me. We've winterized a smaller boat (with an outboard that we could take away to a shop for indoor storage), but this is our first go at winterizing this one.
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Old 14-09-2020, 13:16   #43
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike OReilly View Post
I personally know of a few locations in the Toronto area, as well as one marina in Belleville (at least they did a few years ago).
Etobicoke Yacht Club in Toronto has bubble-enabled berths for winter liveaboards. We considered landing there, but joined Mimico Cruising Club, next door. Our winter liveaboard plan involves the Carribean, a Starlink account, and two 100% remote jobs in technology.
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Old 14-09-2020, 14:08   #44
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

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How do you guys store your boats on the hard over winter in the northern Great Lakes? The boat is currently on double stands, all canvas and sails removed, decks cleared, and most everything removed from the interior. My concern is heavy snow and ice loading as well as any water leaking inside and freezing. What to do about this? I was told dump a few gallons of RV antifreeze in the bilge but that doesn't seem right to me. Anything else I should considered. Never stored a boat in the snow belt. Any and all ideas will be much appreciated.

I bought my boat in Newport, RI. It initially was on the hard and under shrink wrap. The yard had the boat in the water for the survey and sea trial in April. All went well and I bought the boat. Sailed it to Tampa Florida with no problems, or so I thought. I got into some heavy seas in the Gulf of Mexico on a long passage and the high water alarm went off. Stopped in Key West to investigate the issue and found that the scupper drains had not been freeze protected and the elbows from the scuppers inside the boat had ruptured from ice that formed in the piping from scupper to thru hull. I would recommend closing the thru hull valves and filling the drains with antifreeze if your boat is constructed that way.


I talked to Ted Hood about why he ran sea water from the deck into the boat and out of a sea cock. He said: "I didn't want to destroy the lines of the boat"



We get a lot of sea water on the deck when the rail is down. Pumps couldn't keep up.
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Old 16-09-2020, 07:07   #45
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Re: Winter storage prep for northern Great Lakes area

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Originally Posted by Nicholson58 View Post
I assume you ask this because you have no experience with winter on the lakes. It is not like winter on salt water. Harbors and marinas shut down. Services end. Power is turned off. Many marinas boot everyone out and the travel lifts are winterized. Fresh water freezes readily and the shallow basins freeze first. Some recent years all five lakes have frozen over completely. If you experience any disaster you will not be able to move your boat with dynamite. Since places are shuttered, no snow or ice is removed. Finger docks become mounded with ice.

You might be able to find heated indoor storage but I know of none that would allow a live aboard. You could ask. Torresen in Muskegon, Michigan has indoor heated facilities.

Grand Haven lighthouse on a bad summer day and in winter.
I'll read that as a no.
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