To Winterize or Not...

[zboss]

For those of you in the Annapolis area that liveaboard during winter... do you winterize your engine and water systems?

We plan on heading south sometime early to mid november but in the meantime we are concerned with early freezes.

- z

[Hudson Force]

I would think not,- We did leave Annapolis one years as late as November 15th and there was a very thin crust of ice on the edges of Spa creek that year, but nothing freezing on the boat. Certainly, if you are at a dock with shore power, then you can keep an incandessant light in the engine room and that should be sufficient heat.

[sabray]

Water temp on the bay should be in the high 40s in November. I wouldn't worry about freezing until late December. Depends on the boat though. If you have fresh water lines run in the cockpit for showers and all you might watch the weather a tad closer. Yes you can surface ice on shallow creeks for short moments in November but nothing usually to freeze a pipe.

[zboss]

We do have a cockpit shower... but by next week we will have a full enclosure on the boat, so that should help keep that area warm.

I'm not sure we have space for a diesel heater like a newport wall mount, although we are still exploring that option. Otherwise, its looks like a Webasto forced air.

[thinwater]

I'm within a few hundred yards. I wouldn't give it a second thought; generally nothing freezes in the cabin in boats that are in the water until January. I never winterize until mid-November, but generally weeks later. But certainly you want some heat!

[Whaubner]

Heck we are in Rhode Island and don't winterize till November

[sabray]

Rhode Island is so different. Your water depth and the tidal flow of warmer water relative to warm is so not the chesapeake. 8 feet of water here will chill down and freeze before 20 feet does in Rhode Island. A creek here will freeze over before Wickford.still no worries in November.