Liveaboards In Nova Scotia

[DeepFrz]

So it is possible to install yourself? Or have installed?

Yes, of course.

[Jude2010]

Thats fantastic I assumed it was part of the construction process... DeepFreez Seems appropriate :P

[hpeer]

Halifax is not all that much colder than say Boston. It has a maritime climate.

There are a variety of heaters and just as many opinions. If you are living at a dock then electric may work. If you are going to be sailing in cold climes then you need something else.

The diesel hot air furnaces or hydronic units (Airtronix or Webasto) appear to work well but are not as "fool proof" as a simple stove (google little cod") or diesel "pot burner" (think Dickenson or Reflex.

Some things I have heard about diesel furnaces are that they need outside air for exhaust, need to be within 10 feet of hull penetration for exhaust, exhaust can be very, very hot.

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Some things I have heard about diesel furnaces are that they need outside air for exhaust, need to be within 10 feet of hull penetration for exhaust, exhaust can be very, very hot.

This was true for me, my is under the cockpit (rear cockpit) and works very well. The hydronic furnaces are supposed to heat quite a bit more effectively. They cost more and the cost increases as you had hot water and engine preheating into the mix. Installation can more complicated as well.

In BC there is a lot of driftwood and the bark that is on the beaches burns exceptionally well so many people have done very well with wood. Diesel would certianly be more convenient since you're going to have a tank of it right there anyway. Propane is used with fireplaces and so is kerosene which is the cheapest (other then wood).

Some of what is sold for boats is really designed to "Take the chill off" rather then keep a live aboard warm. For a boat over 35 feet in length I think you'll find among the furnaces hydronics are going to be recommended.

[DeepFrz]

ABYC specify that the exhaust temp. must not be over 125 deg. f. Of course you need to have the exhaust insulated to achieve that.

I love the Dickenson heaters. You will need one or several fans in order to distribute the heat and achieve the air circulation that is needed for comfort and safety. Also the exhaust pipe should be shielded with a stainless shield as the pipes and tops of the heaters get very hot. For a boat over about 32 ft. I think of them as secondary heaters, kind of like a fireplace.

My vote is still in for a diesel furnace. And yes, they need to be installed properly, as do the heaters.

Getting back to insulation. It isn't installed at the factory (except maybe by special order) which means that you have to do a lot of dismantling of cabinetry and removal/replacement of ceilings in order to install it. It is a big job. If you have it done it will cost much money. If you do it yourself it will take a lot of time. There are write ups on the web by people who have added insulation. They are worth looking for.

Oh, and forced ventilation of cabinets is necessary for living aboard in a cold climate. Again, there is much written on the subject.

[zippy]

The Armdale Yacht Club in Halifax has an air bubbler system to prevent ice formation, allowing some boats to remain in the water over the winter, and a few people do remain aboard. The winters here are quite variable so you never quite know what your in store for. Some are mild with very little snow but there can be the odd winter when the snow might pile up and the temperatures remain low a bit longer. The variability can also can be said for the summers. Last summer was about as bad as it gets with cool wet weather while this summer was amazing.

[Reluctantsailor]

now you have me curious if people live aboard here on PEI in the winter...none of the marinas have a bubbler that I know of so I doubt it....

[Allan S]

I used to be a member of the Armdale Yaght Club many, many years ago and I don't recall any boats in the water over winter. Of coarse I was in the navy then and my brain was grog soaked so the might have had year round live-a-boards. Who can remember such details when one was so young.

[out_kayaking]

Jude 2010 - my husband and I are thinking about living aboard in Halifax as well and wondered what you had found. We are going to look into Armdale Yacht Club (not sure if there is a waiting list). Did you find any other places? I am assuming year round liveaboards are allowed at Armadale, couldn't see any information saying otherwise. Maybe we'll meet there one day!

[Jude2010]

I'm glad were not the only ones looking into Halifax! I haven't gone as far as speaking to any Yacht Clubs in the area yet but from what I've found it is realistic. I'm going to be looking for a club that is fairly protected after seeing photos of the huricane in 2004 that hit Nova Scotia, and even the wind storm they had a couple weeks ago that brought winds to 100km/h. I'm not overly concerned about winds like those because when I lived on the Queen Charlotte Islands we had 90 km/h winds all the time and it wasn't a big deal, just made for some free crab dinners.... We are currently in college but are making arrangements to move within the Halifax area.. I ran across a brokerage that was downtown that I'm going to go and stop in at once we get there and get the ball rolling more. Some clubs seem to have a season of 6 months and others of 12 months so that may make a difference. I heard good things about the Armdale Yacht Club but not in detail sorry.

[Jude2010]

So we went to Halifax this weekend finally and it went well. Very laid back, sail boats everywhere in nova scotia. It was 28 and sunny on a long weekend and there were maybe 4 sail boats just floating along at leisure down town Halifax. We got a nice look at an Oyster 56 docked next to Teodore the tug boat. I think it will be a very nice place to liveaboard. Some harbors do freeze over depending on the depth and flow, but many do not.

[KDH]

Originally Posted by Jude2010

Thank you for the many responses I will read them over again when its not so late! I did a quick search of cored hulls and insulated hulls on Yachtworld and it came up with zip... ... People often complain of the lack of insulation in a Jeep Wranglers top and cry cold, but in the -30 we are more than warm enough, possible similar scenario?

Nova Scotia is looking more and more attractive! Its funny the Yacht Club that attracted my eye was the Armdale Yacht Club before we looked into the Annapolis area. I think the key will be where we find jobs myself being in financial management and my wife in nursing, we will for the most part be working on shore I would imagine unless I find a job where I can work online.. but i digress. An eclectic group of members sounds fantastic!

By 'bound by ice in Annapolis Basin' do you mean the water commonly freezes over in that area? Or the ice will be, well us. Thanks for the offer of help I may need it when I have scurvy!... my wife she is not the best of cooks... << dinner Fortunately that wont fit through the companion way.

J

I lived for ten years in Nova Scotia, most of it near the air force base in Greenwood but I did live in Annapolis Royal for a year when I had a business there. Aside for the fact that I don't believe there is a marina there the tidal variation is such that finding a spot to tie up where you are close enough to shore to make it convenient means mooring next to the tidal power plant with the fishing vessels. Then it is about a 1/2 mile walk back into town. Annapolis Royal is a lovely place in the summer and fall but most of those little shops and cafes close in the winter and businesses there come and go with regularity. There is only one grocery store and the next closest MAJOR chain is in Greenwood an hour and a bit up the 2 lane "highway" in nasty winter weather. If it must be Nova Scotia Halifax is a great city - a bit gritty but cheaper than most major cities (or at least it was 4 years ago). Definitely though you will need a bubbler to keep ice from forming around the boat. You will also need to add extra insulation to the boat and probably one of those diesal or propane cabin heaters. We were on board our Wauquiez Centurian 42 which does have a cored deck (I'm not sure about the hull) in Galesville MD during a winter ice storm and with 3 electric heaters running could not keep the boat warm enough to stay in the salon. Maybe you could take a vacation and travel to Halifax and try to talk to live aboards at the marina? Or even just call the marina and ask the staff? People from Nova Scotia go all out to help others I have found.

[Brob2]

Originally Posted by KDH

I lived for ten years in Nova Scotia, most of it near the air force base in Greenwood but I did live in Annapolis Royal for a year when I had a business there. Aside for the fact that I don't believe there is a marina there the tidal variation is such that finding a spot to tie up where you are close enough to shore to make it convenient means mooring next to the tidal power plant with the fishing vessels. Then it is about a 1/2 mile walk back into town. Annapolis Royal is a lovely place in the summer and fall but most of those little shops and cafes close in the winter and businesses there come and go with regularity. There is only one grocery store and the next closest MAJOR chain is in Greenwood an hour and a bit up the 2 lane "highway" in nasty winter weather. If it must be Nova Scotia Halifax is a great city - a bit gritty but cheaper than most major cities (or at least it was 4 years ago). Definitely though you will need a bubbler to keep ice from forming around the boat. You will also need to add extra insulation to the boat and probably one of those diesal or propane cabin heaters. We were on board our Wauquiez Centurian 42 which does have a cored deck (I'm not sure about the hull) in Galesville MD during a winter ice storm and with 3 electric heaters running could not keep the boat warm enough to stay in the salon. Maybe you could take a vacation and travel to Halifax and try to talk to live aboards at the marina? Or even just call the marina and ask the staff? People from Nova Scotia go all out to help others I have found.

Gritty? GRITTY? Listen bub, I oughta pop you one right on the ki.... Oh, dang, now my grittiness is comin' out. Man, you wanna see gritty you should drive up to Baltimore, now that's gritty.

KDH's post is excellent- Annapolis is lovely in the summer but not a place to live aboard for very long and is somewhat isolated, however I will add that the 'highway' is now a 4 laner as we edge towards membership in the developed world.

I would still suggest Armdale YC as easily the most sheltered, convenient, and social over the winter, though Dartmouth YC is sheltered by water it is not well sheltered from winds as the terrain is fairly flat surrounding it.

[Jude2010]

Thank you for the advise. We will be moving to Halifax area this February, come the summer time I will probably get a dingy or small boat to practice while we save. I found everyone there very friendly, I'd say it is more.. Rugged then gritty, everything was very clean and well kept, and the auld triangle had great fish n chips! Maybe I will join a club first thing next summer that could be a potential live-aboard marina.

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by Jude2010

Hi all I'm new to the forum and the past couple of months my wife and I have been exploring the idea of joining the ranks of liveaboards! We currently live in Montreal and although plenty of people live aboard year round in Toronto its not an option here. I don't want to live in Toronto i don't like the city... but Halifax on the other hand!
I'm curious if living aboard year round near Halifax is feasible.

Hello, Jude + wife (and all the other folks coming from NS ) !

... I am new on this forum, too. And with interests I found your thread.

Actually I am (still) living in Europe. Because of different reasons I discovered by my best friend that East coast of Canada might be a great place. My friend was Dr. med in South America and I accompanied her during her procedure being an immigrant in 2007/2008... with her whole family. She is living in Toronto, more precisely she stepped down in Missisauga, and meanwhile living in Hamilton.

As I live for now in a 1.8 million metropol, 2nd biggest in Germany, I'd prefer Nova Scotia because of its lower density of population... And as I was professional sailor in the 90th for me NS has a wonderful maritime atmosphere (even knowing that the Lobster fishing industries went through hard times). Great landscape, relaxed people... and "low prize living" (so I have noticed from far distance compared to other regions in CAN).

So hopefully here I can find some "support" by experienced ones to do the switch step-by-step.... and best, realize a "living on a boat". - I did already the online immigration test, and Canada government said: You are welcome, come over ! :-)

But it needs lots of smaller steps to make an emigration-immigration to something successfully. Not too difficult anymore with the Internet... and flight distance from central Europe (Frankfurt, Amsterdam, London) to Halifax is only 6.5 hours, roughly.

Many questions on the list, but for today I just wanted to knock on the door gently. Laters some more questions, maybe.

Have a good day !


warm greetings from "old Europe"
Skippy
---
P.S.: I know living on a boat... I skippered professionally a 15 meter Catamaran for a hotel owner over two seasons and even lived in winter on it. Its a single built Aluminium catamaran...


What boat you have (in mind) for your own living on the water ? Did you make it to get your Oyster 56? :-)