Winter Liveaboard Tips and Tricks

[michaelmrc]

Originally Posted by wolfenzee

I had some problems at first until I put a manual adjust damper in the stovepipe, Dickinson's "barometric damper" didn't work and no damper burned everything up realllly fast. It took awhile to figure out how to use the stove. Basically it depends on how thick the pieces are, when I put them on and whether I cut them with a chisel or a chop saw (rough vs clean cut). First I start it, then put a 1" thick rough cut piece on to get it going before I add something thicker smooth cut, if the flame is too high it burns up fast, too low it goes out. When I had a little larger stove a 3" piece would last the night and leave coals, don't have this figured out quite yet. There are alot of varibles, will let you know in about a week for sure.

ive been told that the newport solid fuel burner is only for occasional use has anyone else had any experience with this.

[red_sky]

Apart from the cold on the cabin floor, the second biggest challenge I find is the ice itself. We had 50+kts last night on the nose and it pushed all this ice into my little ship, tangling up the ice-eater and crunching and banging so much there was no hope of sleep. Some slabs would actually lift the bow as they slid under, and then slide back out. Made quite the cacophony inside. I remain puzzled on how to deal with this. Perhaps surround the ship with logs or water noodles or something. Anyone have a notion?

[Inquisitive]

http://www.weliveonaboat.com/category/shrink-wrap

I found this and would like to try eventually.

[Wavewacker]

Won't forget -52' at Ft. Drum, in a snow cave!

Don't sleep with your clothes on in a sleeping bag or under covers! I did, but just once, went outside and ice formed on my clothes under my parka! It takes forever to dry out. Roll up your clothes and put them in the bag by your feet, you won't sweat on them and put them on in the bag before you get out.

Even a couple candles will help heat a small space, several under an ammo can with rocks in it and the lid partly opened makes a difference, but don't touch it in the morning, it can burn you. You can also use a can, like a hobo stove.

Wool socks rule, change them if they get damp. Boots (shoes) can also go in a plastic bag (because they are dirty) and then go in the sleeping bag, leave them outside and you may have cold wet frost in them and on them.

Do not touch metal objects in sub-zero stuff, like a kid putting his tounge on a door knob...

Sunglasses on outside. Keep lip chap stuff handy and use it on the face as well as the lips, exposed skin chaps, cracks and it hurts, wind burn as well for you fast boaters...LOL

I had a mustashe and got a drink at a water fountain in a building, but my parka on and stepped outside, in seconds the hair broke because I still had water on it...I shaved it off. Otherwise skip shaving if skin is to be exposed right after running a razor over it, it burns.

Fuel treatment, antifreeze for vehicles.

I think I'd keep a small V berth closed off from the main cabin using it as my warm spot, little cooler in the cabin.

Now, I have a question....does anyone use computer fans to keep air circulating in a cabin, they draw very little and come in various sizes. So if a vent were craked with a fan in the fabricated as an exhaust vent seems it would move just enough air to vent without sucking your heat out????

[George Hoskins]

I lived aboard a 29 C&C in Newfoundland for 3 winters. The first winter was the coldest. -20 c some days/nights. The water tank would usually be frozen! I had 3ft of snow over the boat most of the first winter.

The first winter was the coldest, then someone suggested I get a 'Newfoundland hot water bottle' I did, she's great and we are now married and living ashore but planning to go back to living on a boat in Newfoundland this summer.

Incidentally, when it is really cold Newfies call it a '3 dog night' means you need 3 dogs on the bed to keep warm

And for those who wonder why I would be so mad to want to live in Newfoundland on a boat.....it's a wonderful place with great people and some fantastic sailing..............and so cheap....I called in there on my way across the Atlantic to stay for one winter and ended up staying.

George

[Joe Stonehouse]

Hi George: It must be warmer in Cape Breton this winter ( CLOSER TO THE EQUATOR).eh!! ..Joe from Nova Scotia

[wolfenzee]

One of the beauties of living aboard a boat is that if you are not happy with where you live, it is easier to move...no matter where you go you are still living in the same home. I feel justified in saying that because that is exactly what I am doing, this is my last Pacific Northwest winter. There are alot of people that say they will sail off to the tropics someday and never do, some because they have too many "land ties", but I suspect most are down deep just afraid to, they have lived all thier life in a particular culture and the uncertainty of the unknown is just too much. Though they would never admit that to anyone including themselves, the excuse that thier boat is not "perfect" and they are waiting "for just the right moment" are enough to keep people land bound...until it is too late. My father waited too long and never realized his dream, I will be realizing my dream as well as a variation of his.

[markprice]

Wavewacker -
Now, I have a question....does anyone use computer fans to keep air circulating in a cabin, they draw very little and come in various sizes. So if a vent were craked with a fan in the fabricated as an exhaust vent seems it would move just enough air to vent without sucking your heat out???? "


I have two 4 inch computer fans in my hatch board that suck air in and that forces just a bit out my dorade vents. They are hooked to a solar pannel so when I'm at work they are on but at night no heat is forced out. Works good at keeping the moisture down in the boat. In the summer when it is the hotest they add to the air circulation ( my AC is 11 open screened ports and 12V fans!!) The fans work much better at sucking air in than trying to blow it out (do not know why?)

Mark

[Yofy]

Speaking of ice.... we just got this link Séquences choisies - Les quais de Genève sous la glace - tsr.ch - vidéo - info - le journal en continu to a video of the recent ice storm in the Lake Geneva marina from sailing friends who have a boat there.

No wouldn't want to be living aboard there....

[unbusted67]

We live aboard in Boston where there are REAL winters. None of this PNW wussy stuff. Just kidding. But I have two bits of advice:

1.) Dickinson heater with two small 12 volt fans = 0 condensation.

All of the insulation hoo haa is over rated. You can spend a fortune on the stuff and at the end of the day you are trying to heat something the size of a large shoe box. You can get rid of all of your condensation by just circulating your air. You will be thankful for your fans in the summer too.

2) set up a panic room. Ie the v berth is easy to close off and quickly heat with a tiny cube space heater. You can run home late at night when it is 10 below and not worry about heating up the entire boat with a diesel heater.

[gjberta]

Originally Posted by red_sky

....., tangling up the ice-eater and crunching and banging so much there was no hope of sleep. Some slabs would actually lift the bow as they slid under, and then slide back out. ..... Perhaps surround the ship with logs or water noodles or something. Anyone have a notion?

Where are you guys? When we were at the Bluffs, we used to get huge rollers bringing in large chunks of ice but everyone had icebooms.

We are now on Pigeon Lake (our first winter here) and big rollers and ice is not likely to be a problem buit I still string out timbers along 3/8 chain across the bow just to be on the safe side. We are steel too, so the only issue is the noise but it's a big issue when it feels like you're inside a steel drum LOL....
Get some logs and make an iceboom. Even if it's not good enough to stand up against huge icebergs, at least it will keep the annoying smaller chunks at bay.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Joe.

[CaptainTurtles]

Originally Posted by markprice

Wavewacker -
Now, I have a question....does anyone use computer fans to keep air circulating in a cabin, they draw very little and come in various sizes. So if a vent were craked with a fan in the fabricated as an exhaust vent seems it would move just enough air to vent without sucking your heat out???? "

I have two 4 inch computer fans in my hatch board that suck air in and that forces just a bit out my dorade vents. They are hooked to a solar pannel so when I'm at work they are on but at night no heat is forced out. Works good at keeping the moisture down in the boat. In the summer when it is the hotest they add to the air circulation ( my AC is 11 open screened ports and 12V fans!!) The fans work much better at sucking air in than trying to blow it out (do not know why?)

Mark

We have a wood stove which we installed pretty close to our bed, so we use a computer fan to blow some air down the companionway to heat the rest of the boat as well as stopping the fabric closest to the stove getting TOO hot.

We were down on power for a while so weren't keeping the under bed heating on but we found that the wood stove couldn't heat the side of the bed closest to the wall, and it would be cold and damp (to make it worse it was MY side!!!) so the hubby put some tubing in from the wood stove, under the bed and through to the furthest side of the bed with another computer fan to bring the air in and with some air filter stuff along the way.

Works like a charm. They're nice and quiet too.

As for the hatches, it sounds like we have a similar setup, they're not computer fans but they're hooked to solar panels and do the same thing.

[Netteypatch]

SERAH, I would be very interested in getting a bit more info on your design for installing a shower. I've a Douglas 32 as well, and have been beating myself up trying to figure an efficient way & place for putting this. Any input would be appreciated

Rob

[mub]

My tips and tricks..

Though I will be sitting out this one .

--
Located in lower PNW where damp is the real problem. And venting the boat doesn't always make it dryer.

Make sure your bedding is dry. In the morning I un-make my bed and let it all vent out.
For those on power - I would run the heat pump in cold mode to dry the boat out. Did this when I was at work, but could get back to change the settings to warm everything up.
For last winter I installed a diesel cooker with a blower and water heating loop. It was the best.
One of the upgrades - initially for the kids - was a much better fitting companionway door. The old one used to rattle. That cut down drafts. But to allow ventilation I fitted some fans from the lazurette. Then I could control the ventilation rates and decide if I needed the fresh air or not.


Summary - Heaters that exhaust out are good.
Work to keep everything dry and it is work.