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Heat and AC and heat reqirements for Chesapeake in winter?
I'll be buying a 1988 C&C MkII 30' boat this month. I plan to live aboard in DC on the Chesapeake...through winter in Harrington Harbor South. Not many people do it, but I'll be by myself, so room should be fine for a 46yr old guy. It's in great shape. I plan to install a $800 or so fridge in the icebox. Why? I'm moving from a 15' West Wight Potter to a real sail boat, get paid to live in DC for a year (Rent is $1500/month + utilities). The marina is only $475/month and only pay for electric which is about $160 in winter I was told.
However, not sure what to do for heat AND ac.
The boat has a port/roof top AC available for $500 extra (not purchased yet).
I talked a small boat owner on a pretty worn/well used boat. He said he uses 3 electric heaters (1500watt).
Would this work realistically?
Should I put in a $2000 marine AC/heat unit at ~9,000 BTU ac and 10,000 btu heat? I'd install it myself.
That works out to be about $1,500 more than buying his port AC unit without heat.
Initial research says the bay water temps gets down to 40-42 degrees in January and air temps to 29 average lows and 44 highs in January. It's all better the rest of the year. I heard that the heat pumps don't work well below 40 degrees.
I have a 14,000 BTU heat pump in my Morgan 33 OI and it works great, summer and winter. It is relatively small, about 14 X 18 inches X 14 inches high, doesn't consume much electricity, very efficient, but it is a bit noisy on the heat mode.
I ran my reverse cycle AC/heat for the first time this morning. It warmer up the interior from 50 to 65 in reasonable time with the water being in the low 40s. So it is doable.
But if it were me and I was mainly thinking live-aboard at a marina where I could plug in I would just use electric heaters and the roof top AC.
We lived aboard at HHS for a while, but moved up to Annapolis eventually because HHS didn't have enough town to entertain us when we couldn't go sailing (we still live aboard up here). You will definitely need something to provide heat besides the reverse cycle for a portion of the year. The bay gets too cold for it to work. We had ours shut down for about 6 weeks this past winter. It was too cold to use it for much longer than that the previous two winters. But a few space heaters works fine. You just need to make sure your shore power is up to the task. Two winters ago, at least 4 boats on our dock had their shore power inlets burn up (all caught in time to avoid more significant damage). Space heaters draw a lot of power.
EDIT: Also worth noting: There will be periods of the winter (generally) where the pump-out boat will not be able to get to you because of ice. And HHS does not provide any dock water in the winter. You will have to run a long series of hoses up to the bath-house and drain the hose when you are done. (Making friends with the other liveaboards will help with this.) And HHS does not provide bubblers, so you will have to deal with that on your own.
We moved aboard about a month ago, when water temps were 40ish and air temps were freezing. The heat pump did not do well enough on it's own. We ran a space heater in our cabin at night to supplement.
As water temps have risen to almost 50 and air temps in the 40s and 50s, the heat pump did a great job. No struggle at all.
I think even DC will see it's fair share of cold water and freezing winter temps.
Also need to be concerned over condensation. If you have access to shore power, I would highly consider running a dehumidifier. Showers, cooking, breathing, all add moisture. Not to mention, if you go the route of a fuel burning heat source.
Also need to be concerned over condensation. If you have access to shore power, I would highly consider running a dehumidifier. Showers, cooking, breathing, all add moisture. Not to mention, if you go the route of a fuel burning heat source.
We make do without a dehumidifier by just increasing ventilation, but we generally shower on shore. But you will probably want to add something like hypervent or froli to provide airflow under mattresses or you will be dealing with a lot of condensation and mildew.
Topside acc I think would be less convenient. I still cannot decide if $200p is worth built in ac over a roof top. Id still need heat this winter if the pumps are not enough so now the decision is leaning towards 3 heaters and dehumidifier vice an ac with heat pump and maybe 1 heater.
Is ac a good resell item?
This will be for one year then I move to Corpus Christi, TX. I'm sure a heat pump ac would work there, but won't be living aboard there, just many 5 day sailing trips.
"Also worth noting: There will be periods of the winter (generally) where the pump-out boat will not be able to get to you because of ice. And HHS does not provide any dock water in the winter. You will have to run a long series of hoses up to the bath-house and drain the hose when you are done. (Making friends with the other liveaboards will help with this.) And HHS does not provide bubblers, so you will have to deal with that on your own."
SO, HH no water in winter! No bubblers, probably ok. No pump out either! Dang. I'll try to use the bath house as often as possible. I have a 28 gallon holding and 70gal fresh. I hope the trips to fill with hoses is not too often. Perhaps those hoses that expand you see on tv (3-4 of them and not much space). I don't really think it will be especially if I shower at the docks which is very likely.
What do you do if you need a pump out? Do they make occasional runs in the winter? I mean a trip to the bath house at 2am to go poop is going to suck!
How long was water off at HH?
I think I'll do a few heaters and a plug in dehumidifier. Any ideas on good heaters? I.e. they have tall heaters, small block ceramic ones, then the ones that make heat via coils of wire, etc. They are all about 1500 watts. Any difference? I assume with 2 or 3, quite is a huge factor as well as oscillation.
Should I often flip mattress over? I can move between beds since it is just one person.
I do need to install a couple of those solar vents (~$120) to vent. Looking at boats on the hard while shopping for one, those with out those vents were full of water.
....Any ideas on good heaters? I.e. they have tall heaters, small block ceramic ones, then the ones that make heat via coils of wire, etc. They are all about 1500 watts. Any difference? I assume with 2 or 3, quite is a huge factor as well as oscillation.
For the last month, we've used a ceramic oscillating heater at night, but I would never leave the boat with it running. I even bring the smoke alarm in our stateroom, when sleeping with it on.
If I was living aboard, I would probably get an electric oil filled radiant heater or two, with a tip over shut off. Comfortable heat, no fan to burn out, no exposed element, paper could fall/blow onto it and not catch fire.
In order to keep your fresh water lines from freezing, you're going to have to leave heat on, while your away. Also be sure that heat will actually get to your lines.
Should I often flip mattress over? I can move between beds since it is just one person.
Liveaboard near Toronto for 20yrs. The liveaboards got together and built a portable pumpout wagon, been working great for years. For water we run hose underwater t'd off to each boat. When we need water we pull up the end and connect it at the clubhouse to fill our tanks.
Here in New York last winter, I used a ceramic heater to heat the boat quickly and a 1500 watt oil radiator heater to keep it warm and was quite warm on a 33 foot boat. Look for an older electric radiator that has mechanical controls, as most of the electronic ones will not reset if the power drops. I used some spare line to lash it in place, so the only way it would tip over is if the boat went over! I have a Propane bulkhead heater but do not have it installed yet, it uses outside air for combustion and exhausts completely to give a good dry heat. (Dickson) But if you are going to only be there one winter I think the portable heaters will be more than sufficient. Keep in mind they pull a lot of electricity, so on a 30 amp supply you will only be able to use 2. my radiator has switches for 600 watts, 900 watts or 1500 watts so you can control the amount of heat and juice it pulls. Some will rig up a second 30 amp supply that they keep just for additional heat, and possibly A/C.
We have no pump out in the winter(it is over by the fuel dock so you would have to move the boat), and I just lugged Jerry cans of water on board not that big of a deal, though having the head working would have been nice. I only used 2 to 3 gallons of water a day so not that big of a deal. I used the marina facilities for bathing and bathroom. Helps keep the moisture down as well.
Man, no such thing (not on Goggle at least) as a oil heater with a MANUAL thermostat so it will reset when power comes on. I'll be working 12hr shifts and then a 1hr drive. 14hrs without heat might be pretty bad if power was out while I was working and it didn't reset and turn on.
ANy suggestions.
Serpa4...We currently live aboard at Herrington Harbour South. I'd be happy to share what we have done to be comfortable over the winter in this climate (we are from Florida and have been in this area living aboard for the last 2- years). Ironically, have an older 16000 BTU Dometic Heat pump (split unit - condenser and compressor) in my storage room at the marina you might consider to save $$$. You'd have to pressure test it to verify integrity but its close by and I'm sure we can work something out? We replaced one of ours with a combined unit. I was saving it to install again as our cockpit AC/Heat when we put in the hard dodger this summer but the unit is overkill for the space we need to condition. Drop me a PM and I will provide contact info if you are interested in talking. Please provide contact info in your PM since my post count doesn't permit me to send one to you (I primarily hang out on Cruiser's Forum).
TMT2
SV Take Me There!
Gulfstar M53 Ketch
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