need info from wilmington, NC Sailors

[whiteH20 sailor]

I was wondering about liveaboard conditions down in wilmington. I am contemplating living aboard a hunter 26 and was wondering how cold it got in the winter. What are the slips for a 26 foot boat running these days? I am going to be a college student and was hoping to get into a marina near UNC. What do y''all do with your boats in the winter? Also what are the average sailing conditions in that area? Thanks in advance.

Josh

[ABullard]

You are definitely going to need a heater on your boat to live aboard in Wilmington. Although winters are relatively mild compared to the rest of the state,the humitity and wind can make it very raw. You will have several weeks of below freezing temperatures and once every few years some snow. Generally the weather will stay moderate (high 50s/60s)up til Christmas and then drop to the 30s/40s and below through March.

I don''t know about slip costs.

[thomasstone]

I have lived in Wilmington for six years and cannot ever recall several weeks of freezing temps.You will need a heater on your boat but for me the winters are extremely mild.(I am also from Wash DC.)It has snowed once since I haved lived here, a couple of inches.On the plus side the town has no snow removal equipment so everything shuts down.(no school, no work.)The closer to Wrightsville Beach the more expensive. I would say on average about $10.00 a foot. Their are a couple of good live aboard marinas.You can e-mail me and I can give you more info-thomasrstone@hotmail.com

[ammcguire]

Josh: We have a Vagabond 47 homeported in Hampstead,NC about 16nm North of Wrightsville,NC on the ICW. The marina is Harbour Village, a very good secure setting. The fee''s are about $8.50-10.00/LOD ft/month. I can''t give you any personal information on liveaboard conditions, since we''ve only had our boat for about two months. However, we''ve lived in Fayetteville,NC for seven years and our daughter and husband lived in Wilmington,NC for three years. The coldest temperature I''ve seen is 15 degrees F; I''ve seen up to a foot of snow. Both conditions are short lived. I think you could live aboard. A bigger problem if you are thinking of Wrightsville/Wilmington is the hurricane season followed by the Noreasters.