Winter Live Aboard??

[Brad0124]

The dream of year round Live-Aboard....just sounds poetic...with an ominus undertone... I can imagine some of the challenges(space), but have lived the less is more style for many years and have truely found the less I have the more I enjoy what I do have.
But I wonder what the challenges are that I havent foreseen. For Instance I didn't expect it to be so difficult to find Marinas (detroit) that bubble. Condensation is another potential problem I can foresee.
Any direction, insight, etc would be appreciated.
I realize I am fishing with dynamite and hope everyone will forgive me for not knowing enough to ask a concise question.
Thanks
Brad

[Boasun]

Well you may have to put the bubbler in yourself. Condensation is cause by poor insulation of the vessel. So you should insulate every where you can.
And from the prospect of living in a cold winter zone. Put on wool socks before you put your feet on the deck. Then you can light off the space heater. You can sleep in the cold. Plenty of blankets and bunk curtains.
The curtains will help keep your body warmth in a small area about the size of the air space of your bunk. And the more people in the bunk the warmer that space will be. Might even be kicking off the covers every now and then.

[NYRUSSELL]

Of course you could put in a hydronic system and then heat the floors. We did.

Noel

[zaliasvejas]

If you get really cold, while reading a good book, for instance, invite an oil filled electric heater under you blanket. Not too close, but just stand it next to your bunk and cover it with a corner of your blanky.... Make sure you don't fall asleep, or something. You will wake up feeling like a dried fish....
Keep it on low setting, also.
I did it last winter in Maine.... and felt nice and cozy...
But seriously, the most uncomfortable time for me was the non active time, while reading or listening to music. Otherwise, you either cook, clean, polish, fix or sleep. While I sleep I would cover myself well and turn the heat down.
Granted, 50 ties was a heat wave, low 40-good sleeping temperature, and when the sink drain freezes, I would turn up the heat.

[Brad0124]

NYR... what is a hydronic system?

When it comes to the cold I think we can get comfortable (we have winter camped and boat has to be insulated better than a tent)... I am concerned about the boat, though and possible damage.

Boasun... I know when I camp in the winter everything gets wet due to condensation and would like to avoid for obvious reasons. How do you add insulation to a boat?

Thanks evryone for the feedback.

[Boasun]

Originally Posted by Brad0124

NYR... what is a hydronic system?

When it comes to the cold I think we can get comfortable (we have winter camped and boat has to be insulated better than a tent)... I am concerned about the boat, though and possible damage.

Boasun... I know when I camp in the winter everything gets wet due to condensation and would like to avoid for obvious reasons. How do you add insulation to a boat?

Thanks evryone for the feedback.

Actually you would have to rebuild the interior of the boat and place the insulation behind all of the cabinets, bunks, settees, and so on. The insulation should have been done during the building of the vessel. But you could have a heater going all the time and/or during the winter months you could tent the boat and this would allow the boat's bulheads and overhead to heat up a little. I remember Jack Frost's work on the windows of our house when I was a kid. (something that double pane windows don't have)

You could also custom fit the insulation into all of the nooks & cranies. Using closed cell foam 1/2" matting or thicker. Closed cell so you will reduce the chance of mildew.

[sailingdog]

IIRC, a hydronic system heats water and then circulates the hot water through pipes/tubing to heat the boat. It is very similar to a radiant floor system you'd find in a house.

Originally Posted by Brad0124

NYR... what is a hydronic system?

When it comes to the cold I think we can get comfortable (we have winter camped and boat has to be insulated better than a tent)... I am concerned about the boat, though and possible damage.

Boasun... I know when I camp in the winter everything gets wet due to condensation and would like to avoid for obvious reasons. How do you add insulation to a boat?

Thanks evryone for the feedback.

[Boasun]

And on hot summer days run "ICE" water through the piping??

[sailorgirl60]

I just saw several heating systems at the Newport Boat Show. The hydronic systems are more than 10K for a 37ft vessel (installed professionally).

I could heat a small strip mall for that price!!! I'm considering an AC based system. I had a surveyer tell me those ceramic radiant heat units were very safe and efficient. I'm still in the the R &D phase but it's getting cold quick in RI.

INSULATE-INSULATE-INSULATE

[hellosailor]

Hydronic is the technical term for what us civilians call "hot water baseboard heating".

What he means, is to run hot water pipes around the boat from a central point, with or without forced air fans to move the air over them. You could also use one of the new floor systems, that use a flexible plastic hose laid in plastic floor "tiles" that are designed to have concrete poured over them, and lay something else (like plywood) over them.

The problem either way is that you need space to lay pipe, and vent ducts if you do it that way. Nice way to do a permanent installation though.