How is everyone doing in the cold weather?

[killarney_sailor]

It is nippy now in Jersey City (17F) and is supposed to be colder tonight and tomorrow. The Espar is keeping up with it - it is comfortable inside, but is getting close to its limits. May put a small electric heater on tonight as well. I also have opened various hatches and the engine compartment to keep everything warm.

How is everyone else doing in colder climates? And no, we do not need smartass comments from people living onboard in San Diego or southern Florida.

[tager]

Brrrr! Any ideas for heat on a small 22' boat? I am currently using a kerosene lantern with a pot on top, vented through aluminum flexible ducting out the companionway hatch. It doesn't provide much heat, though. Any ideas? I was thinking maybe one of those mantle kerosene lanterns.

[WouldaShoulda]

Originally Posted by tager

Brrrr! Any ideas for heat on a small 22' boat?

Mermaid??

[killarney_sailor]

Originally Posted by tager

Brrrr! Any ideas for heat on a small 22' boat? I am currently using a kerosene lantern with a pot on top, vented through aluminum flexible ducting out the companionway hatch. It doesn't provide much heat, though. Any ideas? I was thinking maybe one of those mantle kerosene lanterns.

Most of the liveaboards here use oil-filled electric heating.

[eryka]

We're using our much loved Webasto supplemented with an oil-filled electric radiator, 3 small ceramics, REI fleece long underwear, and a bottle of rum.

[Bene505]

I'm on the train at the moment, sipping a little adult beverage.

Believe it or not, I envy those of you who are living on board, even in the winter. Next winter I may keep our boat in the water so we can go for a winter sail or 5.

So if you are in the water in the NY/Long Island area and want some crew for a frostbite sail, please PM me. I'll bring a bottle of the good stuff, for after the sail.

[bubb2]

I am so tired of winter already that I thinking about jumping off the Tappen Zee bridge. But i's so cold instead of going splash in the river, you go squish on the ice.

[ardoin]

The Webasto is turned on when it is 32deg or lower. It is running on low speed with the reverse cycle heat pump keeping things stable. Figure I'll kick the Webasto into high gear the for the next few nights as we fall into the teens and maybe single digits.
A Wool blanket is a great addition, one wool blanket is equal to three micro fiber things (two if they are from REI).

Hot Coco: get a Dove dark choc bar and milk... put it in a pot and heat it up, stir constantly, pour into thermal mug and enjoy. Better than all the powered stuff. I you like your hot coco sweet, replace dove bar with a milkyway.
Keep Warm

[eryka]

Originally Posted by ardoin

The Webasto is turned on when it is 32deg or lower. It is running on low speed with the reverse cycle heat pump keeping things stable. Figure I'll kick the Webasto into high gear the for the next few nights as we fall into the teens and maybe single digits.

Cy, how are you still running your reverse cycle? Most of those things don't work efficiently if the water is below about 40 degrees F, and have a mfg shutoff at 37. (Think about it - if they remove about 5 degrees of heat from the exhaust water, and the water temp is 36, you're makin' ice cubes...)

The seller from our boat put it this way: "Which would you rather put wear-and-tear on, a $1000 CruisAir; or a $40 oil-filled electric heater from Home Depot?

[CGMojo]

I'm now in San Diego---81F here yesterday, low of 50F, sailing twice a week in my liveaboard Jeanneau 36i. BUT . . . I lived aboard the same boat in DC last winter and it was challenging to say the least. Since I knew I was headed for SD, I opted not to buy heat/air. I didn't want to leave any 110V device on while away at work, so sometimes it was 40F below at the end of the day. I didn't have much luck with the oil filled heater, so I used a 110V Black and Decker garage heater. 40F at 5pm, but the little heater had it up to 60F by bedtime. That, a 110V electric matress warmer, and sweats kept me alive and fairly happy on my new boat.
No worries now . . . SD is the best . . . year round sailing, year round golf, and the natives are very friendly!