SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

winter liveabord in Montreal?

12K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  jobi 
#1 ·
just wondering if one can livabord on the hard in winter?

I have acces to electricity for heating and cooking, of coars this would only be this winter to save cash.
 
#2 ·
No, living aboard on the hard is generally a bad idea, especially in places that get a lot of snow and cold weather.
 
#3 ·
Pretty hard to do

We lived onboard over a couple of winters in New York City and being in the water helps a lot since it is not much below 30F (salt) and the air near the surface is kept a bit warmer too. On the hard the boat would be exposed on all sides to air that could be -20 and colder. Don't know if people live on boats all year in Montreal - there are lots of people doing that in Toronto which is similar in terms of weather (other than snowfall).
 
#4 ·
BTW, there are people who do liveaboard year round in that part of the world, and some of them have blogs... none of them AFAIK winter aboard with the boat on the hard....all are living with the boat afloat.
 
#6 ·
Montreal and Toronto are pretty similar in terms of weather, and you could liveaboard in either city, provided the boat was on the water and the slip had the circulators to prevent ice from forming.
 
#7 ·
trust me winters in toronto ar a fun ride compared to winters in montreal, we get alot more snow and lower temps for a longer time period. most of the st-laurence freezes over and ice brakers work hard to keep the ship way clear.

I have never heard about circulators, in fact I dont know much about anything boat related, but I know it would take incredible circulation to keep water from freezing in anny marina anywhere in quebec.

I have friends in toronto that ride motorcycle almost year ronde, here we have ski-doos, and every winter we get the feeling we will ride them all year, but eventualy spring sets inn and we start living again.:)
 
#10 ·
Need to find somewhere that takes winter liveaboards

I think that the climate conditions in Kingston are doable and it is a lovely place to live, but you need to have a marina that operates in the winter and I doubt that either of the two large ones in Kingston do (downtown and Collins Bay). I know of several marinas in Toronto that have significant winter populations (Bluffers, west side of main harbour (forget the name) and Port Credit). Now is a good time to check on availability since the one downtown at least has a waiting list.
 
#12 ·
winter liveaboard

I have been living in my boat for 2 1/2 years. On Flathead Lake, the bays freeze in the winter, so I pull it out and sit boat and trailer on land. I think of it as my boat shaped camper. It is plenty warm as I have a wood stove, and most days I have to leave a hatch open, or it is about 80 in there. Why would I liveaboard on the hard? I wanted to see how long I could stay aboard, in the event that I could achieve a bigger better boat and travel. The worst thing about it, is clearing the snow off, and ...the ladder.:D
 
#13 ·
I have lived aboard my 30ft Excalibur sloop for 3 winters now. There are about 8 boats at the Marina in bowmanville,on the shore of Lake Ontario that do it. In the water. All have an electric bubbler,or a device with a strong electric powered prop on it to keep the water moving around the vessel.No ice in the coldest weather. Most also shrink wrap part of or all of thier boat.Some of them are pretty elaborate,with wooden doors,windows ect.I think you probably could do it on the hard,with plenty of power and good heaters..well tarped..you'll survive..yur a Canuck! Cheers BILL s/v ICEBIRD
 
#14 ·
BTW, bubblers and circulators only really work well if the slip is deep enough. Shallow slips are far more likely to freeze over.
 
#15 ·
Difference between Montreal and Toronto for winters is day and night.

I'm in Toronto. Over last winter we had 10 liveaboard boats at my club and 11 in the water storage. Granted last yr was a mild winter. I only used my bubbler(s) once for a 24hr period. Otherwise it was the routine of getting out of the boat, turn it on, have my shower, come back and turn it off. And I was good for another day without having to run them. And I did need it I would turn it on in the evening while having dinner. <o>
</o><o></o>
Living aboard on the hard? That's insane. I may a well just move into a walk in freezer with a tent. <o></o>
<o>

</o> Each boat at my club has access to 120amps, the pedestal each are metered. <o></o>
I had three 30amp cords coming into my boat. One for the boat itself. I don't run heaters on the house power. The other two shared power with 1500watt oil filled heater (which was on pretty much ALL the time), 1500w ceramic heaters which I never ran above 900watts(Only turned on when I would get back to the boat after work) and my bubblers. <o></o>
<o></o>
I'm thinking this year there will be more liveaboard's from what I have been hearing. <o></o>
 
#16 ·
Jobi, I second (third?) the suggestion that you don't try it when the boat is on the hard... for one thing, it's a long way to the ground from that deck... before I sold my Bristol, I took a tumble while it was on the hard, and even though I didn't break anything, it isn't something I'd want to repeat or wish on anyone else.
Get that thing in the water and live in her that way.
 
#18 ·
The key is to keep the boat warm all the time. Once it's cold its cold and take hours and hours to warm up again.

Last winter there was a few days/nights of -19C. Having the Oil Filled heater going full out and the 2 space heaters at 900watts I was able to keep the boat about 18C or so. But most nights I was on the boat with a tshirt on and the temp was about 21-22C.

I've learned from my first winter. I've done liveaboard for 3 summers and last yr was my first winter. Guess who is doing it again this winter :)
 
#19 ·
Live on the hard in Montreal BBBBBRRRRRR :eek:

We lived aboard just east of Toronto, on Lake Ontario for 8 years. One year we hauled our boat out because we were planning to travel for a few months and when that didn't work out we were stuck on the hard. It was REALLY MISERABLE. People don't understand how even cold water has an insulating effect. At -20 C it was just unbearbale in the cabin even with all our heaters blasting away and insulation on the deck. Comparable to that -20C in the water isn't pleasant but it's warm inside.

And don't forget that you'll have to be up and down that ladder for every call of nature, to haul jerry cans of water on deck (You can't fill the water tanks because they will freeze) not to mention groceries, equipment and all the other regular necessities. And you can't use your drains unless you put hoses from your through hulls and jerry cans under them, but at -20 C they'll freeze too....

And Montreal gets way worse winters than where we lived.

Naw... there is a reason that boats are made to float in the water.

Robyn
 
#22 ·
After reading this I get the impression that its possible if you prepare. Anyone ever properly insulated the inside of a boat with at least thin foam? Boats aren't built for freezing weather for obvious reasons but theres no reason they couldnt be, if you have land electricity heating is easy and plumbing can be easily kept thawed, they have electrical bits to wrap around pipes and put in tanks that keep them above freezing. Perhaps this thread should be about how to rebuild a boat for year round miserably cold weather.
 
#23 ·
Thanks for all coments...rest asured iv sins ruled out the idea of livingabord winter, for one I did fall off the boat on its cradle, must have done a few Olympic figures in the process (it hurts)
this year iv wintered in my dodge caravan alternating between MRs heater (propane) and electic heater...it is not that bad once you get organised...however this experience will drive me to sail south next year for shure...will keep the caravan for whenever I come back to work (its a cheap rent) and mobile.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top