[emcentar]

I'm sitting in my apartment listening to the howling wind and very nervous about my boat, which I left in the water this winter (first winter with the boat). The Chesapeake is a fairly warm body of water, but I knew I was taking a small chance and now I'm nervously watching the temp creep down to 0, listening to the 40 mph gusts, and hoping that I didn't pick the wrong winter to have the boat in the slip.

Anyone else nervous? At least the cold snap isn't supposed to be long, but listening to this wind I'm worried now I should have put my hurricane lines on the boat before this hit.

E.

 

[Donna_F]

I have my boat in Rock Hall. I think, and I may be wrong, that you'll need more than one or two nights below freezing to create a significant ice layer on the Chesapeake, if at all.

I just checked the buoy on the Patapsco. The freezing point is 31.4 F and the current water temperature is 36.6 F. The current helps.

 

[Quickstep192]

I think if we're not a little nervous, something's wrong. I don't think that the ice can get too thick during the time that it will be cold. Hearing the wind is unsettling though. I'm hoping that the pink antifreeze in my engine is up to the task.

 

[benesailor]

I woke up this morning and it was 48F now its 14F. By morning it will be -5F with a 35k breeze. I'm glad my baby is tucked in tight amongst the trees.

 

[RichH]

You can always think about a 'bubbler' a simple propeller/electric motor that's tied under your boat and which constantly brings up the warmer bottom water to the surface near the boat.

These are electrically operated; and, if your power 'goes out' so does the bubbler. In that case and when its extremely cold be sure not to get your clothing wet as you will exacerbate your chance of hypothermia.

Heres a simple way of keeping your clothes dry when your boat is 'frozen in' and there is no electric power available:

 

[emcentar]

It didn't even occur to me to worry about risk to my engine from the wind, so clearly I'm not worried enough. What's the risk there?

 

[mad_machine]

windchill will not bother your engine or your boat. As it does not an internal heat source like living things do, windchill will not affect it.

Once upon a time the Chesapeake was well known for it's ice flows.. All you have to do is look at Sharps Island Lighthouse.

 

[manatee]

Dear Canada,

We don't mind you folks coming down here for a visit, but please call your freakin' frigid weather back home.

Thank you.

Regards,
U.S.A.

 

[benesailor]

This beautiful weather keeps the florida people out.

 

[krisscross]

That old dude is lucky he did not chop off his pecker with the ax... well, it was likely fully withdrawn but he might have hit his knee or something...

 

[titustiger27]

here is a good place for weather
WunderMap® | Interactive Weather Map and Radar | Weather Underground

also if you type your town in to google and weather
"chesapeake bay weather"
https://www.google.com/search?q=was...ceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=chesapeake bay weather

and you should get current conditions and a decent forecast

 

[Alex W]

Keep the engine warm using a low to moderate powered heater. Do the same for the fresh water system. You should be fine.

We had a very rare incident with ice on the surface of my salt water slip for a day this year. I went sailing, it was chilly but clear and crisp and very nice. You can see the frozen water in this image, my boat left that trail in the ice from us getting out of the marina:

When I got on the boat that morning it was in the mid to upper 40s onboard. I had two of those saucer type dehumidifier heaters running, one near the engine and one near the fresh water tank. The salt water below the surface stays in the upper 40s and heats up the boat too.

 

[hpeer]

That old dude is lucky he did not chop off his pecker with the ax... well, it was likely fully withdrawn but he might have hit his knee or something...

Automatic retractable keel?

 

[hpeer]

Humm... I'm in Delaware City. We keep the boat in the water and don't winterized because we are part time live aboards. We run a little West Marine electric heater set to 42F.

Friday when I got to the boat it was 36 inside and 23 or so outside. I stayed on the boat to make sure she was OK. No hardship, just being at home. Same thing tonight, I'm on the boat and will work from "home" tomorrow. If I'm OK, she's OK.

 

[RichH]

That old dude is lucky he did not chop off his pecker with the ax... well, it was likely fully withdrawn but he might have hit his knee or something...

Do you know what happens to the linear dimensions of 'peckers' when even single malt scots whiskey freezes solid in your glass ???????? brrrrrrrr

 

[JimMcGee]

That old dude is lucky he did not chop off his pecker with the ax... well, it was likely fully withdrawn but he might have hit his knee or something...

The only way that dude is finding his pecker is if he tied a string to it before he went in that water

 

[JSL3]

I'm sitting in my apartment listening to the howling wind and very nervous about my boat, which I left in the water this winter (first winter with the boat). The Chesapeake is a fairly warm body of water, but I knew I was taking a small chance and now I'm nervously watching the temp creep down to 0, listening to the 40 mph gusts, and hoping that I didn't pick the wrong winter to have the boat in the slip.

Anyone else nervous? At least the cold snap isn't supposed to be long, but listening to this wind I'm worried now I should have put my hurricane lines on the boat before this hit.

E.

I wouldn't worry too much. The cold weather event will be relatively short lived. If you haven't winterized the boat (with regards to fresh water - domestic/engine) then the fact that it is still in the water in a slip is better than on the hard. The bay water will help insulate from the cold temps tonight. In a day or so, the warm up will begin.
As far as the wind goes, I hear it outside my window in Arlington as well. The good news is that in Deale you should be protected from the NW direction pretty well. It's not a hurricane so a well tied up boat should be fine.
Congrats on the new boat, she will bring you great times on the water.
Cheers, from a fellow Pearson 28-2 owner.

 

[RichH]

I wouldnt be too sure about a quick 'thaw' on the Chesapeake this time around. Once the average bottom to top layer of water averages 4°C you can expect a solid freeze-up.

Here's a pic of the 'todays' ICE solidly blocking Worton Creek on the Upper Chesapeake. The 'bubblers' are straining to keep the water ice free under the boats there.

 

[krisscross]

Ouch! That looks like really thick ice. Can't be that good for the fiberglass hull.

 

[JSL3]

That does look cold.

Here is a link to some Webcams near the area where the OP's boat is:

Web Cam - Chesapeake Bay Marina Resorts - Dining - Lodging - Herrington Harbour

Looks like some ice buildup but not too bad (as of now).
Hopefully it will stay that way.