How much longer?

Sundancer

Sundancer

Well-Known Member
Jul 20, 2005
2,909
Prosser, WA
Boat Info
34 year old CLASSIC 300 DA, towed almost anywhere behind the Duramax Dually Crew Cab.
Engines
16 cyl, 700 cu. in./Alpha I's
Just wondering how much longer until we start launching in the NW? I've got a bout 6 weeks and we'll be heading out.

OK, I really just couldn't stand to look at the SAME NW threads anymore! We're looking pretty lame postwise! :smt015
 
We've already been out once (mid-February). I'm hoping the water temp will rise above 40 this week so that I can fire up the Cruisair heater and genset. If all goes well, my kids are ready for our first overnight this weekend. I can't wait much longer :smt038
 
Thunderbird, I'm not familiar with the Cruisair. Does the cold water impact it's performance? Forty degrees being the minimum where it can actually begin to heat or something? I'd love to go boating, but we're still in winter and can have some substantial freezes around here. If I was in the water and moored, I'd go for it! The water will keep it from freezing now! We're getting REAL close though! I can feel it! :grin:

Where do you go this time of year?
 
Sundancer said:
Thunderbird, I'm not familiar with the Cruisair. Does the cold water impact it's performance? Forty degrees being the minimum where it can actually begin to heat or something? I'd love to go boating, but we're still in winter and can have some substantial freezes around here. If I was in the water and moored, I'd go for it! The water will keep it from freezing now! We're getting REAL close though! I can feel it! :grin:

Where do you go this time of year?
Click to expand...

It will still function with 40 degree water but won't be real effecient. I have used mine with 43 degree water and while it takes it quite awhile to throw out warm heat, it eventually does so. But typically I use an auxiliary electric cabin heater when the water is that cold instead and that does a great job. I also put one in the cockpit and then the whole boat is nice and toasty whether your below decks or snug in the cockpit under the camper canvas..
 
Dave S said:
Sundancer said:
Thunderbird, I'm not familiar with the Cruisair. Does the cold water impact it's performance? Forty degrees being the minimum where it can actually begin to heat or something? I'd love to go boating, but we're still in winter and can have some substantial freezes around here. If I was in the water and moored, I'd go for it! The water will keep it from freezing now! We're getting REAL close though! I can feel it! :grin:

Where do you go this time of year?
Click to expand...

It will still function with 40 degree water but won't be real effecient. I have used mine with 43 degree water and while it takes it quite awhile to throw out warm heat, it eventually does so. But typically I use an auxiliary electric cabin heater when the water is that cold instead and that does a great job. I also put one in the cockpit and then the whole boat is nice and toasty whether your below decks or snug in the cockpit under the camper canvas..
Click to expand...


Watch out guys!,

I have some experience with this, and because the air handlers are water coils, there is the possibility of cold outside air causing the circulated cold water to freeze, which would likely burst the coil’s tubing.

Don't put the temp to high on your control unit with cold water/weather.

This is what Cruise air write about the operating temps....

Seawater Temperature
In extreme seawater temperatures, your Cruisair
system may experience a reduction in capacity. In the
cooling mode, the best efficiency is achieved when
the water temperature is below 80° F (27° C). At
higher water temperatures, the cooling capacity will
be reduced, but should continue to provide cooling
even in seawater temperatures up to 110° F (43° C).
In the heating mode, the opposite is true. As the water
gets colder than 55°F (13° C), heating capacity
diminishes. However, the unit will continue to provide
some heat with seawater temperatures as low as 40°
F (4°C). We do not recommend operating in temperatures
less than 40° F (4° C).

Succes Peter.
 
I can't wait! We're soo close. Supposed to be in the MID 60's this weekend! I'm sure farther West in the Basin and Gorge it will be in the 70's! I might just have to pull the tarp off and sit in the drivers seat for a while. I'll get my son to rock the trailer and I'll pretend like I'm on the water!
 
I can almost smell the wax, Cetol and fiberglass. Just a few more weeks!
 
Just got back from the southwest, and the weather was great down there. Just wish I had the boat along, and had time to stay. I'm toying with the idea of a fall trip down there with the boat. Not likely to happen, but who knows? I have the route scoped out from Hermiston to Lake Powell, I drove most of it in the last two weeks.

Also thinking about a one way trip from Lewiston ID down to the Columbia, Tri-Cities or Hermiston. That would require backtracking with a car to get the tow vehicle and trailer from Lewiston, but that is a one day job. That would need to have some good planning so we don't hit the 4 ft waves that the Snake River sponsored trip of a year or two ago encountered. The trip would be a bit over 200 river miles, I think. Four dams to lock through.
 
Sounds like a great trip to Havasu or Powell. My Father in law lives 30 minutes outside of Oceanside, CA. I'd love to drag mine down there and leave it for the fall and make a couple weekend trips around the San Diego area.
 
Nehalennia II said:
I'd love to drag mine down there and leave it for the fall and make a couple weekend trips around the San Diego area.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking we PNW folks should drag out boats down about Oct. and park them in front of Jeremy's place. I'm sure he would not be able to resist the urge to go out an polish them up like they should be. Then we could just run down and use them over the weekends. If we could still recognize them when he gets done polishing, of course!

I have to say the weather even in Sacramento was better than here. I don''t like this mid-40's weather after AZ weather. :smt013
 
We drove down to the Grand Canyon last year and towed the travel trailer. We stopped in and spent a couple days at some city where we could swim and mess around on Lake Powell. I was really wishing we had brought the boat! I was hoping to get the family excited about coming down this summer, but they don't want to drive that far again. I even volunteered to fly them down and I'd drive the boat, but I can't seem to get them excited about it like I am. I guess it will be a lonely Mancation this summer without them! I'm sure going to miss them!! :wink:
 
Sundancer said:
I was hoping to get the family excited about coming down this summer, but they don't want to drive that far again. I even volunteered to fly them down and I'd drive the boat, but I can't seem to get them excited about it like I am. I guess it will be a lonely Mancation this summer without them! I'm sure going to miss them!! :wink:
Click to expand...
It looks like a long 3 day drive from Spokane, or Portland. First night, Baker City, OR. Second night, SLC. Third night, Bullfrog UT. On the trip I just returned from, I made Green River, 123 mi from Bullfrog, in 2 1/2 days.
 
Like anything else it depends on your motivation to get there! We drove from Bryce Canyon to Spokane in two days. We didn't even leave Bryce Canyon the first day until 2:00 pm! The second day, we had a four hour detour in LaGrande, OR to replace a tow vehicle!

Mapquest shows 1017 miles and 15 hours 59 minutes of driving time. So it could be done in two days but with the dogs, wife, kids., etc it would be tough. I think it would be easier to fly them down and drive the boat and dogs all by myself! :thumbsup: It would be two days easy then!
 
Sundancer said:
Like anything else it depends on your motivation to get there! We drove from Bryce Canyon to Spokane in two days. We didn't even leave Bryce Canyon the first day until 2:00 pm! The second day, we had a four hour detour in LaGrande, OR to replace a tow vehicle!

Mapquest shows 1017 miles and 15 hours 59 minutes of driving time.
Click to expand...
I could not make it that fast. Given a choice, I would run about 62 MPH on the freeway. (I read somewhere that the tortoise wins the race.) Hills would slow me down some pulling the 270.

Some looking I did last night shows Hermiston - Glen Canyon at 929 miles, and 14 hours per MapQuest I figure 16 hours driving, 77 gallons fuel, 3 fuel stops. Travel times to Glen Canyon and Bullfrog are probably about the same. Distance to Glen Canyon is farther, but better highway, I think.
 
I agree, I'm not into pushing it to get there. I think that's why we blew the motor on the way home last time! We usually travel around 62- 64, a couple of miles an hour above the speed limit for vehicles that are towing. It keeps us from getting in the way of the trucks that are flying by us. I think we could do it in two days, but you're right, it would be a kidney killer to get there!

Don't even start thinking about fuel stops getting there or fueld costs at the marinas! When I think about that, I start thinking sailboat again! That Catalina 30 is looking better and better!
 
I guess you are right. From here, Snowville UT is 479 mi, 7 hrs, and Snowville to Glen Cayon is 451 mi, 7 hrs, per MapQuest. It is nearly all 4 lane highway, and maybe not as many hills as other possible routes.

On my recent trip I came north on Hwy 95, through Las Vegas. I very much did not like it. Through Las Vegas the highway was very rough, torn up, under construction, with speed limits too high. North of that, it narrowed to a 2 lane highway with a speed limit of 70. Got passed on curves by more than one truck that wanted to go faster. Also had a headwind nearly all the way to Reno, and was getting just barely over 10 mpg. Never got that poor of mileage before, but speed was too high, trying to not block traffic, and into the wind. Decided to scratch that route off my travel list, I will only go through SLC next time. It was reasonable.
 
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