Keeping boat in water during winter. Have a few questions? Could use the Help

[Converse48]

As Aaron said, I do winter in Baltimore as well. I do fully winterize everything and as earlier noted, my insurance company considers in-water storage "laid up" if the boat is winterized. Check with your policy holder though.

I'm at BMC in Canton and they have metered electric. I can't imagine what it would cost to heat the boat full time. Plus I'm not sure it's necessary if you're winterizing everything anyway. For heaters, I use (again, only when I'm there) two of the West Marine ceramic heaters and one oil radiator. The ceramics do a good job taking the cold out of the air reasonably quickly and the radiator (as the name suggests) heats more slowly but heats up the "things" on the boat (the walls and furniture are freezing when you get there and take a while to warm up). If we get to the boat late in the evening, that first night can be a tad chilly. We use electric blankets for that. If you can get there during the day then you should be able to get things warmed up more quickly. Also keep in mind that I am heating a lot of space and a lot of furniture.

I use 2 gallon water jugs as needed for fresh water. We do use the heads (#1 only!) each with a gallon of "pink stuff" next to the commode for flushing. We spent five very comfortable days on the boat last winter when the power was out at home due to ice and fallen trees. BMC has nice heads/showers. Damnedest part is the walk there!

Have fun! If you're in Canton, look me up. It is a fun place to be in the winter.

 

[Searaybio270]

Converse48 - When will you be moving to Canton? I go there on occasion just to walk around. Would enjoy stopping by to say hi if you don't mind.
Joe

 

[Converse48]

We will be moving there the first weekend in November. I will probably be down every few weekends during the winter. Stop on by!

 

[walts]

my boat was on Middle River for ten years. We winterized the entire boat. On the weekends I spent onboard I used a ceramic heater. The cockpit normally warmed up in the sun. It was interesting to see the waterfoul on the ice. The marina used ice eaters on all docks

Walt S

 

[Whit-Ness]

Update: Enjoyed keeping the boat in the water doing the winter. Weather was crazy the past month or so (cold). Enjoyed going down during my free time during work hours. Had work done on it which worked out well. I think the only con I had was the BGE bill I received monthly. I had the heat set on 60 most of the time so I could enjoy it whenever I stopped in, but doing so resulted in a monthly bill around 100-120.

 

[Xplicitlnck]

Update: Enjoyed keeping the boat in the water doing the winter. Weather was crazy the past month or so (cold). Enjoyed going down during my free time during work hours. Had work done on it which worked out well. I think the only con I had was the BGE bill I received monthly. I had the heat set on 60 most of the time so I could enjoy it whenever I stopped in, but doing so resulted in a monthly bill around 100-120.

I Love keeping my boat in all winter. Gives me time to do all my maintaining so when spring comes around im ready to relax. And I get to go for a ride every now and then. This year was a different story I've been iced in for a couple weeks now. . Two things I've learned to always have on hand. A good chain saw to cut the Ice around the boat when the docks ice up abd rip the power lines out and the bubbles no longer work abd a full tank of fuel for the generator to keep the heaters working.

What did you have set to 60? The reverse cycle as air on your boat or an external heater?