Leave the heat on all winter?

KevinP

New Member
Dec 5, 2019
16
Lake Lanier, GA
Boat Info
2001 310 Sundancer
Engines
5.7 Merc w/Bravo III
I'm considering my first purchase of a boat with a cabin (2001 310 Sundancer). I live in Atlanta, so we can boat nearly all year round, if desired (Lake Lanier). The salesman indicated that we could leave the cabin heated during the winter time, since it's always plugged into shore power, or we're on the boat with the generator running (as needed). Thus, theoretically, no need to winterize the water system.

Wondered if anyone actually does this? Is shore power reliable enough to do that? Are the boat's systems reliable enough to consider this approach?
 
I kept a boat on a lake in NC for many years and never winterized it. But the water temp never dropped below 55. Even when we had 18in of snow on the docks. I did however use an engine room heater and kept cabin heat on and set to about 50. So it would probably be safe if you take the right precautions and keep an eye on the news for powwer outages.
 
Here in NE Florida we at times have had a skim of ice on our saltwater canal. I have a cabin heater and an engine room heater. Though starting the engines late in the evening and letting them heat up builds up sufficient residual heat that the engine compartment doesn't really need the engine room heater. I have wireless thermometers in the boat and can monitor the temperatures from the house (30' away from the boat). Good luck to you.
 
When (if) the water temperature falls into the low 40s, the water going through the AC system could freeze. If this happens, and an AC water line cracks, your boat may sink. I am guessing that Lake Lanier doesn't get cold enough for this to be a problem.
 
At somewhere around 40 degrees water temp, the built in heater isn't going to heat either
The A/C manufacturer has a spec on that in the owner's manual.
In Huntsville, we use electric space heaters to distribute heat around the boat and try to keep it at 40
A bigger issue is when it floods, we usually lose power. That's bad.
 
Thanks for all the advice. I just checked briefly and it appears Lake Lanier in the middle of winter can get down to 45-50, which is maybe too close for comfort.

I also asked my surveyor who indicated water in the transom shower hose will likely freeze regardless, so winterizing may be necessary.

That’s unfortunate, as the late fall or early spring seems a great time to spend a night on the hook if it’s a decent day, but I wouldn’t want the hassle of winterizing, de-winterizing, re-winterizing.
 
If it's just the transom shower, disconnect and drain it. May not need to winterize much more than that -- if you heat up the engines/engine room and have a stand alone cabin heater.
 
I have ER heater+block heaters, electric heater in the cockpit plugged into a thermo outlet and I run an electric heater down below in the salon. We have had ice around the boat on several occasions and I have never winterized... In the middle of winter, my power bill is around $60/mo.
 
I’m on Lake Lanier at Port Royal. Most of us with larger cruisers leave the heat on and do not winterize beyond bilge heaters. Most don’t get to concerned unless we get a long real cold spell, single digits, but that’s once every 10 years.

Power reliability is pretty good, but once in a while, power does go out and you’ll need to run your generator to provide power.

Most of us are on the dock all year round. I was out today with a dock mate to ride over to the pump out.
 
No need to keep the cabin toasty when you’re not there unless you expect a freeze.
The cabins are smaller spaces to heat than you think and the reverse cycle ac/heat makes quick work of getting them comfy cozy.
I come out of the water here in late November. We get plenty of cold days and nights before I come out.
I crank the heat when I get to the boat and it quickly warms the cabin.
If you expect the temps to drop below freezing for a night or two you can take precautions.
It happens to me here a few times a year.
Leave the heat on in the cabin with cabinet and closet doors open so water lines behind them get heat.
BTW: excellent excuse to get another sleepover on the boat of you want,
Invest in a proper marine bilge heater. They’re controlled by thermostats and only come on if needed, No need to permanently mount it. Mine stays in the box and only comes out and gets plugged in when the weather forecast dictates.
 
I’m on Lake Lanier at Port Royal. Most of us with larger cruisers leave the heat on and do not winterize beyond bilge heaters. Most don’t get to concerned unless we get a long real cold spell, single digits, but that’s once every 10 years.

Power reliability is pretty good, but once in a while, power does go out and you’ll need to run your generator to provide power.

Most of us are on the dock all year round. I was out today with a dock mate to ride over to the pump out.

Rub it in!
You went for a boat ride today and I climbed up the ladder and through the shrinkwrap door to spend a few minutes on my boat,
 
I am across Lake Lanier from dtfeld at Sunrise Cove Marina. The coldest water temp last winter was 47*. I have 2-HVAC units and keep the one in the salon set as low as it will go which is 55*. Bilge heater is plugged in, but I am pretty sure it never came on. I usually plug my ER vents, but will not do that this year as really no need. Better to let it breathe I think. We boat year round as well.

Bennett
 
Rub it in!
You went for a boat ride today and I climbed up the ladder and through the shrinkwrap door to spend a few minutes on my boat,

Come on down weather is fine!!
 
KevinP,
We are on Allatoona Lake and pretty much follow David's (Post #9) procedure. Bilge heater sitting between the engines, and cabin heat set on about 60. Earlier this year, I did install a camera on the dock which also gives me the temperature. It also notifies me when it gets disconnected from the internet, which could indicate a power failure.
 
I'm up in Chattanooga and I use my boat from time to time during the off months. My winter routine is to winterize the fresh water system and heat everything else. I have a bilge safe heater and I use a portable heater with a freeze setting in the cabin to keep things in check. When I visit the boat I usually crank up the heater (depending on water temps) or just crank up the portable heater.

https://www.amazon.com/Caframo-Heat...argid=aud-829758849484:pla-353894590732&psc=1
 
I used the CruiseAir heat cycle on the 340 in Lake Allatoona in Atlanta and same (2 units) with the 410 on Lake Chickamauga in Chattanooga. When we got the 58, I saw my Chattanooga AC man and he had to replace 5 units on a dockmate's boat that froze up in Chattanooga, so I've switched to electric cabin heaters (3 - on separate circuits) set for 45° and have 4 LaCrosse temperature senders and 3 cameras. If we lose power, a local dockmate will open the genny seacock and crank it up...

Better to be in FL for the winter, but Reward is enjoying a rest this winter...
 

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