"My Time" is currently sitting on the trailer under a tarp, and it is now 26 degrees F......
Would it be worth the cost (AND SAFETY CONCERNS) of running a portable heater in the boat to keep it above freezing? (it has a setting to kick on when it drops below freezing)
I have no water onboard except for the head, which is pumped out and filled with 4 gallons of antifreeze thru-out
I put the battery charger on about every 3 weeks to top off two gel cell batteries....
SHOULD I RUN THE HEATER?...
Last edited by Matt19020 on Fri Dec 18, 2009 7:29 pm, edited 2 times in total.
26 degrees...is that above zero. Last week it was -26F here and our boat sat there under the cover shivering but safe.
Heat... I wouldn't waste the electricity. The only thing I would do is maybe put a 75w light bulb in there to help reduce dampness if that's a concern.
The danger in operating an unattended space heater doesn't seem worth it.
Good question. I've got a droplight hanging inside of my with a 60 watt bulb....I use a thermo-plug from the local farm co-op which turns on at 32 degrees and turns off at 40. Does that little bit of heat cause condenstation or help prevent?
Russ,
I feel it will be OK.....But I think at least...... I should put a bottle of Rum out in her to take the chill off....(I would expect someone to do the same to me if I was out there!)
Doug W wrote:Good question. I've got a droplight hanging inside of my with a 60 watt bulb....I use a thermo-plug from the local farm co-op which turns on at 32 degrees and turns off at 40. Does that little bit of heat cause condenstation or help prevent?
It is my understanding the light bulb heat provides a drying effect. Probably also keeps out thieves.
Doug W wrote:Good question. I've got a droplight hanging inside of my with a 60 watt bulb....I use a thermo-plug from the local farm co-op which turns on at 32 degrees and turns off at 40. Does that little bit of heat cause condenstation or help prevent?
I do the same thing. One of the first things I see when get home from work is the light shinning from my boats windows. Also helps if I want to go out and work inside the boat since most of the time I'm home it's dark now.
Just expect it to keep things dry, not to prevent anything from freezing up. IMHO its not worth the cost or risk to run a heater unless I expect to be working inside the boat for an extended amount of time.
I have had my 26X since 2002 and park her in my side yard. I live in Colorado, USA. At times our winter temps drop down to -20 F degrees. I have never used any type of heat and never had a problem, but it is dryer here then some states.
Hello,
You shouldn't need to heat it if you are sure all the moisture has been dried out before it's bagged. Once we had water in the bilge which caused a micro climate of condensation and evaporation as the temp went up and down over the winter. It had actually been raining inside. Result: mold on everything.
Now I make sure the bilges are opened up and ventilated prior to bagging. I also make sure I pull it out early enough that all the water in the centerboard has drained or evaporated so the freezing temps don't split it.
Have had no problems since paying attention to this.
[quote] I also make sure I pull it out early enough that all the water in the centerboard has drained or evaporated so the freezing temps don't split it./quote]
Good point! I don't know about the rudders on an , but on my they retain water when pulled up. So I always make sure to lower them until they touch the ground and let the water run out as one of my winter storage steps. When they are pulled back up into storage position their tips end up under my tarp, so no rainfall will get in.
We keep a West Marine heater going in our M but very low to keep the moisture down and when I need to escape the house by myself I turn up the heater and pop in a DVD and kick back. Last couple of years we sailed from Christmas thru New Years, the forcast this year is Sunny and in the 40's but not mutch wind locally 3 to 5 mph.
I do run a small milk-house heater in mine - just enough to keep it slightly warmer than the outside air. I used to get mildew over the winter in the boat, but ever since I've used the milk-house heater there's never been a sign of it in the spring.
with a 60 watt bulb....I use a thermo-plug from the local farm co-op which turns on at 32 degrees and turns off at 40. Does that little bit of heat cause condenstation or help prevent?
Also helps if I want to go out and work inside the boat since most of the time I'm home it's dark now.
, but on my 
