Current PNW cold snap - interior water line protection?

[dhays]

The coldest I have ever seen the water in the Puget Sound is 48 degrees.

At depth you are right. On the surface, it can be a lot colder. I had 3/8” thick ice around my boat in Gig Harbor on Wednesday. Since there is a creek and storm sewer outflow there, the water on the surface is brackish so not as cold as frozen sea water but still really cold.

I use a Wolverine oil pan heater on the boat year round. This keeps the top of the engine around 60 degrees during really cold weather. This heat is enough to keep the salon above from getting too cold.

I don’t like to leave any heater on in the boat that depends on a fan to keep the heating elements cool. This eliminates the typical Camframo/West Marine heaters. I simply don’t want them running long term on the boat unattended.

I do have two of the Caframo dehumidifiers. Yes, there is a low speed fan in them, but if the fan quits the is no danger of the element overheating. They only are 90 watts. One I keep in the aft lazarette where the batteries are. It runs all year along with my oil pan heater. When it is is cold, like now, I have another one in the forward cabin. Again, only 90W but it gently keeps the air moving and provides a tiny bit of warm.

This has proven very adequate for long term temps in the 20’s.

 

[ctjstr]

Oh damn, had not even thought about the cockpit shower. We never use it but I am sure it has water. I guess I will find out when the thaw comes.

IF its any help, I've had the cockpit shower freeze many times and just never had an issue. Maybe its the plastic lines or something, but its just not been an isssue. They freeze when it gets cold, then thaw with no ill effects. Knock on wood.

 

[jhance]

If you can, best to drain cockpit shower for the winter. Takes two seconds and may prevent replacing fittings/fixtures. Don't forget about raw water washdown lines as well. Many people think the salt water in those lines won't freeze until the ocean freezes, but the salt water in a pipe or hose WILL freeze. I believe salt water starts freezing at 28F if the entire water column is at that temp. I keep my saltwater lines and pump full of antifreeze over the winter.

 

[Exctyengr]

Since the original poster's primary concern is fw pipes. Have you considered low wattage electrical tape to affix to the pipes and keep them above freezing? They are available from Ace hardware in a variety of lengths and you simple tape them to the pipe in question, plug it in and voila! Typical wattage is about 7 watts/foot. Should be no fire concern since they are designed to be unattended. Seems like an elegant solution to me. For years I used them on exposed pipes on my house roof and they worked well.

 

[toddlvogel]

What about those of us with boats on the hard for the winter in the great PNW?

 

[C lectric]

What about those of us with boats on the hard for the winter in the great PNW?

Make the effort to winterize it properly. Sitting on the hard you are not planning on using it so protect it.

When on the hard your boat will be at the same temp as the surrounding air which means pumps, water lines, any liquid food or refreshments will freeze if not drained AND antifreezed and may very well cause damage.

Many boats will fare just fine if the freeze only lasts a day or two with sunny skies between but let it go on for long and there will likely be trouble.

 

[Nomad Willy]

I just checked our boat today. Been in the water for some time.

Total of less than 1Kw in electric heat running 24-7. Installed the heaters about a month ago and all is well.

The heaters are;
One 3’ goldenrod in the engine compartment.
Two goldenrods in the head at the base of the WC. One 18” and one 22”.
One heater/dehumidifier in the Laz about 150w.

Takes a long time for 400 gal. of fluids (fuel and water) in a boat 3.5’ down in the water. There is also 4000lbs of concrete ballast that also acts as a heat stabilizer.

On the downside there’s no insulation in the boat. Always been fine (even in Alaska) but I used more heat up north. Don’t remember being in single didgit temps but probaby was at some point. Oh I remember the single didgit temps. Never had a problem as long as the boat was in the water.

 

[sdowney717]

My hull sits into the water about 3 feet, but cold air settles and some years I have seen ice form soild chunks to the hull in the bilge, boat is in SE Virginia on the bay. Takes temps into the upper teens for a few days to do that. Thick wood hull may insulate bilge more from the surrounding water.

I drain the water lines, and the water heater then use a wetvac to suck out any water left behind. This year did not drain the 70 gallon tank, but it does have a copper line to the pump, so I used an incandescent 40 watt bulb laid on pump and line. All my fresh water lines have some foam insulation on them.

And I drained all the heat exchagers, the raw water cruisair and raw water utility pump.

We usually have mild winters, but the polar vortex plunged us into the teens again this year.