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Old 11-18-2021, 03:18 AM   #1
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MA to VA

Not being from up north...is it way too cold (and windy?) in the winter to even consider bringing a 36 trawler down to VA from MA?
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Old 11-18-2021, 04:59 AM   #2
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It depends on the month and temperatures. Typically the raw water system and the domestic freshwater systems are winterized with antifreeze to keep them from freezing and breaking parts. So outside temperatures can't go much below freezing.

Most trawlers have very little insulation and lack a heating system designed to handle winter temperatures.

If I were going to do it, a mild December might be doable. January and February are probably out of the question. If winter ends early March would probably be miserable as the ocean is still cold. Most likely you would move a day and then sit for the next weather window.

Moving it by truck is certainly doable during the winter.

Ted
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Old 11-18-2021, 05:37 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by O C Diver View Post

Moving it by truck is certainly doable during the winter.

Ted
I’ve been trying to line that up but doubt I can reach the required height of 13’6”. Flying up today to look and measure and finalize the deal. I’d love to get it home by truck but not willing to cut off the fly bridge like I’ve read in some of the threads.
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Old 11-18-2021, 06:11 AM   #4
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I will be moving a boat from Baltimore, MD to Newport, RI beginning the Monday after Thanksgiving. While certainly not winter I will let you know how it goes.

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Old 11-18-2021, 06:26 AM   #5
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Our dirt dwelling is in MA. The boat we just bought was in Conn. after purchase brought it to East Greenwich RI. There it sat to get new electronics put it and some other work. We left RI on Nov 9 for Deltaville Va. due to weather used the C&D. Trip required the Espar hydronic heater for its entirety and until last night it’s been on nearly all the time. We do have reverse AC and the water is still warm enough to use it but find the hydronic heat to be much more pleasant. In mid December reverse AC may not work. Will be cold for the next week in the Chesapeake. We’re done here and the boats going into a shed for further work so we’re leaving today for home.
Prior did Newport to Oriental in the sailboat before leaving to Antigua in late November. Miserable trip. Wet and cold. Leg from Newport to Norfolk was fine. November is a weird weather month with the shoulder seasons in disarray from MMCC. You can have tee shirt weather and a coating of ice on the decks in the morning. Flat seas and 6-8’ers. December is worst. Friend bought down his Al trawler from Newport to northern Fla last December. Many days was chipping ice due to stability risks as spray froze on his decks and topsides. He found no ice in the AICW but so much junk in the water he went outside whenever he could. We hit submerged deadheads at Delaware entrance and about a dozen times in the C&D. Apparently there was a release from retention ponds. Due to the differential in Delaware and Chesapeake tides the debris was draw into the canal. We went through at night. Even with a sharp look out you can’t see anything. Had the same experience during the day going Norfolk to oriental on a prior trip. Late fall and early winter think there’s more junk in the water.
So as long as you have good heat and decent range so finding fuel before running dry isn’t an issue think moving a boat from New England to mid Atlantic up to mid December is quite doable. Not a pleasant cruise but a businesslike delivery. Remember moving water won’t freeze as easily. Run water through all faucets and showers time to time. Flush your heads time to time. You don’t need to be winterized as long as you run things. I did winterized one of my heads and showers on a prior similar trip. There was just two of us so didn’t need that head.
Every time we’ve gone south late have tried to run 24/7. Problem with the ICW is I think in many places it’s just not safe to run at night. Especially at that time of year. Broken limbs, trees and other debris make it difficult.
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Old 11-18-2021, 07:50 AM   #6
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I think you need to disclose more information.


Why move your trawler in Dec and not now (Nov)?
How long have you owned the boat and are you comfortable in open seas?
Have you done a trip like this before and are you doing this solo or do you have help?
What is the range of the boat?


When I brought my boat up to NJ from Key West - my process was to hit the marina by 3 or 4pm. Wash the boat - get a shower - eat dinner and go to bed.


In Dec at least in NJ all water will be shut off so you will not be able to wash your boat from the salt water.
Most restaurants will be closed - covid and lack of winter employees...
So your trip will be made more difficult than normally than if you went now or even in the spring...
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Old 11-18-2021, 08:15 AM   #7
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Once to Southern NJ, water and fuel are available into December...just not every dock or every marina...call ahead. Washing a boat may be an issue, but for a couple days I never worried about it.

Nights are cold so aux heat in some form at night will make it better than camping. If at a marina, even a single space heater in a sleeping cabin will work.

During the day, driving from the inside can be pleasant on sunny, calm days. If windy and cloudy....can be cold unless dressed and moving around to be warm.

I left NJ for Florida each year from 2012 to 2019 in early to mid Dec. Via the Chesapeake as the ocean route would have only worked with a much faster boat to meet weather windows.

Even the Delaware kicked butt a few trips. Almost frozen in within Baltimore harbor one early December.
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Old 11-18-2021, 08:44 AM   #8
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Anything is possible but it will be more challenging and less pleasant. You will need to plan further in advance to ensure fuel, transient dockage and pump outs but most recreational trawlers should have the self sufficiency and capacities to make it happen. If you have are flexible on your schedule, you can wait out the windy days and travel in calm weather.

I would plan to install a "bus heater" in the helm area to utilize engine heat from the engine coolant circuit to stay comfortable. It would make the trip far more pleasant.
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Old 11-18-2021, 08:52 AM   #9
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Starting in January and continuing for about three months, most harbors and marinas in Massachusetts will be frozen in. We kept our boat in a marina on the Connecticut River one year. They kept our slip ice free with bubblers but we couldn't go anywhere. And it was just one dock where the liveaboards stayed all winter.

If the boat you are buying is on the hard it will be virtually impossible to move it from its packed in location with a Travel lift and launch it even if you could find an open waterway.

So move it by the end of the hear or forget it until spring.

David
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Old 11-18-2021, 11:17 AM   #10
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Will say we did the recent RI-Va in 57 hours. You can put up with a lot for <2 1/2 days. That was going through the C&D and not directly to the mouth of the cheasapeake. Ran 8-10kts. Didn’t time the tides. Could be done even quicker if you line things up and have good crew.
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