No Winterizing?

[Big D]

I know eventually we will be snowbirds heading south for the winter. It will be a while but trying to get a feel for where. At which point along the east coast does one not need to worry about winterizing and can boat year round? I suspect all of Florida including panhandle but how far can one go north of Florida along the coast before you would need to winterize to be safe?

[alexander38]

"D" most of us don't winterize here! I did for the first time cause I took her out this year for the winter..

[alexander38]

"D" most of us don't winterize here! I did for the first time cause I took her out this year for the winter..

[BobCT]

Good question. I'm in CT, not far from NY and I would guess Georgia. I remember reading in a BoatUS article that they get more claims in warmer climates because of freak cold snaps that do lots of damage. People that ordinarily don't give winterizing a thought.

Bob

[prowlersfish]

Most the boats in our marina will winterize or use heat when the temp drops . ( common option for those that boat year around here) I am in the lower Chesapeake bay in VA . I have only had to turn on the heat 1 night so far this year .

[alexander38]

good point Bob, I do put a heater in my engine room ( I.P.) that is set to come on at 34 degrees and the water system in drained there to. Low point e fresh water system.

But just a few miles north of where I'm at I'd winterize if I wasn't going to use her.

But "D" if you become a seasonal Snowback You'd be on her during the winter wouldn't you ? So why the need to winterize ?

[Big D]

....You'd be on her during the winter wouldn't you ? So why the need to winterize ?

Trying to find out how far south I would have to go not to worry about winterizing and able to actually go out and use the boat. In other words, I suspect I wouldn't have to winterize in Florida and could probably boat any day of the year weather permitting. Is it safe to say the same about Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia for example. The Chesapeake has always tweaked my interest, does it's southern area fall into the no winterizing and year-round boating zone?

[prowlersfish]

Big D , yes you could boat year around here but honestly few do as it gets pretty cold . We fish thru February . today it was in the upper 60s the low last week was around 25 degrees . Most marinas will shut off the water through the winter . Ours turns it on and off ass needed .

A lot of boaters here will head south for the winter some stop in lower SC or GA but most hit Fla.

I don't winterize my boat and rely on heat , but if I was absent I would Winterize it . we do get into the teens at times .

[tsawyer]

It's been 80ish all week down here.

I would think GA is fine. I lived in N central GA for a while and it would get cold enough to snow once a year. I would think a boat in the water wouldn't get that cold, but you would want some kind of heater to protect small water lines or holding tanks.

[aaronbocknek]

my mechanic's rule of thumb is when the 'skim ice' starts to appear, then you had better start your winterizing process. even though i winterize, i keep an ignition protected marine engine room heater in the bilge to keep the temp around 45 or so. i also tape off a majority of the outside vents to prevent blasts of cold air from rushing in. i leave one or two small holes in the shrink tape over the vents to allow for some breathing. i also vent the bilge area for 10 minutes every time i'm down there checking on her. impellers for the engines and genset are 'bumped' twice a month to prevent them from sticking in one position. just my usual habit i guess.

[ready123]

Big D,
I started out with the plan of going up and down the east coast every season but am rapidly rethinking that... of course that means two boats, one North and one South which I still have

I have concluded that the time to go up and down each year is just a waste of time and put's one into travelling when it is still chilly out.... would loose at least 2 months each year to travelling on cooler days & nights.
Put it into your plan to buy yourself a diesel boat for down South use and leave it in a FL hurricane hole for the Summer.

[Big D]

So Aaron, in north Chesapeake you must haul out and winterize. Paul, South Chesapeake sounds like it's a little iffy. Tony, you're in VA too right? Sounds like Georgia and Florida are in the running, and maybe SC.

I do like the Gulf coast, and have a buddy in the Fort Myers area. Looks like nice boating. Michael (Ready123), when you say "hurricane hole", I assume you mean an area less likely to get hit? I've given that some thought and looked at Florida's hurricane history. The tracks indicate that there doesn't really seem to be any real safe area if you go back 50 years. Everyone I've talked to on the Gulf side though didn't seem all that concerned about the issue.

[alexander38]

yep I'm 40 or so miles north of Paul, the boat is I live 30 miles south of him, and I think Aaron is 60> north of my boat, on the South end of the bay the water doesn't freeze (it can but most of the time it's skim ice from Freshlets)
But I've never worried about laying up sitting in the water.

[Big D]

So south end of Chesapeake is a consideration? I want to make sure because I've always liked the area. Passed through several times in the '70s and '80s on my way further south with the Chevy Van to Van-Ins along the coast (age showing?). Maybe a little different now but back then, some of the most accomodating people there, and little out of the way ma and pa places to eat and stay will forever be burned in my mind. My understanding is that my ancestors share some of the same history with that of the area so I almost feel drawn to it, hard to explain but I'm kind of torn between it and the sure and familiar thing of Florida. This is good discussion for me guys, thanks.

[aaronbocknek]

So south end of Chesapeake is a consideration? I want to make sure because I've always liked the area. Passed through several times in the '70s and '80s on my way further south with the Chevy Van to Van-Ins along the coast (age showing?). Maybe a little different now but back then, some of the most accomodating people there, and little out of the way ma and pa places to eat and stay will forever be burned in my mind. My understanding is that my ancestors share some of the same history with that of the area so I almost feel drawn to it, hard to explain but I'm kind of torn between it and the sure and familiar thing of Florida. This is good discussion for me guys, thanks.

VAN-INS, oh my gawd that is something i've not heard in decades!!! yeah, i'm showing my age too. (far out and sock it too me !!) i do not haul for the winter. some do, some do not. while many will dispute it, i feel the boat needs to be in 'her natural environment'. my marina has a bubble system so ice is not a problem. i do make it down to spend time on her just chillin with the cabin heaters going and either napping, refinishing wood work or catching up on a star trek or battlestar galactica dvd. it's a nice way to spend an afternoon. close of the fwd and aft stateroom doors and the salon warms up rather nicely. of course, the fridge has an ample supply of sam addams and he'brew ale, cokacola and the obligatory bottle of pusser's. as for weather patterns, it's a goofy area indeed. my mom lives in northern virginia just south of washington, dc. about 52 miles south of me. we've had snow and freezing rain here in baltimore, and mom will have a partly cloudy day or maybe just a light drizzle. the blue ridge mountains are to our east, and the bay to the west then the atlantic. so it's a mixed bag to say the least.
heck, i've called paul when we are windy in the 30's and he's got sunny and temps in the 60's. it's just the way the coast treats us.
aaron