[C320-list] Wintering in the Water-Question

[Chris Burti]

I keep the boat ready to use year around use both to prevent freezing
beginning around Thanksgiving. I take them off the boat around the end
of March. The WM marine heater is set in defrost mode and placed on
the floor of the aft cabin and the dehumidifier is left running
constantly in the galley on top of the stove. and

The dehumidifier puts out the equivalent heat of a 90 watt light bulb
(a favorite method used in small pump houses for preventing water
pumps from freezing in this region before the widespread installation
of community water systems) with a small air circulation fan. I open
the covers under the aft cabin and v-berth cushions and prop the head
door open.

The dehumidifier pretty much does the job of freeze down here in the
Carolinas by keeping air circulating as the water only freezes solid
once a century. The heater is just back up for a rare hard freeze and
I keep an ey on things. I hooked an hour meter to a plug and socket to
see how much the heater ran two winters ago and found out it never
came except when I would go down to check and test it.

On 10/30/07, jonvez at comcast.net <jonvez at comcast.net> wrote:
> I will be storing my boat in the water this year for the first time (Boston Harbor) and since I will have access to shore power I will have the opportunity to potentially use some dehumidifier type device.
> Does anyone have any advice on what to use? I purchased a WM portable heater that has a 'defrost' mode which kicks on whenever the cabin temp goes below 38 degrees and I'm wondering if this is the same concept as the plug in dehumidifiers that you can buy....any thoughts would be appreciated...
>
> Regards,
>
> Jon Vez
>


-- 
Chris Burti
Farmville, NC