Nola freeze warning

[cardude01]

So New Orleans is supposed to get pretty cold, with temps getting down to 26 Thursday and Friday allegedly.

I have a small engine block heater that my BIL gave me but I’ve never used, because I try not to be in cold weather and hate it. Do I need to try to use that? And if so do I just place it on top of the engine? Close the compartment door?

What else do I need to do? My sister is there in NO and I can ask her to do simple things, but if more complicated I will have to drive over from Texas about 8 hours.

Stupid cold! ?[emoji27]

 

[rslifkin]

Is the boat in the water? If so, does it have reverse cycle A/C?

In the water, the lower part of the hull won't get below freezing, so the engine room is likely of minimal concern. I'd be more worried about plumbing higher up in the hull and cabin.

The easy answer if you have reverse cycle A/C is to just turn the heat on for a couple of days to keep the boat warm. Between having the cabin warm and the boat sitting in above-freezing water, that should avoid any issues at only a few degrees below freezing.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. c. The only thing that immediately comes to mind is your domestic water system. IF you're connected to dock water what your sister might do is turn on water to boat and leave a tap running-doesn't take much, just a trickle. Preferably the one where the water feed lines run closest to the hull. Don't forget to turn it off once it warms up and make sure the seacock drain to that sink is open. Might be more but....


Edit: Just saw Mr. rs's suggestion. MUCH better option.

 

[cardude01]

It is in the water does have reverse cycle AC.

This marina has a history of some wonky electrical issues and I’ve been battling my main breaker in the boat tripping, but maybe the AC set on just a mild heat temp would be fine. I don’t think I’ve ever used the AC for heat. What temp would I set it to?

 

[rslifkin]

It is in the water does have reverse cycle AC.

This marina has a history of some wonky electrical issues and I’ve been battling my main breaker in the boat tripping, but maybe the AC set on just a mild heat temp would be fine. I don’t think I’ve ever used the AC for heat. What temp would I set it to?

With it only being a few degrees below freezing outside, setting it to pretty much anything 50* or warmer should do just fine. You just want to keep the coldest parts of the boat from freezing.



Thinking about it, do you have any outside washdown or shower hoses? If so, those should be drained as best as possible (and the water pressure left off) to avoid freezing them (as outside components won't stay warm).

 

[cardude01]

Greetings,
Mr. c. The only thing that immediately comes to mind is your domestic water system. IF you're connected to dock water what your sister might do is turn on water to boat and leave a tap running-doesn't take much, just a trickle. Preferably the one where the water feed lines run closest to the hull. Don't forget to turn it off once it warms up and make sure the seacock drain to that sink is open. Might be more but....


Edit: Just saw Mr. rs's suggestion. MUCH better option.

RT,

I’m not connected to the dock water system, and they just sent an email saying they were shutting off all the water anyway. Nola rarely freezes, and while I’m preparing the house and plants here in Texas I totally forgot to think about the boat.

 

[cardude01]

With it only being a few degrees below freezing outside, setting it to pretty much anything 50* or warmer should do just fine. You just want to keep the coldest parts of the boat from freezing.



Thinking about it, do you have any outside washdown or shower hoses? If so, those should be drained as best as possible (and the water pressure left off) to avoid freezing them (as outside components won't stay warm).

Ok thanks.

Crap, I do have a wash down/shower hose in the cockpit that has both hot and cold water. It is enclosed in the transom but not insulated in any way.

How would those be drained? Something my sister could do just by pushing the button on the sprayer with the pump off?

 

[rslifkin]

Ok thanks.

Crap, I do have a wash down/shower hose in the cockpit that has both hot and cold water. It is enclosed in the transom but not insulated in any way.

How would those be drained? Something my sister could do just by pushing the button on the sprayer with the pump off?

That should do the trick, more or less. If there's a faucet mounted lower in the boat than the washdown, have her turn the pump off, open the hot and cold on that faucet. Then hold the washdown hose up in the air and hold the trigger down (both for hot and cold) for a minute or so. That should drain the water out of the washdown.



If the washdown hose is lower than any other faucet, then I'd open a higher faucet and drain from the washdown hose until water stops coming out.

 

[cardude01]

Should I turn on the hot water heater?

It’s near the stern of the boat in the lazarette so not in the area where the boat AC-heater gets to.

 

[rslifkin]

Should I turn on the hot water heater?

It’s near the stern of the boat in the lazarette so not in the area where the boat AC-heater gets to.

I would. More heat being radiated in there won't hurt.

 

[cardude01]

Just remembered that I shut off all the seacocks including the one for the AC. Not sure my sister can figure out how to open that valve up as it’s kind of burried in the engine compartment. She’s not very mechanical at all.

Would it be easier to just put a little electric heater in the boat, or will that not keep it warm enough? And I also wonder if that will pull too many amps and trip my damn breaker again.

 

[rslifkin]

An electric space heater should make a noticeable difference. Even one running on high (1500w) should draw about 12 amps, so that should be manageable.

 

[cardude01]

This is the bilge heater I have aboard. Wonder if it would keep the cabin above freezing? Safe to put on the floor in the cabin? It’s a fiberglass floor.

https://www.westmarine.com/caframo-pali-bilgesafe-heater-400w-with-thermostat-12960282.html

 

[Choices]

I bought an electric radiator style heater several springs ago at Walmart. $120 marked down to $15 then half that!

I put it in the engine room, about mid power, and crack one engine room hatch in the salon with a fan in the salon.

The water heater, heater, and battery charger all keep the hull toasty.

Have her flush the commode, it may be low enough to drain any water.

 

[cardude01]

I bought an electric radiator style heater several springs ago at Walmart. $120 marked down to $15 then half that!

I put it in the engine room, about mid power, and crack one engine room hatch in the salon with a fan in the salon.

The water heater, heater, and battery charger all keep the hull toasty.

Have her flush the commode, it may be low enough to drain any water.

Thanks!

My head is the only thing that is set up for cold weather with the non-flushing composting toilet! [emoji38]

 

[Bmarler]

Is 26 the high or low temp? If it’s the low, I wouldn’t worry. Your water temp should be pretty high still right?
My experience is that it needs to be below freezing ( daytime highs in the 20’s ) for a few days before anything starts to freeze up inside the boat. A small heat source should take care of it. I’d surely drain the cockpit shower though.

 

[PM]

I wouldn't worry about it.

pete

 

[cardude01]

Thanks everyone. As usual I’m sure I’m overthinking all of this, but freezing weather on boats is a very unsual thing for me.

 

[rgano]

I don't think you are overthinking this at all. We here on the north Gulf coast are generally not prepared for a cold soaking like we are about to get, and I am expecting to hear all sorts of news reports about damage as a result of the big freeze. Our local weather guy said that Friday morning before dawn we could see 17 degrees F here on the coast.

With my boat hanging in a sling clear of the water, I am far more exposed to the freeze than your waterborne vessel and have been busy for days getting rigged for this event. One of the first things I did was to open all the potable water system valves and took special care to wrap a thermostatic pipe heater tape around the water users at the exposed transom and then wrap a rag over that.

There is a 30-foot long heater tape draped over and around the mufflers and water/waste tanks back aft under the cockpit deck. There is also a Davis bilge heater back there.

Another heater tape is wrapped around the water supplies in the head.

I usually run the engine on freshwater after every launch but did not do so last time in anticipation of this freeze. I also have a magnetic block heater on it about mid block, even though I probably do not need it - not gambling with a 30,000 dollar engine. Also in that compartment I also have a Davis bilge heater over near the marine air conditioning pump and strainer. The engine compartment door into the downeast cabin is open with a controlled circulating fan in the doorway pushing air around from a nearby oil-filled radiator style heater both thermostatically controlled by one of these: https://tinyurl.com/b4nzhshw. The fold-away bunk is raised to expose the air conditioner and water heater under it to warm air from the radiator and all cabinet and vanity doors are open to assist with air circulation, and I'll turn on the water heater tomorrow.

What happens if the power goes out at the pier? I get out my gasoline generator and plug the boat into it and run the Davis and radiator heaters free of the thermo-cubes for an hour or so every few hours.

Good luck, and maybe your sister can enlist some knowledgeable help.

 

[Bmarler]

Yeah, winter can be unpredictable for certain. We have an approaching ice storm. Expecting about four tenths of an inch of ice accumulation. Can’t wait. Been a decade or so since the last one. When the ice started melting off the stainless rigging wire it would shoot down and break off in inch long chunks. Sounded very similar to an automatic rifle going off.

 

[jleonard]

Even a couple of "droplights" with an old-fashioned incandescent bulb wouold be enough to prevent freezing in those marginal conditions.

 

[cardude01]

Great minds!

I ended putting a droplight with a regular bulb in the engine compartment and shutting the hatch, gently.

Also have one in the shower area.

[emoji120]

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. c. Mr. jl raises an interesting option.



As a result of my extensive knowledge both of operation AND construction of "old-fashioned incandescent bulb"(s), AND my mediocre knowledge of physiology I know that the average human body emits about 100w.



Since your sister needs go to the boat in ANY case, how about providing her with a 1 gallon bottle of cheap or vintage wine (your call if you want to spend the $$$$. You know your sister better than me) and ask her to sleep aboard.



You will have the benefit of her 100w heating (perhaps 120w. You know your sister better than me) AND there will be someone immediately close at hand (on board) in the event of any issues.


Now. IF your sister has a partner or favorite "wine sister" you may choose to include them. OHO! Now you're at 200w to 220+w and 2 gallons of wine. Freeze problem solved and much cheaper than a 16 hour drive.


NOTE: IF your sister's partner is NOT a wine drinker, per se, consider a supply (1/2 gallon at least) Wild Irish Rose, Dr. MGillicuddy's, Red-eye or similar.



Only another option....


Edit: Aw snap. Beat me by 4 minutes....

 

[cardude01]

Rt my sister got a kick out of that, but she declined to stay aboard. ?

 

[Comodave]

Besides she would only put out the heat until she froze and then no more heat…

 

[cardude01]

She has really need a trooper going to the boat doing things for me, and flipping the damn breaker back on when it trips every month or so. We have a strange problem at this marina.

When she was there winterizing for me today the drop light suddenly went out and I got an alert on my remote sensor that the power went out. It came back on after a minute, but that’s the fist time someone has been there when the boat lost power. When this happens it usually trips the main breaker on the boat panel, but there was not much draw on the boat when she was there (other than the bulb in the drop light) so I guess that’s why my breaker in the boat didn’t trip? No idea.

 

[cardude01]

My inside temp sensor got down to a low of 35 with the outside temp at 27, so it appears my rigged system of droplights and a small space heater is keeping the freeze at bay. But just barely.

I guess my mind was too focused on the boat, because around midnight I went outside to take a look at things and I heard my pool booster pump cavitating, which is not good. On closer inspection I noticed the main (and very expensive) pump I replaced a few months ago was not running, and that’s very bad since the temps had been in the 20s for a few hours by then. When I replaced the pump I apparently didn’t wire up the freeze protection circuit correctly, so I guess the pipes above ground froze. So that’s lovely.

I shut it all down and put a small electric Hester in the middle of the pool equipment and covered it all up with blankets, but I’m sure I will have some freeze damage when it thaws.

I’m not good at winterizing, obviously. I’ve been spoiled living in south Texas for decades, but we have had some big freezes the past few years and my mind is still not good at prepping for them obviously.

 

[Group9]

Just checked our boat. It's 32 degrees outside. We put in mini-splits a year ago.

I had them set at 72 degrees and that's what it is inside the boat. I'm happy!

 

[cardude01]

Love those mini splits!

Have one purring away in my garage right now, running off solar, keeping my plants warm. Wish I had one on my boat but I have no spot for it.

 

[Group9]

Love those mini splits!

Have one purring away in my garage right now, running off solar, keeping my plants warm. Wish I had one on my boat but I have no spot for it.

We were lucky. We hid our outside units on the flybridge behind the helm seats and even built a wooden bench over them to sit on! Unless you climb up into the flybridge, you don't even know they are there!