This winter in Puget Sound has been unusually cold and snowy. During a four day period in early February, the low in Everett was between 13 and 18 degrees. Our boat is in a slip in the Port of Everett and I thought I would post some observations I made during the winter. I have been curious as to the temperature inside my R31 during the winter and what steps I should take to protect it.
I placed a Reed temperature data logger on the dining table in the cabin of the boat from the middle of December to the end of March. The data logger was set to record the cabin temperature every 10 minutes. During the months of December and January the only heat in the cabin was from a Caframo Dry Stor, a heater that puts out 70 watts and is intended to keep the cabin temperature above the dew point to prevent formation of mold. After noting the projected very low temperatures in February, I turned off the Dry Stor and turned on our Caframo True North heater to the "anti-freeze" setting which according to the manufacturer will turn on when the air temperature is below 38 degrees. The heater's output was directed towards the v birth from the galley counter near the sink. Here are photos of the Dry Stor and the True North Heaters:
Here is a graph showing the daily temperatures observed in the cabin during the January/February time period:
This is a table showing the low cabin temperature observed each day, the time of the lowest temperature in the cabin, the observed lowest air temperature in Everett reported by NOAA and the sea temperature in Everett.
The conclusions I came to are:
1) The cabin temperature with the Dry Stor running was about 3-5 degrees above the reported low air temperature for the day.
2) The cabin temperature was probably more affected by convection heating from the warmer ocean (45-46 degrees) than the Dry Stor since the Dry Stor only put out 70 watts of heat.
3) During the very cold spell in February, the True North did turn on and kept the cabin temperature above freezing, even on days where the air temperature was as low as 13 degrees F.
Comments: I was worried during the February cold snap even with the heater on since I did not "winterize" plumbing hoses or fixtures. The engine compartment was heated by a Caframo Peli heater. I have not seen any freeze damage so far. For those of you in the Puget Sound area I am curious as to what did you do to protect your boats this winter? For me, I am glad we are finally getting to some warmer weather and that I didn't have any freeze damage!
I placed a Reed temperature data logger on the dining table in the cabin of the boat from the middle of December to the end of March. The data logger was set to record the cabin temperature every 10 minutes. During the months of December and January the only heat in the cabin was from a Caframo Dry Stor, a heater that puts out 70 watts and is intended to keep the cabin temperature above the dew point to prevent formation of mold. After noting the projected very low temperatures in February, I turned off the Dry Stor and turned on our Caframo True North heater to the "anti-freeze" setting which according to the manufacturer will turn on when the air temperature is below 38 degrees. The heater's output was directed towards the v birth from the galley counter near the sink. Here are photos of the Dry Stor and the True North Heaters:
Here is a graph showing the daily temperatures observed in the cabin during the January/February time period:
This is a table showing the low cabin temperature observed each day, the time of the lowest temperature in the cabin, the observed lowest air temperature in Everett reported by NOAA and the sea temperature in Everett.
The conclusions I came to are:
1) The cabin temperature with the Dry Stor running was about 3-5 degrees above the reported low air temperature for the day.
2) The cabin temperature was probably more affected by convection heating from the warmer ocean (45-46 degrees) than the Dry Stor since the Dry Stor only put out 70 watts of heat.
3) During the very cold spell in February, the True North did turn on and kept the cabin temperature above freezing, even on days where the air temperature was as low as 13 degrees F.
Comments: I was worried during the February cold snap even with the heater on since I did not "winterize" plumbing hoses or fixtures. The engine compartment was heated by a Caframo Peli heater. I have not seen any freeze damage so far. For those of you in the Puget Sound area I am curious as to what did you do to protect your boats this winter? For me, I am glad we are finally getting to some warmer weather and that I didn't have any freeze damage!
