Frozen marina

Trevethan · 1 Mar 2004

Limehouse marina in London was frozen this morning -- just a skiff of ice, but enough to support a penny. If this goes on I'll have to get the axe out and start chopping it away around the hull.

I am a bit concerned about the water system, but the tanks are flexible, so is the hose and I have the calorifier on twice a day a for an hour.

It should be OK shouldn't it?

Cheers,

Nick

<hr width=100% size=1>

Cantata · 1 Mar 2004

I don't think you need worry about ice damage to the hull. I can remember dinghy racing on a lake and smashing through inch-thick ice, sounded terrible but didn't leave a mark.
Of course if it gets so cold that Limehouse Marina starts to look like the pics from Shackleton's expedition, then perhaps you'll need to start worrying!

roger · 1 Mar 2004

Just as a precaution you could empty a bottle of whisky into the water each evening and stir lightly with the deck broom!

<hr width=100% size=1>Roger

mldpt · 2 Mar 2004

would'nt do any harm to run a bucket or two of antifreeze mix through the raw water system to prevent the engine and gearbox freezing up unless of course you have some heating on.

<hr width=100% size=1>www.sailingforfun.co.uk

gunnarsilins · 2 Mar 2004

Boats in ice, report from Stockholm

My Moody sits in ice for about 3 months every year. At the moment the ice is only about 15 cm thick, but one winter some years ago it was not less than 70 cm! Neither the rudder or propeller could be turned!

I never do any precautions, she just freezes in. The only traces is that the antifouling some times is a bit abraded at the waterline after the boat has been moving in the ice in strong winds.
Forget about axes, just leave her alone, as long as the ice cannot move under influence of currents and wind nothing happens. I´ve left my boat like this since 1991.
Regarding the water system, as long pumps, tanks and piping is below the floors or in the bilges, or in a enclosed engine room the surrounding water probably will keep these areas above +/-0 even if the air temperature is considerably below 0. Remember that the water temperature probably is +2 or more just a little bit below the surface.
But for peace of mind, draining the pressure side of the water system, could be a good idea. An run the engine with a hose from the seawater pump in a bucket with anti-freeze for a short time.

<hr width=100% size=1>

Trevor_swfyc · 2 Mar 2004

Getting your chopper out in cold weather, not a good idea!
Most of the damage in ice is if the boat is on a mooring and the ice pack is on the move.
You should have emptied your water tanks and flushed the lines with anti freeze, also the same with engine unless you have a closed system with a heat exchanger and even then the salt water side should be flushed with fresh water and then some antifreeze mix. I think its called winterising. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

Trevor

<hr width=100% size=1>

Trevethan · 2 Mar 2004

The post was made tongue in cheek -- used to live in Norway and people would regulalry break up the ice around their boats, unless they moored up in a swanky marina that had big water pumps that circulated the water and kept it from freezing.

As for the winterising -- we live onboard during the week... I have flushed the engijne cooling system, but swmbo would be seriously pissed off if we had no water for the winter..... I was just wondering what would happen to flexi tanks and hose if they did freeze..

Thanks for the advice anyway!

cheers,

Nick

We live on

<hr width=100% size=1>

tcm · 2 Mar 2004

oh this sounds very serious. You should keep warm by hacking out the joinery burning it on shore and sending out a search party to walk around the M25 looking for help. Within a year the search party will return by which time the boat will have been crushed by the ice. You should identify which crewmemeber you plan to eat first (the slightly lardy one) and let him/her use the last of the bullets to allow the rest of you the chance of life.

<hr width=100% size=1>

charles_reed · 2 Mar 2004

Frozen flexibles

Tanks OK, unlikely to have splits in pipes but you may need to examine the pipe joins if you do freeze - however you'll need far lower than UK likely to reach, around -12C for 48 hours or more.

<hr width=100% size=1>

Trevethan · 2 Mar 2004

I figure we'll start with the lock keepers -- one is a scrawny little thing, but the other, Lenny is half Italian and should provide a good feed.

Think if we salt the carcass down with the stuff that they are supposed to put on the pontoons, but doesn't get done until after I head off to work, it will preserve the leftovers?

<hr width=100% size=1>

tcm · 2 Mar 2004

I think you've got the right idea - keep copious diaries as there is bound to be a film.

(The water will be unfrozen when you get back and may not freeze again this year BUT as they say, you mustn't let the UK weather spoil your plans)

<hr width=100% size=1>

Guest · 2 Mar 2004

Tallin regularly has over 1 mtr thick ice ...... eg today ! It is normal that boats are lifted out well in advance - but occasionally 1 or 2 GRP or metal hulled jobs stay in ..... I know of one 12 mtr Conrad that has been in 2 winters and been ok - and she is a standard GRP job.

The boats that really have to worry are timber boats as the strakes cant take it .... BUt the average GRP boat - as my little 6mtr weekender in Latvia is still in and sitting in about 1/2 mtr ice .... lift up with the ice unless you have some large obstruction fitted under the hull ....

But please this is no guarantee that all will be ok ... each situation is different !

<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.qqbaltic.com/index.html>http://www.qqbaltic.com/index.html</A> For all those disbelievers ! /forums/images/icons/cool.gif

Gunfleet · 2 Mar 2004

<<oh this sounds very serious. >>
Absolutely. Book flight to Madeira immediately.

<hr width=100% size=1>

Chris_Robb · 2 Mar 2004

Ice on Duckpond

Having sold Corsair - now have no ties - so following sun to madiera as don't know what to do with myself.

<hr width=100% size=1>

tcm · 2 Mar 2004

Re: really?

what's this?- You sold the corsair? I had no idea!! You must have been keeping that very quiet indeed

BrendanS · 2 Mar 2004

Re: really?

there have been posts on the subject for weeks! including very good advertorial thread asking for advice on how to sell, which people kept handily popping back up to top for several days

<hr width=100% size=1>Utinam logica falsa tuam philisophiam totam suffodiant

tcm · 2 Mar 2004

Re: sarcasm

ah, but there may have beeen one of the several thousand posts that I missed regarding dearest C Robb thinhking about selling, advertising , advertsing again, seeing punters, mebbe using brker s etc etc etc. ....that i missed! But not many.

<hr width=100% size=1>

BrendanS · 2 Mar 2004

Re: sarcasm

oops! missed sublety.....thought you might have missed it all whilst skiing

<hr width=100% size=1>Utinam logica falsa tuam philisophiam totam suffodiant

Frozen marina

Trevethan

New member

Cantata

Well-known member

roger

New member

mldpt

Member

gunnarsilins

New member

Trevor_swfyc

New member

Trevethan

New member

tcm

...

charles_reed

Active member

Trevethan

New member

tcm

...

Guest

Guest

Gunfleet

New member

Chris_Robb

Well-known member

tcm

...

BrendanS

Well-known member

tcm

...

BrendanS

Well-known member

Other threads that may be of interest

Members online

Share this page