Moving to liveaboard- advice pls

[PhillM]

I am pressing ahead with my idea to do the Clipper race Sept 2021 which means being away for a year. Meantime have sold the house, will downsize and let a couple of my sons rent it from me for 2 years (basically now until I get back).

I shall live on Paean (24 foot Cheverton Caravell) all this and next summer anyway, so I am mulling over living on-board over the winter too. I do have a local friend who would offer me a "proper" bed from time to time. I guess this would mean moving into a marina for the winter months. At least that would give me access to shore power and a shower.

Paean has no heating (except a Dimplex frost heater) and only a meths stove. She is cramped and somewhat damp (when it rains) but so far that has not put me off. I work at a Uni, so dress code in informal (no need for suits or ironed shirts).

Paean's current location is a mid river pontoon on the Hamble (opposite Universal marina). Work is central Portsmouth. Social life is Hamble, Southampton and Winchester. I do own a car!

Any and all advice gratefully received.

 

[Wansworth]

When you decide to “ winterize” get a goog cockpit cover which allows for the cockpit to be a mud room,hanging damp stuff etc

 

[LittleSister]

If it's damp when in only occasional use it will be sodden when you are living aboard. Consider getting a diesel hot air heater, and arrange the intake to be fresh air. The Chinese ones are very cheap, but it is generally advised to buy better made exhaust and silencer then those which come with the heater.

 

[RupertW]

If it's damp when in only occasional use it will be sodden when you are living aboard. Consider getting a diesel hot air heater, and arrange the intake to be fresh air. The Chinese ones are very cheap, but it is generally advised to buy better made exhaust and silencer then those which come with the heater.

How would the heater be powered?

 

[V1701]

If you've got shore power winter could be doable if you're made of stern stuff but that is very small to live on. I did 2 years on an Albin Vega (27') in a marina & was quite happy but I could stand up in the saloon. Yes a cockpit cover makes a huge difference - the smaller the boat the bigger the difference it makes having an "extra room". I've always found oil filled radiators to be the best form of heating, they don't cool down as much as fan heaters when they cycle off. A dehumidifier is also a big help. Running a diesel heater in such a small boat it'll be like an oven in there but you could go down that route, I've found they don't like being run for extended periods on red diesel on low heat for very long before they start to coke up & require cleaning. An electric blanket makes a difference - means you're not climbing in between two sheets of ice when it's really cold. Use one of these portable camping consumer units to plug in to the shore power and If you're in a marina you'll just use the communal showers so no problem there. There are lots of people living on very small boats where I am & they manage ok...

 

[RupertW]

If you've got shore power winter could be doable if you're made of stern stuff but that is very small to live on. I did 2 years on an Albin Vega (27') in a marina & was quite happy but I could stand up in the saloon. Yes a cockpit cover makes a huge difference - the smaller the boat the bigger the difference it makes having an "extra room". I've always found oil filled radiators to be the best form of heating, they don't cool down as much as fan heaters when they cycle off. A dehumidifier is also a big help. Running a diesel heater in such a small boat it'll be like an oven in there but you could go down that route, I've found they don't like being run for extended periods on red diesel on low heat for very long before they start to coke up & require cleaning. An electric blanket makes a difference - means you're not climbing in between two sheets of ice when it's really cold. Use one of these portable camping consumer units to plug in to the shore power and If you're in a marina you'll just use the communal showers so no problem there. There are lots of people living on very small boats where I am & they manage ok...

All becomes more doable if in a marina, I agree and the dehumidifier suggestion is game changing. Our Maeco Junior has changed the winter visits so we can stay a few days with rain pouring down, so hatches closed and sleep, cook and even dry a few clothes on board with everything warm, dry and fresh. We do too up with a fan heater but being dry is the key.

 

[RobbieW]

...Paean's current location is a mid river pontoon on the Hamble (opposite Universal marina). Work is central Portsmouth. Social life is Hamble, Southampton and Winchester. I do own a car!...

Glad to hear there are still liveaboards on the Hamble! In the past a number of those on the river would move into Swanwick for the winter, but Swanwick have been doing major works recently and not offered the same winter deals - worth checking. It'd be worth checking the Gosport marinas for winter deals

 

[laika]

It'd be worth checking the Gosport marinas for winter deals

Certainly Premier and Haslar do them and Clarence definitely used to but they tend not to be announced until the autumn. I never asked at the hamble marinas. Having a certain amount of experience in this areas I wouldn't fancy a UK winter without mains power for a dehumidifier.

 

[PhillM]

Thanks everyone, OK so I have shore power with inbuilt RCD and a dehumidifier already. I am sure I can arrange a small oil filled radiator. I do have a cockpit cover. It isn't that high, but luckily I can stand up in the cabin, so that is helpful.

I don't fancy the idea of cooking on the meths stove all of the time. It has the disadvantage of needing to have the hatch open to avoid CO2 poisoning. Has anyone used one of the small electric ovens or would I be best to get a little microwave? Also, any recommendations for refrigeration? Is it really needed and do you think I could get away with a cool box?

 

[ryanroberts]

I'm planning on using a 13A induction hob for cooking on a shoreline rather than messing about with camping gaz bottles unless actually unplugged. They look like then can be made stowable pretty easily. Have not used a fridge in 8 years of living unplugged on an inland boat - have one but don't bother turning it on. I can use the bilge as a pantry on a metal boat but not sure if this works as well in wood. Nice boat.

 

[V1701]

Thanks everyone, OK so I have shore power with inbuilt RCD and a dehumidifier already. I am sure I can arrange a small oil filled radiator. I do have a cockpit cover. It isn't that high, but luckily I can stand up in the cabin, so that is helpful.

I don't fancy the idea of cooking on the meths stove all of the time. It has the disadvantage of needing to have the hatch open to avoid CO2 poisoning. Has anyone used one of the small electric ovens or would I be best to get a little microwave? Also, any recommendations for refrigeration? Is it really needed and do you think I could get away with a cool box?

You'll be fine then, compressor coolbox is expensive but much better and I don't know how noisy any of them are but that could be an issue - possibly have it under cover in the cockpit? I have a thing called a Remoska which is sort of a mini electric oven, good for cooking curries, stews and roast dinners but if you're a readymeal type a microwave might be better. people use allsorts - slow cookers, mini oven/grill things, pressure cookers...