Keeping warm inside A key ingredientin our enjoyment of winter excursions is a diesel furnace, which keeps the cabin toasty and dry. Outdoor activities in particular are more appealing if we can easily warm up inside afterwards. We also carry two portable cabin heaters as backup (designed for marine use), which do a good job of heating the saloon or stateroom. If you’d like to try winter boating but are unsure about investing in a furnace, start with these. They’re typically power-hungry, so you’ll need to be plugged in or running a generator. Burning consumes oxygen and produces carbon monoxide. If you use a portablepropane or gas heater, a well-ventilated cabin and a carbon monoxide detector are essential. Do not use a propane or gas oven to heat the cabin—they are not properlyventilated for this purpose.
Keeping warm outside you don’t want to feel pinned inside by bad weather. Carry a range of clothing that allows you to be outside comfortably, even if rain is falling and the wind is blowing.
A second piece of equipment essential for comfort- Safety With few boats nearby in winter, you have to be more safety-conscious— help could take awhile to arrive. Consider your crew-overboard plans. Lower water temperatures increase the risk of hypothermia, and you must get the person back on board quickly without outside assistance. Also have an abandon ship plan. Small boats can and do sink in under a minute. Don’t assume that you can escape in your dinghy unless you can quickly deploy it. Think seconds, not minutes. We purchased the survival work suits partly for abandon ship survival. The insulated suits don’t provide the same level of exposure protection as a true survival suit. But in 45-degree water, the survival time of the wearer is roughly four hours, about double that of standard foulweather gear. Weather We pay much closer attention to the weather in winter than in summer. At minimum, carry a barometer so you can monitor conditions if you end up out of radio contact. Listen to each new weather report during the day, and believe it. We’ve found the forecasts to be more accurate when big weather systems are in play. In milder weather, meteorologists have a more difficult time predicting 10- versus 20- knot winds. But if they say the wind will blow 35 from the south, it usually does. Be aware of weather trouble spots— these become worse in bigger winter winds. Outflow winds can be particularly hazardous to small craft. Be cautious when crossing the mouth of or entering large inlets in the winter. Wind and sea conditions can differ dramatically in a short distance, depending on location. Back ups Since few pleasure craft are out in the winter, you’ll be on your own for spares. Have spare parts and backups for key equipment. Definitely carry spare fuel filters—in rough water the fuel will slosh around more in the tank, and crud in the bottom is more likely to be picked up and plug the filter. If you’re rarely out in rough water, do a full pass, checking for loose connections prior to leaving and underway. With the boat moving around a lot more, something close to the edge may fail.
Comfort With shorter days and uglier weather, you will spend more time inside the cabin than in the summer. Making that environment warm, comfortable and enjoyable is important for successful winter boating. A furnace or other heat source is the number-one necessity. Carry plenty of diversions such as books, board games or videos—whatever you enjoy. Bring a good supply of warming food and beverages. If you have an oven on board, plan to make use of it. Roasting and baking allows you to cook inside, and these are good foods for cold winter days.
