Has anyone actually lived aboard a Catalina 30? I am in the Lower Chesapeake Bay and am just not sure I can do it, especially when it is cold. Suggestions/advice will be appreciated.
- Status
I met a couple in Nova Scotia several years back that were living on a Catalina 250. While not overly spacious, they seemed to be doing just fine with it.
I am sure some have done so. You might want to check the C30 Association website: www.catalina30.com
The trick, as you note, is heat. What the "experts" up in the Pacific Northwest do is invest in diesel heaters. These come in either hot air or hot water models and successfully heat boats. If you're tied up in a marina, electrical heaters could also work.
The trick, as you note, is heat. What the "experts" up in the Pacific Northwest do is invest in diesel heaters. These come in either hot air or hot water models and successfully heat boats. If you're tied up in a marina, electrical heaters could also work.
Not without access to marina facilities - i.e. shower and bathrooms, and an efficient cabin heater. My stays of a few days in cold weather suggest that small electric heaters aren't adequate below about 50F outside temps
I think for 2 people you would be OK . Its hard to heat and keep dry in the winter . You would be better off farther south . john
furnace
I'm up in the PNW...have an ardic diesel furnace, the forced air type...toasty warm and moves the cabin air around. Seems to use hardly any fuel too. That being said...not sure how long I could live aboard. Good luck!
-Steve
I'm up in the PNW...have an ardic diesel furnace, the forced air type...toasty warm and moves the cabin air around. Seems to use hardly any fuel too. That being said...not sure how long I could live aboard. Good luck!
-Steve
We use ours as a weekend shore house/sailboat at the Jersey Shore just north of Atlantic City and I'm staying in the water year round so I have some experience sleeping aboard in cold weather.
With an electric heater from Lowes and comforter for sleeping I was OK down to the mid-40's outside temp, but getting out of the bunk in the morning was a bit of a shock.
I'd say anything below 50 outside is uncomfortable, below mid-40's is unworkable. Remember there is no insulation in the hull or cabintop. Just a thin piece of fiberglass between you and the cold.
Also my boat was converted from hatchboards to teak doors. When the temps get below 55 I have to tuck insulation in along the top edge to keep the heat from escaping. I would imagine you'd also get air leaks around the hatch boards.
Jim McGee
94 C22 Island Time
95 C30 Goin' Coastal
Maple Shade, NJ
With an electric heater from Lowes and comforter for sleeping I was OK down to the mid-40's outside temp, but getting out of the bunk in the morning was a bit of a shock.
I'd say anything below 50 outside is uncomfortable, below mid-40's is unworkable. Remember there is no insulation in the hull or cabintop. Just a thin piece of fiberglass between you and the cold.
Also my boat was converted from hatchboards to teak doors. When the temps get below 55 I have to tuck insulation in along the top edge to keep the heat from escaping. I would imagine you'd also get air leaks around the hatch boards.
Jim McGee
94 C22 Island Time
95 C30 Goin' Coastal
Maple Shade, NJ
I'm in the San Francisco Bay, so we don't see the temps you all do. We spent all winter weekends on our Catalina 30, just the wife and I. The minimum temperatures we saw were probably in the low 40's. We slept in the bunk made up at the dining table. We used a small ceramic heater, but generally didn't have to turn it on until 4-5 in the morning. Trick is to dress warmly and insulate yourself. We used a blow up mattress, layed a sleeping bag on top of that, the sheets, then a blanket and another sleeping bag on top. Cozy at night, but mornings were a bit cold 
.
Have fun.
Paul
.Have fun.
Paul
I lived aboard mine for a few months when my ex wife and I started the divorce. It wasn't bad if you were on it by yourself. Having a nice marina is key.
In the Hampton area there are tons of live aboards that I have met. In the winter they have water tanks on wheels that they roll down to their boat from the bath houses to fill their water tanks.
Get a dehumidifier for the boat too because there tends to be condensation inside of the boat when it is cold outside.
In the Hampton area there are tons of live aboards that I have met. In the winter they have water tanks on wheels that they roll down to their boat from the bath houses to fill their water tanks.
Get a dehumidifier for the boat too because there tends to be condensation inside of the boat when it is cold outside.
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