Winter Travel on the ICW

[John Ewing]

I am contemplating moving our 1987 Hunter legend 37 from Oriental, NC to Annapolis in the next few weeks. Can anyone provide information, suggestions, etc., concerning this trip?Are there any concerns about the Yanmar operating in this environment?

 

[Wayne Estabrooks]

Brrrr - My thoughts

If the weather returns like we had before the past couple of weeks it is doable. Daytime 50's. Last night we had a record low 2 degrees F. above zero near Raleigh, NC You wouldn't catch me out on a boat in that weather no matter how much I like boating. It has to be above freezing. I am not an authority on the Yanmar. If temp is above 32 I think the Yanmar will be fine once running. I wouldn't even try to start the engine if the temp was in the single digits. The fuel would be too cold. It usually gets colder the further north you go so the worst part would be once you reach the Chesapeake.It would be more enjoyable in March.

 

[Pete]

COLD DIESELS

JOHN-aside from the cold weather which will make this a hard trip the yanmar will run fine once started. The hard part will be getting it started,the nature of the engine makes cold starts hard,once started the fuel will be keep warm by the return line to the tank this will be fine as your will motor most of the way.Use some winter fuel additive or #1 diesel if you can find any or cut fuel with kerosene if operating in extreme cold [below 25] Hope this helps but my best advice is to wait until nicer weather.

 

[Clyde Lichtenwalner]

Burr

The diesel should be no problem. I hope you have reliable heat aboard. Don't expect reverse cycle air conditioning to work. Water temperatutes are approaching freezing on the bay and water warmed heat pumps are freezing.

 

[Matias II Santiago]

Frozen Bay

John:Unless you have an icebreaker instead of a sailboat, you may want to wait until it gest warmer. There is a sheet of ice around our marina that would make it impossible to leave or arrive at the marina. Annapolis is 12 nm from the West River, but I suspect that the conditions would be the same. You may want to post your question in the CWCBB (www.cruisingworld.com).Good luck,Matias Borikenh376

 

[Steve Donahue]

Icebreaker in Crisfield

The Baltimore Sun has a front page article this morning (1/30) re: the "Tawes" icebreaker keeping the channel open from Crisfield to Smith Island (12 miles). Need to be run 2-3 times/day because of ice piling up. The don'e expect any relief until we get some good rain. Also, the ice is moving bouys/channel markers.

 

[Doug]

Breaking Ice in Upstate New York

A few years back we moved a Halaman 38 down from Canada in November and actually broke thin ice on the Osewego canal! Not something I would recomend but the Volov Penta engine had no problem at all, even starting in the mroning. I'm no expert on diesel engines but I've never heard of cold fuel being a problem; diesel cars start up here in -40 temps all the time.