For a few years now, I’ve been lucky to be able to extend my cruising, and for all intents and purposes consider myself a year-round boater. I’ve enjoyed four season cruising thanks to free time and decent weather. Mostly I’d end up tied to a dock, plugged in to shore power to keep the boat warm, but that isn’t where I want to spend all my time.
I’ve always wanted to explore the best anchorages in the colder months when the crowds are at home, and experience the changes of the landscape with the changes of the seasons. Oh, I’ve spent a few nights on the hook in the winter time, and it’s totally doable – It just gets butt cold! Even in the summer, some dry heat will be a welcome treat on damp mornings, evenings, and when caught by the rain.
This is a project that I’ve considered over the years, but the cost of the equipment and considering mounting locations made me squeamish, and I’d put it off another year. Like a lot of other projects on the boat, paying someone to do it was simply not an option, as it would be totally cost-prohibitive for me. Continue reading “Operation Warm, Dry Boat”