ICW in late Feb or March?

[dstrout]

Due to a combination of factors, I am considering taking the boat south from Annapolis in late February or early March. Other than the obvious cold and short daylight, what other sorts of additional challenges should I be considering?

thanks,
Dave.

[teejayevans]

Just keep an eye on the weather, have a plan if a winter storm hits. Some parts of the ICW don't have good anchorages.

[CarlF]

Nice boat. The dodger and lee cloths will really help. Consider enclosing the cockpit even more. It's brutal to sit in the wind for six hours. You could just get some clear vinyl and make some sort of enclosure attached to the dodger that you throw away when you get to a warmer area.

Have some sort of heat in the boat. If you plan to stop in a marina each night this can be a couple of plug in portable electric heaters. Note the water may be too cold in the Chesapeake for reverse cycle A/C to work. If you plan to anchor out, look at a small fireplace heater (for options check out Hamilton Marine in Maine - they know cold weather!). Note that these all require some sort of chimney to be installed so you don't kill yourself from CO.

The hardest will be the Chesapeake. Things are really warming after Valentines day. It will be better once you are south of Beaufort NC.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by CarlF

Have some sort of heat in the boat.............. If you plan to anchor out, look at a small fireplace heather (for options check out Hamilton Marine in Maine - they know cold weather!). Note that these all require some sort of chimney to be installed so you don't kill yourself from CO.

Good advice. If you don't want to deal with a chimney, catalytic heaters running on propane will take the edge off, not be a real heater. You could also get a bus core heater and plumb it into your water heater loop, that gets the cabin warm while motoring, but since you'll be in the ditch, you'll have to be topside. Good luck, safe journey.

[CarlF]

Stu's heater plumbed into the engine is a good suggestion. These are inexpensive and put out a tremendous amount of BTUs. You could install it in such a way that you can take it out after the trip. Hamilton Marine has them. You could get the boat nice and warm during the day with them and then run the engine for a few hours each evening before going to bed -- don't forget a warm sleeping bag.

[thinwater]

Ice floes can be an issue during the spring break-up on the Susquehanna River. Varies with the winter. I recall that last year the CG closed the upper Bay to navigation for 2 weeks.