{"id":40091,"date":"2016-04-27T22:37:17","date_gmt":"2016-04-28T02:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=40091"},"modified":"2023-12-13T09:31:25","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T14:31:25","slug":"arm-yourself-for-cold-weather-cruising","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/arm-yourself-for-cold-weather-cruising\/","title":{"rendered":"Arm Yourself For Cold-Weather Cruising"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Cold <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Spirit of Sydney<\/em> powers through a field of brash ice in the waters off the Antarctic Peninsula.<\/span>\n Tom Zydler<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

The grand, unspoiled scenery of the high latitudes lures more and more yachts to places like Labrador, the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, Svalbard and Iceland. South of the equator, it\u2019s the Chilean Channels, Antarctic and South Georgia. Whatever the destination, a well-built, \u00adstrongly rigged sailboat designed for bluewater can get to these seemingly faraway places in time to cruise through the summer season and then \u00adescape before winter gales \u00adarrive. Still, even the most seaworthy of boats must prepare for seriously cold climates and \u00adwater cold enough to maintain ice, both factors on our minds when my wife, Nancy, and I modified our Mason 44, Frances B<\/em>, for several summers in Labrador and Greenland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping Warm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A reliable cabin heater is the first equipment to install. A diesel heater that works with a gravity-fed fuel supply has the appeal of simplicity and easy installation. We were choosing between a Sig Marine model and a Norwegian Refleks, both sold in the U.S. by Maine\u2019s Hamilton Marine. The Sig 170 fit our available cabin space. We had an 8-gallon aluminum tank made, which we \u00adinstalled 4 feet above the heater. Plumbed with a shut-off valve and a filter, it\u2019s now been silently working for four years, eliminating the need to run another fuel line and pump from the main fuel tank. In addition to the usual exhaust pipe, we also put in a pipe to draw air from outside. This balanced setup helps maintain a draft in strong winds, and you don\u2019t have to worry about becoming \u00adasphyxiated from the heater using all of the \u00adoxygen in the closed crew quarters. Many high-latitude yachts carry bus heaters that circulate air warmed by the engine. They consume a lot of DC current but work great when powering. On Frances B<\/em>, we decided we\u2019d rather layer on more clothing than tear up joinery for the \u00adinstallation of a \u00adduct\/\u00adblower assembly. For the same reason, we rejected electronically managed diesel-burning units that employ ducts and power-\u00adhungry pumps. As for the less efficient solid-fuel heaters, we lacked space to load wood, coal or charcoal briquettes. And forget finding wood north of the tree line. A propane heater would present the challenge of installing absolutely leakproof piping throughout the cabin, so that got a thumbs-down too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping warm on board \u00adalso relies on the consumption of hot coffee, tea, soups and stews. Our use of propane in the galley skyrockets. We take off for Greenland and Labrador with five 15-pound propane bottles. These typically last from Baddeck, \u00adNova Scotia, through a voyage to Greenland and back to Newfoundland \u2014 not quite five months. It\u2019s difficult to refill propane bottles in Labrador, and shops refuse to exchange bottles not previously bought from them. Greenland uses European-style fittings, so it\u2019s best to carry enough of your own bottles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping warm on deck in windy weather is easy in these days of modern, light gear for outdoor activities. Very protective but pricey drysuits marketed by Musto, Kokatat, Neil Pryde, Ocean Rodeo and others keep you absolutely dry and don\u2019t hinder physical activity on deck. With some layers of fleecy underclothes, however, modern offshore foul-weather gear will be quite adequate even in Davis Strait or Baffin Bay, between Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. Make sure to get foam- or fleece-lined boots, big and loose outer gloves with space for inserts, a fleece neck gaiter and several hats that lower over the ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have immersion suits aboard too. They are awkward to don and restrict movement, but they may still come in handy if it comes to abandoning the boat at sea or wrecking on rocky shores. The latest immersion suit design, Stearns\u2019 I950 Thermashield 24+, circulates the wearer\u2019s warm breath and provides cold-water protection for over 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Cold <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n A canvas pad slips between the overhead hatch and netting, this helps preserve warmth and keep out condensation.<\/span>\n Tom Zydler<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

Stop Condensation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Condensation is a real problem in colder weather, and not just in high latitudes. Our Mason 44 came with insulation in all lockers. It\u2019s thin, and we have been adding layers so it\u2019s now three-thick. On a new construction, one should line the hull with up to 4 inches of insulating material, especially for boats planning to winter in ice. Overhead hatches can rain condensation, so Nancy, ever inventive, has sewn some i\u00adnsulating pads \u2014 canvas pockets filled with 1-inch-thick medium-\u00addensity foam. They sit against the hatch lens and are supported by mosquito-net frames. These pads block out light, which we found helpful when sleeping during the 24 hours of sunlight in Greenland, and really help stop the drips. Deckhouse portholes sweat condensation as well. I was able to stop this with \u00adLexan storm covers I installed over the portholes as protection against damaging waves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Condensation can also \u00adaccumulate in the fuel in the integral tanks often found on metal boats. Preventing \u00adwater from overcoming the \u00adfuel filter\u2019s capacity is essential. Take fuel samples from the bottom of the tank and use a water-\u00addetecting paste on a stick or electronic sensor to determine if water is in your fuel. Installing larger filter sizes and changing them more often helps. In the super-cold waters of Antarctica, Svalbard and the Canadian Arctic, the sea can get cold enough for diesel fuel to begin congealing. \u00adCarry a supply of winter fuel additives and octane boosters. It is also good to have a separate fuel tank in a warm engine space. In Greenland, fuel suitable for local conditions and season can be bought in \u00adevery village. In Labrador, where you may be sold heating diesel, the fishermen add a quart of automatic transmission fluid per 55-\u00adgallon drum to increase \u00adlubricity. I add Opti-Lube XPD, which I purchase online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ice Ahead!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the best ways to prevent trouble is to prepare the boat for the ice you will \u00adsurely encounter while voyaging in the high latitudes. A \u00adpropeller working in an aperture \u00adbehind a keel or rudder skeg is a lot less likely to foul than a prop on a shaft held by a strut. Apart from getting fouled, an exposed prop can get damaged by chunks of ice when powering through even light brash ice. For \u00adnavigating in heavy ice, a \u00adprotective cage around the propeller helps. Rudders are also vulnerable, and going into icy \u00adwaters with a spade rudder is plain \u00adcrazy. Boats exploring ice-prone \u00adwaters like Melville Bay in northwest Greenland, the Northwest Passage, or Antarctica sometimes install \u00adanother skeg aft of the rudder to protect it when going in \u00adreverse. Any boat that may encounter ice, even occasionally, should carry ice poles, also known as tuks, that are 15 feet or so long; a metal blade at the end can be useful when pushing off threatening floes. That said, some boats with rudders and propellers ill-designed for coping with ice survive and have made it even through the Northwest Passage. Some people are just plain lucky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because chunks of ice are common in high-latitude \u00adwaters, good visibility from the cockpit is essential. On Frances B<\/em> we can lower the \u00addodger when the wind is down to see better. If the wind picks up, whitecaps may mask the \u00adsmaller pieces of ice. In some circumstances, one may have to heave to, as the radar picks up only icebergs and, in a flat sea, very large bergy bits. Dense fog also forces heaving to in an area with low-lying ice. The state of the sea will decide this for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Cold <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Lexan Storm Covers mounted on the coach roof prevent spray and condensation from getting inside.<\/span>\n Tom Zydler<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

Keep the Ocean Out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Install a valve to shut off the exhaust system to prevent flooding the engine with following seas. In extreme conditions, the boat may pitch the bow down so much that water can run from the lift box into the engine block. Few boats have a valve between the mixing elbow and the muffler lift box, but the box may have a drain valve \u00adalready installed that can be used to empty it into the bilge. \nHeavy following seas may climb aboard, so the companionway hatch has to have storm protection covers. Cockpit drains must be effective and large \u2014 preferably two drains with a 2-inch diameter or four with a 1 1\u20442-inch diameter. \u00adWater is heavy, and on our boat I had to glass in two stout \u00adpartial bulkheads under the cockpit sole to shore up the cockpit well, as it was originally supported only at the ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Cold <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n The shark flukes of the Northill anchor can penetrate kelp-covered bottoms for good holding power.<\/span>\n Tom Zydler<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

Anchoring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Generally, anchorages in high latitudes are very deep. On Frances B<\/em>, we carry 400 feet of 3\u20448-inch G4 chain, the longest uninterrupted length you can buy, and it\u2019s about right. We \u00adalso have two 600-foot nylon anchor rodes. Most of the time, our Bruce anchor works very well. For particularly weedy bottoms, frequently found in Labrador at depths less than 40 feet and in the Chilean channels near Cape Horn, Frances B<\/em> carries a heavy Northill anchor. An aluminum Fortress and a folding fisherman-style anchor complement our inventory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep Safety Top of Mind<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In August 2014, south of Greenland, the eye of Hurricane Cristobal caught up with Trevor Robertson in his 35-foot Wylo II, Iron Bark<\/em>. Trevor set the Aries windvane to steer the boat with the wind on the port quarter; for the next 10 hours, venturing on deck would be suicidal. As a Cruising Club of America Blue Water Medal recipient who has spent years sailing in the extreme high latitudes, wintering in Antarctica and Greenland, Trevor certainly prepared his boat well. He reported that loose items and lockers on Iron Bark<\/em> were positively secured and nothing came adrift. That must mean that his usual supply of rum in jerry jugs also survived to continue keeping the skipper warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tom Zydler is a frequent CW contributor.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Feeling the pull of the ends of the earth? Take note of these tips to prepare yourself and your boat for the icy cold.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30525,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Tom Zydler","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"December 13, 2023","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"164","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Feeling the pull of the ends of the earth? Take note of these tips to prepare yourself and your boat for the icy cold.","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Arm Yourself For Cold-Weather Cruising %%sep%% %%sitename%%","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"2BPKLN3OV6SXWCEDDL5F4MJTC4","arc_website_url":"arm-yourself-for-cold-weather-cruising\/","custom_permalink":"arm-yourself-for-cold-weather-cruising\/","arc_subtype":"right-sidebar","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"sponsored_image":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","ad_targeting":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"sponsored_url":"","social_share":true},"categories":[164],"tags":[217,415,218,157,183],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40091"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40091"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40091\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}