Bertram33 User Forum

Woke up this morning and our creek was frozen over. Just a thin sheet and was gone by this afternoon. It happens but not often. It sure is cold here but we didn't get any snow or freezing rain. Wish I was in Florida.

Got 15" of white lumpy rain here Saturday. Looking for a water ride. Stonington, CT

Buzz, We aren't cut out for the cold like the guys further north. I hunted near Lake Mattamuskeet last Friday and Saturday. Friday wasn't bad at all but Saturday was 34 degrees with solid rain and 20 to 30 knot winds. We were glad to make it back to South Carolina because the roads all the way back to I95 were iced up pretty good. At least the hunting was good. Spring will be here before we know it. Scott 1981 46B Dealer's Choice Edisto Beach, SC

When I lived in MA there was always a concern for boats that were left in the water over the winter, even in marinas, that the thin sheets of ice would get blown around by the wind and they would wear a groove in the hull at the water line. Our basin here is tidal with a flow in and out and I have never seen ice.. I will let the Yankees deal with that!

My dad had a marina in NJ and they used to chop ice every day around all of the pilings to keep them from being pulled by the tides. I helped as a kid and I can remember what a cold, tiring job that was. Still have 2 choppers if any of you guys need them! If boats were in the water they would also chop around them. In the 60's he made a deicing system using air compressors and hose to keep the ice from forming around the pilings and boats.

Jack, that sounds like a lot work. I guess I should be thankful that the ice at my house melts by the end of the day. My creek is salt water but it will still gets a thin skim of ice on the rare occasions that it gets really cold overnight. If the winds blowing it doesn't skim over. Saturday night it was a lot colder than normal. It will probably go down as one of the coldest nights this winter. I leave my block heaters on and they keep the entire boat warm and dry. I have more problems with condensation than with the cold when the temperatures fluctuate so much.

We had a thin sheet of ice here for 2 days. Most I've seen yet. No snow, just 3 days of really cold sub-20 weather. Ran my engines every morning & had the bilge heater going as well. I think I messed up my reverse cycle heat by running it in too cold water. I have to diagnose the water pumping tomorrow after a few days of warm weather. Crazy, tomorrow it will be 70!

Scott, The next time up to Mattamuskeet you're welcome to come by for a visit. Depending on your route, you probably drove right past my house.

Joe, I don't think you messed up your reverse cycle heat. I have cruise air and leave my heat on 55 all winter. Never had a problem. Is your pump not pumping water or is your unit just not blowing out hot air?

The pump isn't pumping water & it's a fairly new pump from last summer. I think the water got so cold & with the coils cold from the reverse cycle that it just froze up? I read where you're not supposed to run the units with water temps below 40 degrees. Not sure, but I'll keep you posted.

Buzz we were in salt water and it was hard work. I remember one winter when I was a kid we had at least 15" of ice and one day it was so cold that when we went back to the first hole chopped it already had about 3/4-1"of ice back on it. Not only was it chopped but they used crab nets to scoop the pieces out and pile them up on the ice next to the hole. Joe I hope your AC/heat unit is OK.

Thanks Joe. I am not sure if I will get another invite this season but if I do I'll shoot you a message. Scott 1981 46B Dealer's Choice Edisto Beach, SC

A/c & heat are both working just fine. Thank goodness. After a summer of nearby lightning strikes which wiped all of my electronics, generator repairs, etc. I didn't need another expense that I created! I'm sure it was the coolant lines that froze up & wasn't allowing any water flow. Those coils get pretty darn cold when the heat is on.

Jack, I guess the good old days weren't always so good. Jack, I'm glad your heats working. I didn't know you shouldn't run the heat with the water temperture below 40. Because I've never had a problem I can only assume that the water temps have never been below 40 where the pick up is on the boat. During the winter I never check the water Temps but when I have checked it was never below 40.

Wow - I just checked, serious change of temperature near your coast huh ! https://marine.rutgers.edu/cool/sat_dat ... 03.n18.jpg Rick Ticket 85 SF Merc 454 MPI's Falmouth, MA