Tennessee Weather

[Capt Chad]

On a positive note: With all the talk about heating a Hatteras we spent 1 night on board at 5 degrees. With both split units running and the engine room warmed by both blockheaters it was very comfortable. You have to be careful to leave some cabinets open and not let doors get closed but all in all it was good. We use the boat in the winter quite a bit but this was the most extreme weather we have had in a while.

On a negative note: Out neighbors at a privately owned dock in our harbor had a collapse. Everyone was safely evacuated beforehand, but the destruction is sickening. There's a beautiful Hatteras in there too.

[whoover]

I'm shocked at how little snow it takes to collapse those structures or is it more ice. A terrible site for sure.

Walt Hoover

[jim rosenthal]

There was a covered shed collapse up here a few years back- similar situation. Took a lot of boats down including an HOF member's 54MY; broke their hearts.

[Pascal]

Electric heaters in the air handlers?

Where in Tn is this?

[Capt Chad]

Pascal, factory Cruiseairs with no supplemental. Just running off the reverse cycle. Water temp was still 46-47.

We're at Ft. Loudon Marina at the Dam at 602 on the TN River. Just outside of Knoxville. There was another collapse in Knoxville.

[Pascal]

I would not have thought you get some heat out of reverse cycle with water that cold. Good to know. We recently bought some land next to Watts Bar to build in a couple and eventually move there with the 53… I guess I ll have to add reverse cycle to my Florida cool only chillers!

Not a big fan of covered marinas, not just because of occasional collapses but being inside a hangar.

[Capt Chad]

This is as much snow as we have had since 1993. But we do usually have a couple cold snaps where we go below freezing for 4 or 5 days and have a hard freeze.

Typically its a straight line wind or a tornado that gets a covered marina around here. They are nice though. They make boat maintenance easier and it's nice to be able to hang out on the boat regardless of rain.

I had always heard that reverse cycle heat was ineffective below water temps of 50 degrees. Ours is good until at least 45 and then you begin to supplement with space heaters. Keeping the engine room and the blocks warm also goes a long way. It also buys you some time if the power goes off. And I can't say enough for having wifi temperature sensors.

We got the first boat out of the collapse yesterday. Two 70+' houseboats that sank are the next effort. It's going to be a long haul.

[Chasemmc]

I'm an hour south of you on Chickmauga by the dam. We got down to 6 degrees, Ice storm first and then 1.5" of snow. My reverse cycle's did a great job of blowing 98 degrees out the vents. Supplemented that with some oil radiators.

We are full timers now, so stayed with the boat for the entire cold snap. The wind was brutal with these cold temps.

mark