Houseboat Living - Winter Heating

We have a 45 ft Skipperliner Houseboat (not the boat in the picture) ----- what would be my options for heating for year round living here in Wisconsin.

Reply - Answer
Well, living on a houseboat during the winter is not for the faint a heart. It is generally reserved for real houseboaters who would rather live on the water, than live on land.

You don't mention if the water freezes, so I will presume that it does in Wisconsin, USA. The usual thermopump AC/Heating systems loose efficiency if they water goes below 35 degrees F. Some of the units come pre-installed with 1500 watt heater elements inside, and don't require lake water being pumped through them.

You could possibly use a Diesel Heater or Propane Cabin Heaters.
One other choice would be 120 volt electrical heaters, however they draw 12-14 amps each multiplied by the number of 1500 watt heaters. Could be costly in terms of electricity.

If your looking for other ideas, be sure to have a look at our page on Winter or Cold Climate Houseboat Living Tips.


Hopefully some of our readers will share and post comments about their winter houseboat living experiences.


IAN - from www.all-about-houseboats.com