Winter living needs

[trainsktg]

Wintering in cold weather is fairly straight forward.

Skirting around the exterior, heat trace for the water and sewer lines, mylar cutouts for every window, some kind of insulating medium either between the screen door and outside door like bubblewrap or across the inside door like a foam board. If freezing temperatures are the norm, then supplemental heat for the tanks is also a must, even if you have ducted heat. Mine aren't heated; I usually burn a halogen light or two in proximity to them.

You can't keep the RV air tight however because moisture quickly builds quickly, so a dehumidifier is essential.

I made it through two 0F winters in central WA this way.

Keith

[clyon51]

We go to Alaska for the winter and Florida for the summer. When commuting between the two, we spend a week with my great great grandmother in Iowa, where I like to salmon fish. She also lives close to my Alzheimers doctor. He wants to see me more than twice a year and I can't figure out why.

[Doug Sage]

Your original question was about what to do to stay warm and dry near the Oregon coast. You have an older Pace Arrow. First, you need a hookup site with 30 or 50 amp electric. Second you will need propane availability. The electricity is for supplemental electric heaters - one or two. You will go through propane fairly quickly if the temps get down into the 30s. Either plan on moving the rig every week or two to go get propane or find a place that will deliver propane or rent you a larger supplemental tank. The other big concern will be the humidity inside the rig. You will need to vent the rig which will also take out some of your heat. If the are you plan on staying at has freezing temperatures, you should consider heat tape and pipe insulation for the water supply line. Your sewer drain hose will probably not need it because it very seldom stays at freezing all day long so you can drain your tanks during the middle of the day. I also took a trouble light with a 60 watt bulb and put it in the outside hatch where my water pump was and a second one for the hatch where the water inlet was. The propane furnace generally heats these compartments but may not be enough if you are using the electric heater inside instead of the furnace. Happy fishing!

[Luckiest Dreamer]

Originally Posted by clyon51

We go to Alaska for the winter and Florida for the summer. When commuting between the two, we spend a week with my great great grandmother in Iowa, where I like to salmon fish. She also lives close to my Alzheimers doctor. He wants to see me more than twice a year and I can't figure out why.

I see that you like to salmon fish in Iowa. I guess you enjoy the fishing but not the catching. No Salmon in Iowa! There are several Alzheimer doctors available as Iowa has an older population.

[steelheadbluesman]

So that's where they went. The salmon have been disappearing from Oregon and Washington for years, and everybody thought it was dams and overfishing and all.... So now I find out they all moved to Iowa? Dang.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Whoever told you that a Pace Arrow was "built for Alaska" was smoking some non-standard stuff. It may have been sold there originally, but Fleetwood builds them all the same. There isn't any extra space in the sidewalls and roof for additional insulation, the windows are already dual-pane and the plumbing is standard stuff no matter where it is delivered to.

That said, the winters on the Oregon coast are said to be mild. What are the average and lowest overnight temps you will encounter? That will dictate what, if any, extra measures you need to take.

[Horizonchase]

Originally Posted by steelheadbluesman

Is that a serious question???

Gee, let me think.... Have you ever been in the Pacific Northwest in the winter? Lots of Oregonians like to ski (takes snow), mountain climb (takes snow), snow hiking and snowshoeing (snow), go to the coast for winter storm watching (wind, rain, raging surf), crabbing at the coast (winter time is best), you get the idea.... Me? I'm a steelheader, that's a guy who chases 10 pound rainbow trout that migrate back from the ocean and into Oregon streams - and they migrate when? Yep, December through March. Dead of winter.

So, let's do the obvious turn-around: Why would you subject yourself to heat and unrelenting sunshine when you could skip all that and fish for steelhead? Why would you miss out on all my adventures up north? Could it be because the sunshine is what you enjoy most? Hey now, maybe that's the answer to your question. Eh? It might be all about what EACH of us enjoys. Yes, I am an Oregonian. I've done the Arizona thing plenty, and RV'd all over Baja. But, I like the snow, so some years I stay in Oregon for the winter. Like I've said before, different strokes......

I chase 'em in late November on the tribs of Lake Ontario. The Salmon River to be specific. Plan my whole vacation around that time of year. Ain't nuthn' like it.
We have a saying on my Harley Davidson forum " If I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand". And so it is with us fisherman who stand knee deep in freezing water, in the wee hours of the morning, in pitch black sometimes, so that we can have a prime spot.

[clyon51]

Originally Posted by Luckiest Dre

I see that you like to salmon fish in Iowa. I guess you enjoy the fishing but not the catching. No Salmon in Iowa! There are several Alzheimer doctors available as Iowa has an older population.

I just took my pills. We summer in Mich, winter in Fl. Stop and vist BIL in Tn. I salmon fish (king and coho) the Manistee River in Mich in the fall. I forgot where my Dr is, I hope that sucker isn't in Iowa.

[steelheadbluesman]

Originally Posted by clyon51

I just took my pills. We summer in Mich, winter in Fl. Stop and vist BIL in Tn. I salmon fish (king and coho) the Manistee River in Mich in the fall. I forgot where my Dr is, I hope that sucker isn't in Iowa.

Well, if he IS in Iowa, ask him how the salmon fishing is, it's getting pretty crowded everywhere else.

[steelheadbluesman]

Originally Posted by Horizonchase

I chase 'em in late November on the tribs of Lake Ontario. The Salmon River to be specific. Plan my whole vacation around that time of year. Ain't nuthn' like it.
We have a saying on my Harley Davidson forum " If I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand". And so it is with us fisherman who stand knee deep in freezing water, in the wee hours of the morning, in pitch black sometimes, so that we can have a prime spot.

We're sick, that's all there is to it.

[1ciderdog]

I was born and raised in the Vancouver, WA area but don't really remember the weather pattens but I can tell you in southwest Oregon the closer to the coast the better that chance for rain and fog. Sometimes real heavy rain so you'll need to sure take care of any roof leaks and I think be prepared to deal with mildew.
Bob

[D&J]

Originally Posted by Larry & Rita

My DW and I have decided to try to winter-over on the Oregon coast, about 10 miles inland.
This should be a challange but might be fun.
What can others, that have taken this project on, tell us to be ready for and what to take to be warm and dry?
We have a 34 foot motorhome, I'm told was built for and sold in Alaska, don't know how true this is, or even if the manufacturers have a special build.

We spent 3 winters in SW Oregon near Brookings, we where 2 miles up the Chetco River. We had some snow and lots and lots of rain, the temperatures really varied from 75' to 20' and everything in between. The way we handled the moisture way keeping one roof vent opened about an 1" with a Max-Air cover over the vent. We used our heat pump and space heaters to stay warm and got a library card for all the reading we did . I did enjoy the salmon and steelhead fishing on the river and winter pacific storms are something to see.

Denny