winterliveaboardpodcast's podcast

Are you thinking about becoming a full time liveaboard on your boat? Have you wondered what it might be like or what you might have to look for in a boat or what you might have to do to be prepared for the cold winter months coming? My name is Stu Shepherd and I've been living on a boat in Minnesota for about 10 years now. I'm going to tell you why I decided to live on a boat and the problems that I faced as someone who's never done it before. Each week I'm going help you get ahead of the inevitable problems before they happen so you can enjoy your winter liveaboard experience.

Flush Your Troubles Goodbye 08/12/2022

Flush Your Troubles Goodbye Tonight's episode is going down the toilet. just wanted to talk a little bit about my experience with installing a new toilet in the aft cabin head on a 40-foot Bayliner. Sometimes it's easier to do things the easy way. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/24032982

I Sea the Light 08/05/2022

I Sea the Light Tonight's episode is electrifying. I'm going to talk about how I went from having battery charge issues with the house inverter and refrigerator on the weekends to being able to run half the boat without the generator or shore power for that matter. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/23965494

Lost at Sea 07/22/2022

Lost at Sea Tonight's episode I just wanted to do a little reminiscing of how the season is gone so far. I've taken a little hiatus from the podcast as I learned how do become a health coach. And now it's time to get back to making sure you all know what it's like to live on a boat in Minnesota. Who knows maybe I'll even talk about how to eat right and live on a boat in Minnesota too challenging topics brought together in one podcast. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/23823032

Wow Someone’s Got Gas 02/25/2022

Wow Someone’s Got Gas Smelling gas, and I don't mean gas from somebody who ate the wrong foods, but gas from a gasoline vapor on a boat can be very scary sometimes. Especially when it's the middle of winter and the boat hasn't been running. In today's episode I wanted to go over a strong gas beeper on Kim's boat and trying to figure out where it's coming from. Old boats have bad gas lines and need to be replaced more often than every 30 years! Come aboard as I determine where the smell is coming from and what is being done to eliminate it. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/22250792

The Greenhouse Effect 02/18/2022

The Greenhouse Effect I know I seem to say it a lot, and it may sound like I'm beating a dead horse, but spring is just around the corner. I hope you don't mind but I'm gonna keep this episode short and sweet. We are passed the halfway point in February. One of my favorite months of spring preparation. The sun is at the angle that it warms up the inside of the plastic on the boat so much that it feels like it's summertime. It cuts down on our heating costs. And just plain gets me excited for spring. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/22177187

It’s All Fouled Up 02/11/2022

It’s All Fouled Up Spring is just around the corner. A lot of boat owners are gonna concentrate on getting their boats cleaned up and ready for another season. Of course, as a liveaboard, our boats are already in the water. but that doesn't mean we don't have to think I bought the next time we need to pull our boat maybe, just maybe that's after a few spring runs either to the island or maybe hanging on the hook. The sad truth, sometimes we have to pull our boats to clean the bottom, sand it, and re-paint with antifouling paint. What I would like to talk about in this episode are other avenues, and no not the kind you drive on, that you may be able to take. So, come aboard and let's explore other means of antifouling. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/22098509

Things Are Really Heating Up 02/04/2022

Things Are Really Heating Up Sometimes simple things can really get you hot under the collar. Did you ever have a project that you thought would be simple yet seems to drag on and on with challenge after challenge, issue after issue? Maybe you got so frustrated you started to feel angry. Did you question why you were doing what you were doing. In past episodes I talk about the furnaces I have on my Chris Craft. Yes, I said furnaces. Plural. Well, I'm gonna tell a tale of trying to tie those two furnaces together with one thermostat. How something so simple, at least that’s what I thought, since I’ve been in maintenance for what seems like forever, can turn into an extralong frustrating project. So come aboard and listen in while I fill you in on how I became a Match Maker and brought two furnaces together. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/22019867

Shovel, Chop, or Abandon Ship 01/28/2022

Shovel, Chop, or Abandon Ship This week's episode I wanted to give you a little insight about what happens in subzero temperatures for extended days. I also wanted to talk about heavy snow loads and what happens if your boat is not shrink-wrapped. Sometimes even if it is. Just some safety tips and things to think about so you don't get caught frozen in time or have that sinking feeling. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/21928796

Once Upon a Nighttime 01/21/2022

Once Upon a Nighttime This week's episode is just a little insight on what a typical night in the dead of winter is like on an old classic cruiser. Remember dead of winter can mean subzero temperatures. Of course, this night it was only 8 below. Unfortunately, it could also mean bone chilling, teeth numbing winds. I think the temperatures with the wind chill we're only around 20 below. Come aboard and let's see how the night goes. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/21845258

Spring Flashback 01/14/2022

Spring Flashback This week's episode is a flashback to last spring and little trip Kim, and I took in Saint Paul to look at the lights at night. I learn some valuable lessons even as someone who thought he was a seasoned boater. Biggest thing, be prepared, know what you're getting into and have the tools necessary to do what you're doing. The other thing don't panic. Oh and one last thing probably the most important thing, don't go head to head with a barge 'cause they'll win every time. Check it out see what happens. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/21771764

Grocery List 01/07/2022

Grocery List This week's episode is about food storage and refrigerators. We all need to eat. It’s third (Or fourth depending who you talk to) on the list of what we need to survive as human beings. Keep in mind due to space constraints on your boat and the size of your boat you may not be able to have a full-size refrigerator or one that's big enough to keep a week’s worth of food. Meal planning and meal prep becomes really, really important. Your eating habits may also play a role in your food storage. I mentioned I changed my eating habits a while ago and went through something called WildFit. Because of that I drink a lot of juices and what we call “Alkagizers”, which is basically a green drink. They tend to take up space because I make them a week in advance which means I now have a lot of jars in my refrigerator. Something else to think about food storage outside of the refrigerator boats don't always have the best storage keep that in mind before you go buy a whole ton of food. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/21702107

Insurance or Assurance 12/24/2021

Insurance or Assurance This week's episode is something that I believe is controversial in a way. It's all about insurance and what everyone believes they should cover or carry for their boat as a liveaboard. As I said its controversial and everybody has opinions and I have my own and my own beliefs. For me the biggest thing is making sure that everything is covered under any circumstances. That doesn't mean taking chances by bending the truth with the insurance company or telling a little white lies to save a few dollars. I've heard people talking about trying to save money and essentially cheating the system. But when a boat sinking can cause a spill from gasoline and oil that can cost $20,000 or more, is it really worth the risk? I mean after all isn't that what insurance is for is to cover that risk? I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/21592052

Some Disassembly Required 12/03/2021

Some Disassembly Required This week's episode is about a real hot adventure. I'm going to breakdown a furnace installation in a 1984 40’ Bayliner Botega. No, really, I'm going to break down the furnace to get it in place. Don't try this at home. I'm literally going to take the furnace apart or disassemble it and put it back together in the place it needs to be. That’s the only way it's going where it needs to be. After painstaking planning, at least a half a dozen times in purchasing a furnace that is high a efficiency, household furnace, instead of an RV furnace, I still couldn't get it into place. After analyzing my different options, I decided the best thing was to just take it apart and put it back together where it needs to go. I wouldn't recommend this to just anyone but it was something I knew I could do and worked out the best. I just wanted you to understand some of the things you have to think about when either contemplating becoming a liveaboard in an existing boat or purchasing a boat to use as a liveaboard. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/21363767

Marina or Moated Community 11/19/2021

Marina or Moated Community This week's episode is about Marinas or maybe you could say boats that float in moats. Instead of a gated community it's a moated community. OK not really. it is about picking your Marina and the things to look for when you're picking your Marina. How are you going to get water, can you shower all year long, is there a place for your doggie to go poo poo, and of course what do you do with your poo poo in the winter? These are just a few things that you need to look for when trying to find your liveaboard Marina. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/21217490

Access or No Access 11/12/2021

Access or No Access This week's episode is about Doors in gaining access to your boat during the winter seasons when it's covered.! There's a lot of different ways to gain access to your boat through the shrinkwrap. I prefer custom made doors. Unless of course I'm installing them for someone that I'm shrink wrapping a boat for. Then it's just a standard storm door with a 2 by 4 frame. Of course mounting them to the railings becomes totally different issue because everybody is different brings a different challenge to keeping them in place for the winter. Come on board and let's explore the different ways to gain access to your winter liveaboard. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/21139754

A Throne Fit For Royalty 11/06/2021

A Throne Fit For Royalty This week's episode is about a throne that's been a royal pain in my butt! Actually, it's really about trying to install a new toilet on a boat. Some of the issues that I had to deal with while trying to do too much, which created too many problems. Sometimes, when you try and do a really nice job, better than what it needs to be, it ends up being a really big problem. all of my efforts just seemed to have gone down the toilet. Join me and learn a little bit about different ways to installing a marine toilet. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/21069695

Feeling a Little Drained 10/29/2021

Feeling a Little Drained This week's episode has a little more to do than being tired from lack of sleep or rundown from working too hard or just plain exhausted. What this episode is really about is your battery chargers and your batteries. You'll find out that living on your boat tends to create issues with your battery chargers and batteries. Due to the constant use of pumps and in most cases lights among other items that are hooked up to the 12 Volt system you will need to replace your battery chargers and batteries more often. I'm gonna talk a little bit about some of the issues I've had and the conclusions I've come to that caused me to replace batteries and battery chargers. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20978849

Spring Preparation 10/22/2021

Spring Preparation This week's episode is not about getting ready for winter, instead it's spring preparation season! Here in Minnesota, we have lots of seasons. We have everyone's favorite, if you're a boater, summer. We also have fall or everyone loves to cruise the river and look at the changing colors of the trees. We also have winter where people can enjoy the white fluffy cold stuff that creates plenty of things to do. Of course, a Minnesota favorite, shoveling. Let's not forget spring. And my second favorite season is spring preparation. Yes, we have five seasons in Minnesota. Come see what it's like when spring preparation season is upon us. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20900873

Shrinking a 95-Foot Houseboat 10/15/2021

Shrinking a 95-Foot Houseboat This week's episode is not about making boats smaller. Although, making a 95-foot boat smaller would have been easier to shrink wrap. It is about shrink wrapping a 95-foot boat and all that goes into it. Some parts are fun, some parts are funny, and some parts are just dog gone difficult. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20825417

I’m Feeling a Little Flushed 10/08/2021

I’m Feeling a Little Flushed This week's episode is kind of a stinky topic. I guess you could say the podcast is kind of going down the toilet. OK, yeah, so that makes me feel a little flushed. I hate to say it, but sometimes it's conversations like this that make me feel a little crappy. OK, OK, enough of the puny stuff. This week we're going to talk about marine toilets, pumps, vacuum systems, and everything that “goes” along with it. I'd like to tell you about a couple of my experiences and even a project that I am “going to” go through. I hope this episode doesn't stink too bad, and you can push through to the end. Here's a little poem for your reading pleasure while you're on the throne. All us people with holding tanks, Give to your heartfelt thanks. For putting nothing in the pot, That isn't guaranteed to rot. Kleenex is bad, matchsticks too. Cigarette butts are taboo. No hair combings, used the basket, There's a darn good reason, why we ask it. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20749175

Ice Fishing for a Boat 10/01/2021

Ice Fishing for a Boat This week's episode is about chopping holes in the Ice and I’m not talking about Ice fishing. And why do they call it ice fishing because you're not fishing for ice you're fishing for fish. Really I'm talking about how to protect your boat from either being crushed by ice or being raised up and down like an elevator and ice. And I guess that's the positive way of looking at it. Living on a boat in cold climates means a physical workout of chopping ice at times. Setting your bubblers up correctly Is a way of making life easier in the wintertime on the river or on a lake. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20668820

Freeze Pop – Not the Kind You Eat 09/24/2021

Freeze Pop – Not the Kind You Eat This week's episode is about some of my winterization whoa’s. I talk about what you have to go through if you don't winterize your engines and some things to look forward to make sure you can winterize your engines. It's amazing what you can do with a heated mattress cover or a heated blanket. Also, moving blankets aren't just for moving. Probably the most important thing about winterizing your engine's, make sure if you do it yourself your insurance company will cover any damage due to freezing. Also, don't use a heat source that will make your boat go - POP! I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20584835

Let’s Get Pumped Up 09/17/2021

Let’s Get Pumped Up This week's episode is about trying to turn a temporary idea into a permanent solution. Have you ever been in the shower and wished you had more pressure? Well, that was my dilemma along with a dead water pump. I've learned over the past year that trying to make improvements on something that's been around for a long time is it necessarily the best thing to do. Although, anytime you attach marine to anything it usually increases in price that is not necessarily the case with a marine rated water pump. What I hope to convey in this episode is buying the proper water pump for your marine water system is the only option. It's a simple device for a simple operation and really a very simple price. I guess all I am trying to say is when it comes to water pumps just buy a marine water pump and you should probably have a spare. That way you don't have to make a temporary fix that becomes a permanent problem. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20504093

Something Seems Fishy 09/10/2021

Something Seems Fishy This week's episode is about some of the other creatures that you will be sharing the water with. Creatures that go bump in the night. Creatures that you would think only live on land. It's about the noises that make you go hum. Even though you were living on the water you still get creepy crawly insects and four legged pests. Insects and pests that you would think would not be on the water. Unless, of course, you're talking about a fairy tale movie or a medieval movie about a ship sailing the high seas. I just want you to be aware that we share this wide wonderful world with creatures that can adapt and follow you wherever you go. It's not always about the lap of luxury on a cruise ship. Your boat can still have the pests that we dealt with in houses. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20428142

Don't Judge A Boat By It's Wrapping 09/03/2021

Don't Judge A Boat By It's Wrapping This week's episode is Part Stu, ok Part 2, of last week’s podcast about Shrink Wrap. I'm gonna talk about how my partner and I got started in a shrink wrap business. All the lessons that we learned. All the tools that we lost. The bodily injuries that came along with it. And I'm also gonna mention a few reasons why it may not be such a good idea to try it yourself. Many boats have been lost to shrink wrap fires. Not by us of course. Insurance companies don't like to insure you because it's so dangerous. Just wanna give you some insight and what shrink wrapping is all about. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20355545

This Ain't No Bubble Wrap 08/29/2021

This Ain't No Bubble Wrap This week's episode is somewhat of a continuation from the last podcast about insulation. We're not talking about bubble wrap, but we are talking about wrapping boats. And I also do not mean wrapping a big Christmas present. Although I would love to get a big boat as a Christmas present. I'm gonna tell you a little bit about shrink wrap. Similar to the film you use on your windows you use heat to shrink the plastic around your boat. Of course, that's a 30,000-foot view. Some of the shortcuts I have tried and why they are not the best idea. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20294921

Podcast Episode 7: Insulate Yourself From the Winter Blues 08/13/2021

Podcast Episode 7: Insulate Yourself From the Winter Blues This week's episode is about bringing warmth to your life. It's about insulating yourself from the winter Blues. Blue lips, blue fingers, and blue toes. Oh, and we won't talk about the other things that might turn blue…. When it comes to comfortable winter living on a boat you really need to insulate. It doesn't have to be foam insulation. But some sort of insulation will keep you warmer like it's extremely cold. Things like blankets and no not the blanket you put on yourself in the bed although that might work. But moving blankets concrete blankets and of course Styrofoam blankets. Ok, ok, it's actually sheets of Styrofoam, but Styrofoam blankets sounded pretty good. The point is there's many ways to insulate your boat. Listen in and I'll talk about some of the ways that I've insulated my boats and helped others insulate their boats. The last tip, and it's not insulation, is shrink wrap. It does add a layer of protection that you will be grateful for. But we'll save that for another episode of Winter Liveaboard Podcast. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20127485

Living Life One Rendezvous At A Time 08/06/2021

Living Life One Rendezvous At A Time This week's episode is going to be a little different. It's going to be similar to the episode from the 4th of July, a little off course from setting your boat up for success for winter living. Sometimes you just have to enjoy life and do what makes you feel fulfilled. Well, what makes me happy and feel fulfilled is living on my boat and doing just about anything that concerns boats. A few weeks ago, Kim and I went to a Chris Craft Rendezvous. Basically, it was a gathering of boat owners that owned Chris Crafts more specifically Chris Craft Commander's which is what my boat is. It was held in Algonac Michigan on the North End of lake Saint Clair. I've never seen so many Chris Crafts in one location. It was a beautiful sight. I learned a great deal more about maintenance on a boat. I also learned that instead of remodeling the inside of my Chris Craft and making it modern, I'm going to keep it as close to original as possible. It is such a beautiful boat in its original form. I think it would be a shame to change it. Just keep in mind that this podcast is more about you doing something that is fulfilling. That includes your job. Ultimately, if you find a job that you love and doesn't feel like work, it will help you feel more fulfilled. It's like those times when you're doing something you really love or really enjoy and next thing you know four hours have gone by and you didn't even know it. It feels like it was only a few minutes. That's what I'm talking about. That's what makes life fulfilling. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/20052314

Waste Tanks Cause I’m Not Holding That 07/30/2021

Waste Tanks Cause I’m Not Holding That This week's episode is kind of crappy. I mean it really stinks…. OK, OK, ha, ha, ha! This week's episode is all about waste tanks and the waste system. You probably know it as the holding tank or the black water tank. Personally, I'm not holding on to anything that comes out of someone's body as waste. And realistically it's more of a brown color. That's why I'm going to call it a waste tank. All kidding aside I'm going to talk a little bit about, essentially the first year I was on the boat and the problems that ensued with the waste system. Things like leaking tanks and fittings, bad hoses, pumps that got plugged and needed to be rebuilt, and of course the smells and cleanup that go along with it. we'll talk about vents that didn't exist and the fun part, cutting holes in the floor. My hope is that through my experience you won't have such a crappy time with your waste system. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/19975814

Holy Water 07/23/2021

Holy Water This week's episode you will hear about the issue that can “float” to the surface with water in the boat… And I’m not talking about the water outside the boat getting in…. I’m going to tell you about the water system and all the fun lessons learned the first year as a live aboard. How water lines can become popsicles. How you can use a garden hose to get an arm workout or better yet take a shower with a garden hose. You’ll hear how sometimes thing below the surface aren’t always what they seem and get you all pumped up even when you’re under pressure. I hope you will enjoy the show. Please, comment and let me know if you have any questions. /episode/index/show/winterliveaboardpodcast/id/19903700

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