Love Your RV & Boat! Newsletter - 1/26

Welcome to the January Newsletter. Winter is going well.

Jan 31, 2026

What's New With Us

Well, January has been unexpectedly warm and, for the most part, calm, with only a couple of strong wind/rain storms passing through. No snow and just a few nights where the thermometer dipped a little below freezing.

Below is the monthly temperature chart, measured a bit inland at the Campbell River airport. Where we are camped beside the ocean, it’s always several degrees warmer.

The mild winter has made me think skirting the rig was a bit of overkill, but it has its advantages anyway. It has allowed us to keep the RV heated and plumbing protected using only electric heat, which is included with the monthly RV park fee. Having the skirted front storage shed under the fifth wheel overhang is handy, too.

I’ve tested the diesel heaters I’ve been reviewing many times, but honestly, I haven’t really needed them yet. In the last three months, we have used only one 30lb tank of propane, and that was for the gas stove, which I used a ton for home cooking.

Speaking of diesel heaters, the BougeRV unit has worked great, but the Sunster has been very buggy. Of the two, I much prefer the BougeRV. It doesn’t have the fancy wireless features of the Sunter but build quality is much better.

Looking ahead to February, we are hoping for at least one decent snowfall. It’s been nice not to have had cold weather this winter, but it is so pretty here on the estuary when it does snow.

It’s been nice to be stationary in one place for a while and spoiled with full hookups. Since acquiring the boat in summer 2023, we’ve spent most of the time RVing and boating off-grid and moving around a ton. It’s a lot of work in comparison.

However, I’m looking forward to spring when we can hitch up and move around Vancouver Island a bit before heading to the mainland and prepping the boat for another summer cruising season. The other day, we had a friend check on our boat Vestri and the storage room, and everything looked good. The winter cover and low-wattage heaters are doing the job again, keeping the inside dry.

Thunderbird RV Park Review

Thunderbird has been a great park to spend the winter. The winter off-season here is very peaceful, and we’ve had great neighbors, which is nice. It’s expensive during the high season, but the monthly fee is quite reasonable in winter. We are paying $835 per month (about 610 USD) for a site on the estuary that includes 30-amp electric, sewer, water, and basic cable.

The sites are tightly packed, but the views out back are awesome. We prefer the estuary side vs the ocean side. It’s a little less breezy and away from the road, with lots of birdlife to view. There is a strip in the middle, with 50-amp sites and slightly longer pull-throughs for larger rigs.

The staff is top-notch and keeps everything very clean and well-maintained. For winter, they add protective insulating foam to the water spigots and cover them with an insulated wooden box. If any freeze-ups occur, they are happy to help.

It’s located on a beautiful ocean spit with a city park and walking path, and just down the road is a shopping center and marina. Anne and I can get a nice little walk in most days. Campbell River also has a plethora of trails to choose from and a long oceanside path for walking or biking.

Being on an ocean spit, you are more exposed to the weather, so expect stronger winds and more fog. But it’s warmer than shady inland forests and much brighter. The ocean stays around 50°F during the winter, moderating the climate.

When the sun comes out, we get the full benefit of it: drying things, warming the rig, and a chance to absorb some vitamin D. Winter can be gloomy on the BC coast, so you need all the light you can get. Other concerns I don’t worry about, unlike with river or forested parks, are flooding, falling branches, and debris on the roof.

More Off-Grid Power Equipment Demos & Reviews

Next month, I’ll set up and test two different off-grid system designs for you. Bluetti is sending out an expansion battery so I can complete my testing of their new Charger 2 system for portable power stations. In the summer, I’ll use it to upgrade the Charger 1 I used on the boat last summer.

I’m also going to put together a more traditional system from Renogy. I’ll be using the Renogy solar panels and DC-DC charger I already have, and add their new 240Ah solid-state lithium battery, plus a 2000-watt inverter, and a 40-amp solar controller. I plan to install all that in the RV and test off-grid come spring. Stay tuned…