Winterization - Drain or Antifreeze?

[GaryMayo]

If you drink from your water system, you will change the taste of your water and never get it back to as it was, some people report. If you only shower and wash dishes, just rince it well in the spring.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

If you drink from your water system, you will change the taste of your water and never get it back to as it was, some people report. If you only shower and wash dishes, just rince it well in the spring.

We drink water straight from the FW tanks, unfiltered. No problems with taste from anti freeze, just flush the system a bit in the spring.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

If you drink from your water system, you will change the taste of your water and never get it back to as it was, some people report. If you only shower and wash dishes, just rince it well in the spring.

We find that it takes a few flushes of the water system to remove the antifreeze taste. After that, it's fine. An inline charcoal filter does wonders as well.

I've heard of people using cheap vodka in their water systems when winterizing in warmer climes such as where Dockhead is located. Would never work where I'm at, but if I was looking at extremes of only around -10/15C, I'd look into it.

[Opie91]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I've heard of people using cheap vodka in their water systems when winterizing in warmer climes such as where Dockhead is located. Would never work where I'm at, but if I was looking at extremes of only around -10/15C, I'd look into it.

Boy thats got to taste a lot better than antifreeze....

[Allan S]

I removed the inlet to my fresh water pump and attached a pail of antifreeze and ran it until pink came out all faucettes.......that took almost two gallons. What to do with the other four? I over estimated my line capacity obviously.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I've heard of people using cheap vodka in their water systems when winterizing in warmer climes such as where Dockhead is located.

I got -50 degree F antifeeze this year at Walmart for $2.99/gal. I can not image vodka being less (unless you aren't going to flush it later and just drink it).

You just need to flush the tanks. I have a separte filtered water line for drinking and I also added some of taste and ordor treatment last year and didn't notice any anti-freeze or bleach taste in the water.

I just thnk that unless you just can not afford $30 worth anti-freeze that the labor etc to do something else just isn't worth not using it and being done with the project!

[nigel1]

Retails about 30 to 50 dollars a gallon in the UK depending on the mix (anti freeze that is, not vodka)

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Here's what most of us do in the Great White North.

1/ empty FW tanks

2/ disconnect "in" and "out" hose at hot water tank.

3/ connect the two hoses (in & out) together.

4/ drain hot water tank

6/ pour about 1 gal potable anti-freeze into FW tank

7/ pump anti- freeze through system

Some folks skip 6 and 7 and blow the lines clear with a little compressor but I prefer the anti freeze. 1 gal is easy to pump through and very easy to pump clear in the spring. Don't forget to open the cockpit shower when pumping the anti freeze through if you have one.

8/ (optional) head south!!

I don't pour AF directly into the FW tanks. I suck it directly into the FW pump so that only the hoses see AF. In the spring I purge all the lines with fresh water before filling the tanks and sanitizing them. Pouring the AF into the tanks can take a long time to dilute and purge free in the spring.. Best to capture some AF at the furthest fixture and test the concentration against freeze/burst points for the lowest expected temps.

Some boats do well being blown out, others, not so much...

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I got -50 degree F antifeeze this year at Walmart for $2.99/gal. I can not image vodka being less (unless you aren't going to flush it later and just drink it).

You just need to flush the tanks. I have a separte filtered water line for drinking and I also added some of taste and ordor treatment last year and didn't notice any anti-freeze or bleach taste in the water.

I just thnk that unless you just can not afford $30 worth anti-freeze that the labor etc to do something else just isn't worth not using it and being done with the project!

Don,

Be aware that RV antifreeze that contains ethyl alcohol, such as the Super-Tech at Wal*Mart, can cause damage to PVC plumbing hoses... It can also cause sanitation hose to odor permeate sooner.. NAPA has a straight propylene glycol RV antifreeze, with no ethyl alcohol, for $3.50 gallon and WM puts it on sale occasionally for $3.50/gal

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

Don,

Be aware that RV antifreeze that contains ethyl alcohol, such as the Super-Tech at Wal*Mart, can cause damage to PVC plumbing hoses... It can also cause sanitation hose to odor permeate sooner.. NAPA has a straight propylene glycol RV antifreeze, with no ethyl alcohol, for $3.50 gallon and WM puts it on sale occasionally for $3.50/gal

Bloody hell -- maybe that's why my boat's manual says under no circumstances ever put any kind of antifreeze in the fresh water system . . .

I guess I'm going to follow the manual and just drain it . . .

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Bloody hell -- maybe that's why my boat's manual says under no circumstances ever put any kind of antifreeze in the fresh water system . . .

I guess I'm going to follow the manual and just drain it . . .

You are fine with a straight propylene glycol antifreeze. Hundreds of thousands of boats& RV's in the US are winterized with it every year..

If you choose to drain it don't just drain it but be sure to blow it out.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

Don,

Be aware that RV antifreeze that contains ethyl alcohol, such as the Super-Tech at Wal*Mart, can cause damage to PVC plumbing hoses... It can also cause sanitation hose to odor permeate sooner.. NAPA has a straight propylene glycol RV antifreeze, with no ethyl alcohol, for $3.50 gallon and WM puts it on sale occasionally for $3.50/gal

I still have the containers and will check. But I would be amazed in today's times that an anti-freeze advertised and labeled for safe RV use would have ethyl in it.

[hlev00]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

Don,

Be aware that RV antifreeze that contains ethyl alcohol, such as the Super-Tech at Wal*Mart, can cause damage to PVC plumbing hoses... It can also cause sanitation hose to odor permeate sooner.. NAPA has a straight propylene glycol RV antifreeze, with no ethyl alcohol, for $3.50 gallon and WM puts it on sale occasionally for $3.50/gal

Thanks for the warning, but it's a bummer. I just finished my first winterizing with the $2.98 Uniguard from Home Depot. Why spend $4.98 for the Dow antifreeze after all? I guess I know now. For kicks, I checked the MSDS for Uniguard, Dow, and Super Tech, and none of them listed ethyl alcohol, but the Uniguard bottle does list ethyl alcohol as the second ingredient.

Guess I'll at least try to blow out whatever is sitting in the lines anyway.

[capngeo]

Wow! I've never winterized my boat at all! Heck it even got down to 50°F last year.... huh? oh, sorry, carry-on

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I still have the containers and will check. But I would be amazed in today's times that an anti-freeze advertised and labeled for safe RV use would have ethyl in it.

If you bought it at Wal*Mart here is the label for the Super-Tech they sell.