Winterization Thread

[unbusted67]

It being late October I would just like to get a general winterization thread going. What are some of the things you do to winterize your boat other than the obvious stuff. What are some tips and trick for keeping your boat from freezing to death.

[ADMPRTR]

After running non-toxic antifreeze through my water system I capture the excess and pore it into the bilge with the hope that any water that gets in will not freeze. To tell the truth, it doesn't really work but it seems like a good idea at the time...

[barnakiel]

We cover ours. Many people do not, but we do. We also do plenty of prep work so that we do not have to work hard in the spring. We take stock and use winter to shop around for whatever needs replacement. If only possible, we take the stick out and clean / store all standing rigging.

b.

[mbianka]

Since I converted to electric propulsion winterizing is very simple afair. I no longer have to deal with end of season oil changes and winterizing the engine. It's basically just pull off the sail and winterize the water system which I'm able to do with one gallon of antifreeze with some judicious recycling of the it:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: Winterizing a boat with one gallon of antifreeze

I also test it to make sure it will offer the protection needed:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: WINTERIZING AND TESTING THE ANTIFREEZE ON BOARD

No longer cover the boat. Always found the boat too grimy in springtime. Pull the mast though.

[Chief Engineer]

When I winterize a customers boat, I do it on a time and materials basis.

A lot of places break down each component pricewise..al a carte...that winds up being really expensive.

You can multitask while winterizing.

I also offer my customers the choice of air or nontoxic antifreeze in their potable water lines.....

And I never, ever, ever put it in the water tanks

[Chief Engineer]

I also advise customers never to put lights/ceramicheaters/on their boats.

If your boat burns down, I have heard that insurance companies will not cover the loss.

Boatsafe heaters are the only ones that a lot of marinas approve of

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

When I winterize a customers boat, I do it on a time and materials basis.

A lot of places break down each component pricewise..al a carte...that winds up being really expensive.

You can multitask while winterizing.

I also offer my customers the choice of air or nontoxic antifreeze in their potable water lines.....

And I never, ever, ever put it in the water tanks

You can pour a fifth of cheap vodka into the water tank instead of antifreeze.

[cheoah]

Chief, et al-

Why not put the non-toxic stuff in the tanks? I did it last year after emptying them, then pumping it through the system until I saw it come out the tap. I really did not know what I was doing but we flushed the tanks really well in spring anyway as they were foul overall. They are fiberglass and the water tastes really bad unless double filtered (seagull/brita).

Now that I've got a nice pressurized system, what is the best way to winterize it on my mooring? Is running the tanks dry through all faucets enough? Finish by removing hose from accumulator and emptying, then draining water heater? Seems like the heater does not have a drain at the very bottom, perhaps remove pressure relief and drain from there? Will the hose take some expansion if small amounts of water are in there, and components like expansion tank and pump are the main deal requiring draining?

I know that the antifreeze is hard on the impellers in raw water cooling, had one impeller fall apart after winter, and don't want my fresh water pump to go belly up.


Chase

[unbusted67]

Yeah what's the deal with that anyway? Does non tox really have a lower freeze point than salt water? Doesn't non tox eventually hurt the impeller etc?

I am a unique case in that I am keeping my boat in the water in Boston this winter partially un-winterized - I will be keeping fresh water in my tanks and lines and a heater running on low all the time. I will obviously winterize the engine and everything else.

I already asked this in a different thread but what does everyone do with their running rigging/sheets? What do you do with your canvas?

[sailorboy1]

I'm never going to put anti-freeze in my water tanks again. I had a hell of a time with biological growth from it this year.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I'm never going to put anti-freeze in my water tanks again. I had a hell of a time with biological growth from it this year.

Love your avitar. We've all had days like that.

A. Vacuuming the water tanks is easier and cheaper. Perhaps I do it backwards, but I use fall as a chance to clean and dry my tanks. Then, spring is simply a matter of filling.

B. A few valves makes it easy to do just the lines, cheaper, and very fast.

C. I don't winterize until frost is regular, and I get the AF out of the lines as soon as the temperature comes up, generally in April here. By getting it out while it's cool, the AF has less time to get funky. I've never had that problem.


My winterizing drill:
Sail Delmarva: Winter Sailing

[mbianka]

"Why not put the non-toxic stuff in the tanks?"

Well for one thing you will use a more anti freeze. I just drain the water into the bilge and then for good measure use a small wet/dry vac to suck any remaining water that may remain through the lines from the tank to the bilge using the vacuum. Then I don't have to flush the tanks as much in the spring.

"Now that I've got a nice pressurized system, what is the best way to winterize it on my mooring? Is running the tanks dry through all faucets enough?

Some water will probably remain in the lines and THE PUMP. A split water line is a PITA but, a broken pump is $$$. IMO it's better to use antifreeze to make sure the lines and pump are winterized.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Ziggy

You can pour a fifth of cheap vodka into the water tank instead of antifreeze.

I presume that this is a joke, but lest anyone be misled - a fifth of vodka (40% ethyl alcohol) is not going to lower the freezing point of any reasonable sized water tank by much.

It takes 20% ethanol to lower the freezing point of water to -9C (15 degrees F). Ethanol Freeze Protected Water Solutions

Vodka is 40% ethanol. So one fifth of vodka will freeze protect another fifth of water, down to -9C. If you have fifty gallons of water in your tanks, you will need fifty gallons of vodka. Pretty 'spensive antifreeze.

[lancelot9898]

Originally Posted by thinwater

C. I don't winterize until frost is regular, and I get the AF out of the lines as soon as the temperature comes up, generally in April here. By getting it out while it's cool, the AF has less time to get funky. I've never had that problem.


My winterizing drill:
Sail Delmarva: Winter Sailing

I didn't know that the non toxic AF would get funky? In fact I always thought that by using it that it would help clean the tank??

[perkie43]

Ah, but think of spring!