Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 16-10-2014, 20:08   #1
Registered User
 
motaman9's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 151
Winterizing....tough topic....I know

Hello All,
Our boat is currently in a slip near Oriental, NC. This is our first potential winter that far north. My question has two parts....maybe three......would you just bite the bullet and move back to Florida, which is an option, with relatively cheap dockage for us, but still has the fuel and sundry costs of the move, but not free like Oriental.....(we are currently back home assisting a relative through hospice for terminal cancer)......or just winterize totally (or just to some degree?pun intended). We have a watermaker, washer, 400 gallons of fresh water to dump and winterize, two heads, two showers, galley sink, diesel raw water system, etc etc......sub question: how far do you have to go with the winterizing at that latitude or does the time/effort to do so make an alternate run south worth not needing to do it ?

Thanks,


Sailing somewhere.....
motaman9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-10-2014, 07:15   #2
Writing Full-Time Since 2014
 
thinwater's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Deale, MD
Boat: PDQ Altair, 32/34
Posts: 10,045
Re: Winterizing....tough topic....I know

a. You barely need to winterize in Oriental. Blowing out with compressed air should do. But check with locals.

b. You don't winterize water tanks, EVER. You empty them.
__________________
Gear Testing--Engineering--Sailing
https://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/
thinwater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-10-2014, 16:04   #3
Registered User
 
motaman9's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 151
Re: Winterizing....tough topic....I know

Quote:
Originally Posted by thinwater View Post
a. You barely need to winterize in Oriental. Blowing out with compressed air should do. But check with locals.

b. You don't winterize water tanks, EVER. You empty them.

Regarding "B" I have read a few articles that say in addition to emptying (I was planning on that at a minimum) them you also need to add propylene glycol to the tank and pump it through the water pump and supply lines until it comes out of the fixtures......then allow it into the drains before closing the seacocks......


Sailing somewhere.....
motaman9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-10-2014, 20:03   #4
Registered User
 
Cuttyhunk's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: northeast USA
Boat: EndeavourCat 36
Posts: 372
Re: Winterizing....tough topic....I know

Quote:
Originally Posted by motaman9 View Post
Regarding "B" I have read a few articles that say in addition to emptying (I was planning on that at a minimum) them you also need to add propylene glycol to the tank and pump it through the water pump and supply lines until it comes out of the fixtures......then allow it into the drains before closing the seacocks......


Sailing somewhere.....
I do this, in New England, but in NC would probably just empty the tank and blow some compressed air in the lines. The pink stuff is a pain to get rid of in the spring...takes forever for it to be truly gone. Up here we always seem to have at least one solid week of 10 degree weather in the winter. Every year I say I will plumb in a water heater bypass, and every year...I don't.
Cuttyhunk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-10-2014, 22:08   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Where the wind blows..
Boat: Prout Snowgoose 37
Posts: 177
Re: Winterizing....tough topic....I know

Here in SE Alaska, If the boat is in the water--I drain all fresh water, and blowing the lines dry or the red antifreeze in the freshwater systems. My engine is raw water cooled as well, and I don't bother draining it down.

Other than that, I don't do much. Items below waterline are kept warm enough not to freeze by the seawater (at least until the temps get down around 10 degrees F). I also put a small electric heater set to around 40-45 degrees pointing at the engine. Open all lockers and bins for the air to flow and add a canister of damp-rid. Don't forget the blackwater systems! Then I'm good to go.

If it is on the hard though, that is a different story. All water other than that laced with antifreeze should be drained, including from the water lift muffler.
Excalibur5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-10-2014, 10:30   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 322
Re: Winterizing....tough topic....I know

If you have shore power I would more inclined to put in a safe heater and put it on those few times it will go below freezing, the heater will also keep it dryer.

If no power then I would winterize, many resources on the process, many different opinions as well.
marlinmike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-10-2014, 19:01   #7
Registered User
 
MBWhite's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Illinois
Boat: Rinker 24
Posts: 398
Re: Winterizing....tough topic....I know

I'd ask a couple of local people on their opinion, they'll know how hard or soft the winters are better than anyone else.
MBWhite is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-10-2014, 20:39   #8
Registered User
 
motaman9's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 151
Winterizing....tough topic....I know

I've reached out to a few locals who say they don't do much, but get slightly varying opinions on what "not much" is.....but the threat of the forecast colder winter has me concerned.

As for a heater....the downside to that is that when you need the heater most, like when the weather is the worst, you are the most likely to lose power so I hate to overly rely on a heater or heaters.

We do plan to leave her in the slip so we will have the water as a measure of protection....probably should have mentioned that initially.....




Sailing somewhere.....
motaman9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2014, 16:59   #9
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Hood River, OR
Boat: Farrier, F-44SC, performance cruising cat
Posts: 148
Re: Winterizing....tough topic....I know

Not knowing how to pose a specific question, I am jumping into this topic by asking the question : what should I do to keep my raw water from freezing? I have a boat that is in the water for the winter in Oregon. I have two yanmar 3ym20 engines with sail drives. Is there anything that I should do other than draining the raw water from the system? and, how is this done.
vientoman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2014, 17:08   #10
Registered User
 
Vasco's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Toronto
Boat: CS36Merlin, "La Belle Aurore"
Posts: 7,557
Re: Winterizing....tough topic....I know

Kept our boat in Whittaker Creek a couple of winters. Didn't bother winterizing anything but if you really want to be secure empty the FW system and run a bit of plumbing antifreeze through.
__________________
Rick I
Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.
Vasco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16-11-2014, 10:27   #11
Registered User
 
motaman9's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 151
Re: Winterizing....tough topic....I know

Quote:
Originally Posted by vientoman View Post
Not knowing how to pose a specific question, I am jumping into this topic by asking the question : what should I do to keep my raw water from freezing? I have a boat that is in the water for the winter in Oregon. I have two yanmar 3ym20 engines with sail drives. Is there anything that I should do other than draining the raw water from the system? and, how is this done.

When I was researching Winterizing I remember running across an article that said to add propylene glycol to the reservoir where the raw water strainer was located in the line. If I recall correctly, you shut the seacock and add the antifreeze to that chamber and let it circulate into the raw water cooling system as the engine runs. You could probably double check that process on the Practical Sailor website to be sure I'm not mistaken. Hope that helps...


Sailing somewhere.....
motaman9 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Off Topic but Sorta On Topic knottybuoyz Flotsam & Sailing Miscellany 8 07-09-2009 04:26
Cruising without insurance, how tough? Fishspearit Dollars & Cents 162 16-06-2008 14:14
Tough boats knottybuoyz Powered Boats 4 28-02-2007 22:18
Tough ticket's for wimp's cat man do Flotsam & Sailing Miscellany 0 23-01-2007 19:56

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 13:54.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.