Boat on the hard for a couple weeks, PNW. Really cold. Should I be worried?

[Lifeonalean]

Hi all, I just hauled my boat here in seattle the other day for bottom paint. The yard will have it for a couple weeks and it is not winterized as I live aboard and use it regularly. Recently the temps have been dipping into the 20's at night and I am really worried about things freezing and causing damage. I left a small west marine "dehumidifier" running but no other real heat. The yard is closed for the weekend so I have no access. Should I be worried? Any tips on how I can protect it in cold weather while on the hard without doing a full winterizing? The boat is a 2000 Beneteau 461. Thanks

[savoir]

Put a small house type electric heater in the salon and leave it on. Ceramic heaters work well.

[rbk]

Your engine will most likely be fine maybe a blown frost plug (closed loop with freshwater?) if it gets really cold other than that maybe some busted water lines (unlikley)at the very least some blown seals on faucets. 20 ‘s not to bad if it gets colder than 10f things will really start to break. I would sweat it too much. We’re on the hard and it was 10f and I just lost some ancient seals on the shower faucet as I’d run antifreeze through the system but forgot to push some through to the shower, lost the plastic attachment for the shower wand as well but it was a super el cheapo we got at Walmart.

[robert sailor]

Go buy a cheap 1500 watt electric heater with built in thermostat...They are cheap. Unplug your dehumidifier and plug in the heater, don't share them as you don't want to have a breaker go. Set it at medium, stick it in the middle of the boat, undo your panels to the engine room and you should not have any problems. Merry Christmas, R

[rbk]

And full winterizing isn’t that hard. If your water tank is empty of near empty, dump a couple gallons of rv antifreeze in and turn on each faucet until it flows pink. Disconnect you’re raw water pump hose and drop it in a bucket filled with antifreeze and run til there’s pink coming out the exhaust. Do thyou same with the head. Lastly pour some pink in your bilge so the pulp is sitting in it and open the port on your manual bilge pump if you’ve got one.

[Mike OReilly]

Safest answer is to get some heat in there. A small electric heater is probably the easiest thing, however...

Is the temp just dipping to around -6C (20F), but going above freezing during the day? Or is it staying below freezing for extended 24 hr periods?

If you're getting daytime heating, and it's only dipping to -6Cish for a few hours each night, then you're probably ok. That's not really a hard freeze. Most at risk will be water pumps and water hoses. If you run then dry they'll probably be ok.

[rbk]

Don’t know about most others but when on the hard whereever I’ve been it’s transient power in the yard if any; so running a space heater might not be an viable option.

[Lifeonalean]

Thanks for the reply, yeah its mid 20's at night and 30's- 40's during the day. I would've left the space heater on but I didn't expect the cold weather. I don't have access the boat till tuesday so Im looking for a little piece of mind. Thanks!

[Three Sisters]

One 20 degree night with above freezing temperatures during the day shouldn't be of concern and the added heat provided by the dehumidifier, too.

The bottom paint should be interesting. I've yet to find one with a 30-40 degree average application window.

[Lifeonalean]

Originally Posted by rbk

And full winterizing isn’t that hard. If your water tank is empty of near empty, dump a couple gallons of rv antifreeze in and turn on each faucet until it flows pink. Disconnect you’re raw water pump hose and drop it in a bucket filled with antifreeze and run til there’s pink coming out the exhaust. Do thyou same with the head. Lastly pour some pink in your bilge so the pulp is sitting in it and open the port on your manual bilge pump if you’ve got one.

Thanks for the reply. Ive winterized the boat many times, Not this year as I live aboard and sail regularly so I didn't want to do it for the week or two the boat yard has it and have to "de-winterize" when i get back to living aboard. Maybe I should've? Im really just looking for someone to tell me it'll be fine for a couple days in the mid 20's to the mid 40's out of the water haha. Im paranoid and not having access is killing me!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Lifeonalean

Thanks for the reply, yeah its mid 20's at night and 30's- 40's during the day. I would've left the space heater on but I didn't expect the cold weather. I don't have access the boat till tuesday so Im looking for a little piece of mind. Thanks!

I wouldn't stress about it, especially since you can't do anything about it anyway [emoji6]. I think you'll be fine.

[Lifeonalean]

Originally Posted by Three Sisters

One 20 degree night with above freezing temperatures during the day shouldn't be of concern and the added heat provided by the dehumidifier, too.

The bottom paint should be interesting. I've yet to find one with a 30-40 degree average application window.

I appreciate the response, makes me feel a little better haha. Im with you on the paint temp thing. The yard is closed for the holiday and Ive been wondering this as well

[Lifeonalean]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I wouldn't stress about it, especially since you can't do anything about it anyway [emoji6]. I think you'll be fine.

Thanks Mike, Thats what I needed to hear!

[puffcard]

Seawater freezes at 27F, a lightbulb in the engine compartment is good to mid 20s. If the engine is freshwater cool and has regular antifreeze it will more than likely be ok. The SW side if holding seawater may be at risk. FW potable system the piping can expand, so ok. Pumps will take a hit. Tanks if plastic should be ok. If water is trap in valves, fittings, and pumps if these freeze are the issues and where you need to check. I think mid 20, shouldn't be bad.

[captmikem]

Instead of RV antifreeze (which is pricey and leaves a taste) buy a gallon of cheap vodka and dump in your tanks, then run all water outlets for a bit. The vodka is an excellent antifreeze and does not leave a taste, and is easily flushed out, also tends to get rid of any musty things in the tanks.

Also, some of the marinas in SEA are in brackish water which freezes before seawater.

Only other problem is if you have deck leaks and water is in between he decks.

M