Finally winterized my boat (NY/NJ)

[Cool Hand Luke]

^ FINALLY, not FINALLIZE (error in title)

Filled up my diesel tank (to eliminate air/moisture/etc.).
Emptied all water tanks
Poured 2 gallons of -100 degrees F anti-freeze into each water tank.
Ran each faucet until purple anti-freeze runs out.
Closed all sea-cocks
Ran -100 degrees F anti-freeze through Yanmar 3JH5E engine.
Changed engine oil
Changed saildrive oil

Did I miss anything?

[rslifkin]

Make sure you took care of the head and antifreezed the holding tank. Other than, I think you're about covered. My checklist for winterizing is basically to look at every system and object on the boat. If it's a boat system and contains any form of water, it gets drained and/or the water replaced with antifreeze. Any stuff on the boat that either should be washed before spring or will be damaged by freezing comes home.

[Hobby]

Are you storing in the water or on the hard? If the bilge pumps will not be needed over the winter, the bilge pump hoses can be winterized.
Do you use biocides/fuel stabilizer in the diesel? I’m a little OCD about the fuel system.
Are you removing the sails for the winter? All my boats have been under 40 ft. so it was easier to remove the sails. If leaving the sails on, I would spiral the spinnaker halyard around the forestay to secure the furled jib or use a couple of sail ties as high as you can reach.
Happy holidays and remember spring is coming!

[siamese]

Sounds good to me. Wait...didn't see anything about your batteries. I top off my lead acid batteries off with distilled water, and bring them up to full charge, disconnect them, and leave them on the boat for the Michigan winter.

Opinions vary on toppiing off the diesel in the tank, but there's no real evidence that it matters. I leave diesel level wherever it was at the end of the season.

Put the cover on, and that's about it.

Oh, and I pour some of my left over anti-freeze into the bilge, but that's more like rabbit foot stuff, and I won't try to defend it.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Make sure you took care of the head and antifreezed the holding tank.

Yes!! I did that... both heads and shower drains and holding tanks have -100 degree Fahrenheit antifreeze in them. Good call! Forgot to write it in my list.

Originally Posted by Hobby

Are you storing in the water or on the hard? If the bilge pumps will not be needed over the winter, the bilge pump hoses can be winterized.
Do you use biocides/fuel stabilizer in the diesel? I’m a little OCD about the fuel system.
Are you removing the sails for the winter?

It'll be in the water... the marina has bubblemakers to prevent the water from freezing. Bilge pump also had all the water drained and then I ran the -100 antifreeze through it, as well. Forgot to write it in my list.

Have not used the fuel stabilizer... forgot! But I'll be on the boat in a day or two, I can add it then. It's okay to add it AFTER the fill up, correct? I do have a bottle of the diesel stabilizer onboard.

Originally Posted by siamese

Sounds good to me. Wait...didn't see anything about your batteries. I top off my lead acid batteries off with distilled water, and bring them up to full charge, disconnect them, and leave them on the boat for the Michigan winter.

Oh, and I pour some of my left over anti-freeze into the bilge, but that's more like rabbit foot stuff, and I won't try to defend it.

Batteries are new this year... AGM... all connected to shore power with a Cristec battery charger for the Winter. I also have a heater onboard so the temp never falls below 37 degrees Fahrenheit inside the vessel.

And yes - I do agree about the bilge! Already done

Thank you guys!!

[CaptTom]

Summer-blend diesel will gel up over the winter. That's OK, it'll melt come spring. Not sure stabilizer is needed for diesel. A biocide can't hurt though.

Make sure you clean out any scuppers or cockpit drains. If those freeze shut bad things can happen. Generally the water temperature will be above freezing and keep your bilges unfrozen, but of course the bilge pump hoses and thru-hulls could freeze up under rare conditions. And rare conditions seem to be the norm these days. The weight of a heavy snow can also push some thru-hulls which are normally above the waterline down below it. Sailboats are less likely than power boats to have thru-hulls that low.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

A biocide can't hurt though.

Make sure you clean out any scuppers or cockpit drains.

The weight of a heavy snow can also push some thru-hulls which are normally above the waterline down below it. Sailboats are less likely than power boats to have thru-hulls that low.

Yes, biocide can't hurt - will add some tomorrow or the day after. The boat is only 30 minutes away.

Yeah, the heavy snow can definitely be an issue. I always take the 30 minute trip to the boat after any heavy snow.

And definitely good call on the cockpit drains!! Will clean them up and just run a tiny bit of antifreeze through them. And leave a small puddle of the -100 antifreeze around it. But, as snow melts, it'll all get washed away anyway. But so far - no snow on forecast for NJ! WOOHOO

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

And definitely good call on the cockpit drains!! Will clean them up and just run a tiny bit of antifreeze through them. And leave a small puddle of the -100 antifreeze around it. But, as snow melts, it'll all get washed away anyway. But so far - no snow on forecast for NJ! WOOHOO

Cockpit drains???????????????? How does water get to the drains?



If you don't cover the boat, why bother winterizing at all?



I never could understand why anyone fails to proptect the boat from freeze/thaw cycling when water can penetrate every nook and cranny, fitting, fastener, etc... and slowly destroy a boat.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Cockpit drains???????????????? How does water get to the drains?



If you don't cover the boat, why bother winterizing at all?



I never could understand why anyone fails to proptect the boat from freeze/thaw cycling when water can penetrate every nook and cranny, fitting, fastener, etc... and slowly destroy a boat.

Most water gets in the cockpit drains two ways: first, snow and ice load build up, push boat down, water comes up drains and sinks the boat (see boating insurance reports.) Second way is leaves and junk block drains, allowing water to fill the drains and cockpit...not much to do about that.


Now, about that freeze/ thaw cycle. This condition is more common in what environmentalists call the Thermal Exclusion Zone, but it's better known as the Rust Belt. And I'm smack dab in in it.

Boat spend six to seven months on the hard. Those stored outside exhibit the same as if we didn't have to haul- dirt, bleaching, wax aging, and brightwork damage. So, in general, boats stored indoors or well covered typically are cleaner come spring.

As far as freeze/thaw destroying boats- well it sure does a job on roads. That said, having lived here my entire life, uncovered boats typically don't really suffer as much as one might expect. Why? I don't know. But decades of storing indoors while others store outdoors (covered or otherwise) in comparing my boat to the outdoor boats, about the only thing I can point out is an increase in spider cracks in the uncovered boats.

Boats stored on the hard up here- indoors our outdoors- suffer from freezing. This thread already covered many elements one must protect. However, the REAL damage is to cored hulls, decks, and very commonly, rudders.

So while we store indoors, and if we didn't we'd cover, in my observation whether it's covered or not is more feel good than critical. The worst damage to boats is from owners that do zero maintenance- leaking ports and hatches, wet bilges, brightwork ignored- all of which is not really related to winter storage.

[bmz]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Boats stored on the hard up here- indoors our outdoors- suffer from freezing. This thread already covered many elements one must protect. However, the REAL damage is to cored hulls, decks, and very commonly, rudders.

That is one of the reasons why I have always kept my boat in the water for the winter as long as I've owned her--40 years. Water freezing around the hull does not damage it; but most of the area under the water line will remain unfrozen--keeping the interior of the boat relatively warm. I leave an electric heater set at 32° in the boat all winter. It uses very little electricity because of the relatively warm water it sits in. Inasmuch as the interior of the boat does not freeze, I have never suffered from any winter damage.

[Tetepare]

Fresh water shower on transom? Seawater wash down pump? Macerator? Refrigerator drain if any? Bilge in case water gets in?

[Cool Hand Luke]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Fresh water shower on transom? Seawater wash down pump? Macerator? Refrigerator drain if any? Bilge in case water gets in?

Fresh water shower on transom - check! Ran water through it until purple -100 antifreeze was coming out.

Macerator - check!

Refrigerator drain - check! Ran antifreeze through it and it actually goes down to my bilge. Once I saw purple antifreeze, I was satisfied. Fridge turned off and kept open to prevent mold.

Great additions to the checklist. Thank you!

[aisleorwindow]

What about your hot water heater? Make sure you drain that too!

[Disailor]

Winter on the hard in Belfast, Maine.
I've lost electronic gear due to condensation inside corroding many components. I take chart plotter, VHF, AM/FM radio, solar charge controllers, all clothing & books, all canned/jar food & cleaners home. I also make sure there is a space between everything on the shelves and the hull. With a clear greenhouse plastic cove,r solar panels are left on board with $10 throw away (when they eventually fail) charge controllers.
Vacuum the bilge & toss in a pt of rubbing alcohol to help dry.
Fuel tank vent has a moisture trap plumbed in & biocide in the tank.

[rslifkin]

Interesting thought on the electronics. I leave all of mine on board for the winter, but anything in the cabin is humidity controlled by large quantities of damprid. How the boat is covered may make a difference there. Covers that can't breathe and also pick up a lot of solar heat are going to be rougher on stuff inside, I would think. The last couple of years, my boat has been uncovered but indoors (unheated) for winter, so that slows down temperature changes dramatically (no solar heating either).