First winter at Lake Ontario - fuel tank question

[stibbles]

Originally Posted by Tartan31

Another point to consider. There is marine antifreeze and marine/RV antifreeze. Make sure you stay away from the RV antifreeze that contains alcohol or your rubber parts can dry out. These usually are the cheaper pink versions for sale for a couple of dollars. On Lake Ontario, I use the minus 60 degree version of non-toxic Propylene Glycol. You can get this at West Marine or your favorite chandlery. ⛵️

Thanks Tartan, happy to have this advice

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Tartan31

Another point to consider. There is marine antifreeze and marine/RV antifreeze. Make sure you stay away from the RV antifreeze that contains alcohol or your rubber parts can dry out. These usually are the cheaper pink versions for sale for a couple of dollars. On Lake Ontario, I use the minus 60 degree version of non-toxic Propylene Glycol. You can get this at West Marine or your favorite chandlery. ⛵️

Definitely good advice. Most around here seem to use the -50 stuff, but I consider it marginal if we get a bad winter. I usually use the -60, and for certain things (head system, last bit that goes into the engines and gen, bilge) I use the -100. The last few years my typical buy has been 4 cases of the -60, 2 of the -100.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

... The refineries put in their own additives and know more about it than we do. The rest is snake oil...

Indeed.

Originally Posted by stibbles

... Interested to hear boatpoker's perspective as well and maybe putting the stuff in the tank is like wearing a posy against the plague, but I probably don't have enough wisdom or local knowledge to plough my own furrow right now ...

Wearing a posy, against the plague, might be harmless [but ineffective]; but, unless one fully understands the chemistry, aftermarket fuel additives [stabilizers] may not be harmless.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by stibbles

Thanks Tartan, happy to have this advice

Definitely use the -100c antifreeze, Its a bit more expensive, but I have seen the -50c stuff go solid-ish in our Lake Ontario weather. Any chandlery will have it in stock right now (except for West Marine as there haven't been any here on Lake Ontario since the store in Toronto closed) Change your oil right before storage and if you want fill your fuel tank, though I've never seen the need to fill full or add a stabilizer and I've yet to have an issue. But then I do go to my boat during the winter and spend time there with the diesel heater running!