[Public-list] Getting to the time to Winterize, Any Suggestions or Checklists

Fri Nov 11 09:08:48 PST 2005

Andrew see cooments in UPPER CASE below

Mike Lehman
~~~_/)_/)~~_/)~~~

----Original Message Follows----
From: "Cole, Andrew L" <andrew.cole at llff.com>
Reply-To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all <public-list at alberg30.org>
To: <public-list at alberg30.org>
Subject: [Public-list] Getting to the time to Winterize,Any Suggestions or 
Checklists
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 10:45:40 -0500

Is there a general consensus as to when we should winterize our boats in
the Annapolis area?

BECAUSE YOU ARE KEEPING YOUR BOAT IN THE WATER, THE TIME CAN BE EXTENDED A 
LITTLE BECAUSE YOU WILL BE SURROUNDED BY WARMER THAN AIR WATER. BASICALLY 
THERE ISN'T A PRESET TIME, I WATCH THE WEATHER FORECAST AND IF THEY ARE 
CALLING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF BELOW FREEZING THEN I DO IT AS QUICKLY AS 
POSSIBLE. IT ALSO DEPEND ON WHETHER YOU PLAN TO USE YOUR BOAT DURING THE 
WINTER, IF YOU CAN SAY "I DONE FOR THE YEAR" THEN WINTERIZE.

Does anyone have a checklist of things that he/she does?  This is my
first winter with a keelboat, all input will be appreciated.  If this
has already been covered in detail previously, please point me to the
proper place in the archives.

To the extent it makes a difference, we have a non-liner boat with a gas
gray marine.  The plumbing is more or less standard, sink with raw/fresh
pumps, head with holding tank, standard freshwater tank in the bow, and
we also have a sink with a freshwater pump in the head.

I've read a bunch and heard a bunch, but I'd like the group's thoughts.
These are the things I was planning on doing:

I figure there are basically three systems, the engine, the head, and
the freshwater tank and sinks.

Engine:
Oil change.
Close raw water seacock.
Run environmentally safe antifreeze through raw water intake hose until
it comes out the exhaust.
Cut off the fuel.
Add some sort of fuel stabilizer to the tank (suggestions?).
Pull the sparkplugs and squirt Marvel Mystery Oil into the cylinder
heads to "fog" them.
Do you crank the engine after all this to circulate anything?
Does anyone spray anything, e.g. WD-40, on the engine to inhibit
corrosion?

I HAVE NOT USED WD-40 IN MANY YEARS BUT USE BOESHILED T-9 INSTEAD. I SPRAY A 
LIGHT COAT ON ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS.

Head:
Pump out.
Close intake seacock.
Run environmentally safe antifreeze through the head until seen in
holding tank.
Does anyone pump some of the antifreeze in the holding tank overboard to
winterize the "offshore" hose from the holding tank to the seacock?  If
not, how do you winterize the pump overboard hose?

IF YOU HAVE A MACERATOR PUMP THEN POUR A GALLON OF ANIT-FREEZE (THE PINK 
STUFF) INTO THE HEAD; PUMP IT INTO THE HOLDING TANK; THEN OPEN THE SEACOCK 
AND PUMP SOME (NOT ALL) OVERBOARD, THAT PROTECTS THE PUMP.

Do you have to winterize the pump out hose that leads to the deck? NO
How do you winterize the intake hose for the head?  Do you just pull it
off its seacock and let it drain? I DO NOTHING
Anything to do with the vent hose? NOTHING

Freshwater:
Bail the tank as dry as reasonably possible.
Pour a liter of cheap vodka into the tank and pump it through the hoses
to the galley sink (someone suggested vodka in lieu of freshwater system
antifreeze, I think they like to enjoy the first couple trips in the
spring a bit too much). I USE POTABLE ANIT-FREEZE AND FLUSH THE ENTIRE 
SYSTEM SEVERAL TIMES IN THE SPRING. VODKA IS TOO EXPENSIVE, PLUS IT MAKES 
TERRIBLE COFFEE. MAKE SURE THAT WATHEVER YOU USE TO PUMP IT THROUGH THE 
GALLEY AND HEAD SINKS TO PROTECT THE FAUCETS.

Close the raw water seacock.
Drain the raw water intake hose (suggestions on doing this?  Just pull
it off the seacock and let it drain?)
Close the drain seacock. BY DOING SO YOU WILL TRAP WATER IN THE DRAIN HOSE - 
I LEAVE MINE OPEN.
Drain the drain hose (again, just pull it off and let it drain?)
The head sink does not currently work, I believe something is wrong with
the pump.  Any suggestions on winterizing its supply hose? DRAIN THE WATER, 
IF ANY.

Misc.
I assume it is acceptable (required) to leave the cockpit drain seacocks
open for the winter. MUST DO
Are there any seacocks other than the engine raw water, the cockpit
drain pair, the head sink drain, head intake, head pump overboard,
galley sink drain, and galley raw intake?
Any tricks to keeping everything ship-shape through the winter?

IF YOU HAVE COWL VENTS ON THE AFTER DECK - REMOVE THEM AND PLACE CAPS OVER 
THE HOLES. WE HAD A SITUATION MANY YEARS AGO WHEN IT SNOWED; THE SNOW MELTED 
AND THEN FROZE SOLD; THEN IT RAINED. THE AFTER DECK WAS A SOLID SHEET OF ICE 
AND THE RAIN OVERFLOWED THE VENTS WHICH LEAD DIRECTLY TO THE BILDGE AND THE 
BOAT FILLED UP WITH WATER.

Do you remove the main from the boom?

REMOVE ALL SAILS AND DODGERS ETC. NO POINT IN CAUSING THEN TO SUFFER OVER 
THE WINTER AND SHORTEN THEIR LIFE.
Does anyone use an engine compartment heater (I've seen one in the West
Marine catalog)?

NO - MY NEIGHBOR USED AN ELECTRIC CABIN HEATER AND WHEN IT GOT DOWN TO THE 
SINGLE DIGITS, THE UNIT CYCLED SO MUCH THAT BURNED UP THE EXTENSION CORD AND 
STARTED A FIRE. HIS ISLANDER 32 BURNT TO THE WATERLINE BEFORE THE COULD GET 
THE FIRE OUT.

Does anyone do anything with the speedo impeller?  I have a plug for the
hole, ok to pull the impeller and insert the plug for the winter?

PULL THE IMPELLOR AND USE THE PLUG.

Do you do anything with the electrical system?

EITHER REMOVE THE BATTERIES OR MAKE SURE THE HAVE A GOOD CHARGE. CHECK THEM 
THROUGHOUT THE WINTER. IF YOU REMOVE THEM DO NOT STORE THEM ON A CONCRETE 
FLOOR, PLACE A BOARD UNDER THEM TO PREVENT DISCHARGE.

We are keeping the boat in its slip over the winter.  Our marina uses
water circulators that should prevent ice from forming around the boat.

Thanks in advance for the help,

LASTLY, VISIT YOUR BOAT OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE WINTER JUST TO CHECK ON HER. I 
ALWASY POUR A GALLON OF ANTI-FREEZE IN THE BILDGE AND PUMP IT THROUGH THE 
BILDGE PUMP SO IT WILL NOT FREEZE, INCASE YOU NEED TO PUMP THE BOAT OUT 
DURNING THE WINTER. I ALWAYS HAVE AN EXTRA GALLON OF ANTI-FREEZE ON THE 
BOAT, IN CASE I NEED TO ADD ANY OF THE SYSTEMS.

HOPE THIS HELPS, PREPARE YOURSELF FOR LOTS OF ADVICE.

Andrew Cole
Andante - 152

Cole, Andrew L
Admitted in Maryland, Virginia & Florida
One Corporate Center
10451 Mill Run Circle, Suite 1000
Baltimore MD 21117

tel: 410 581-7408
fax: (410) 581-7410
mob: (410) 206-3577

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