[Public-List] Keeping engine warm

[Mike Lehman]

Do NOT use an electric heater. My next door neighbor placed a small space heater in his Islander 32 a few years ago. He ran a 200' extension cord up to his house and set the heater to its very lowest setting. The temperature dropped to single digits and the heater tried to keep up, but the extension cord, where it bent over the hatch, overheated and caught on fire. With the hatches closed the fire smoldered for hours until the windows melted and added oxygen to the fire. The boat was completely gutted by the fire and was a total loss. He had a diesel so explosion risk was minimal. This all occured within 6 feet of my boat. Our other neighbor saw the smoke, called the fire department, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and ran down to the dock an jumped on the burning boat. He said, when he slid open the main hatch, the backdraft flames reached all the way to the spreaders. Luckily with a single shot from the extinguisher, he put the fire out immediately. Did I mention that the owner was in Hawaii for 6 weeks - he 'winterized' the day before he let. Oh well, at least the engine didn't freeze.
 
I would use antifreeze and have extra bottles on hand. It only takes a couple of minutes to disconnect the engine intake and put it in a bottle of antifreeze and pump it throught the engine. Mike Lehman  ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><((((º>  > From: a30240 at earthlink.net> To: public-list at lists.alberg30.org> Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:20:50 -0400> Subject: [Public-List] Keeping engine warm> > Al Adelman wrote> "I would be interested in any suggestions on how to, or how not to, keep our engine warm this winter in Maryland if we are not going to winterize> it so that we can sail frostbite regattas. Any experiences people have had would be welcome."> > Personally I would run anti freeze through it each time. I do not trust BG&E to keep the power on and if it is a gas engine your neighbors wouldn't like your using an electric heater down there.> > Jim Davis> S/V Isa Lei> CT 35> > IMPORTANT: This email is intended for the use of the individual addressee(s) named above and may contain information that is confidential privileged or unsuitable for overly sensitive persons with low self-esteem, no sense of humor or irrational religious beliefs.> > _______________________________________________> These businesses support your Association:> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html> Please support them.> _______________________________________________> Public-List mailing list> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
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