Winterizing - Help Me Out

[Brad Meilink]

Yes, as much as we all hate to admit it the season is drawing near the end. My boat needs to be decommissioned by the first of November. I'm guessing sooner than that for those to the north of Chesapeake Bay.

My Question: This is my first season so I haven't been through the winterizing routine before. I know I can probably do it myself, but would hate to overlook something or not get it quite right and end up with a large repair bill in the spring in pursuit of saving a few bucks now. Is this something better left to the 'professionals', or something a reasonably handy person can/should do themselves?

Advice on what systems to winterize and the best methods you have found would be VERY MUCH appreciated! I know that my fresh water tanks need emptied and lines need to be blown out. How? Do I need to get RV antifreeze throughout the system? What /how do you winterize the cooling system on the engine (Westerbeake 21A)? R/V antifreeze in the bilge. What else am I missing? 'Magdelana" will be dry docked this winter so that I can work on the Cutlass bearing. (More questions to come then)

Thanks in advance for your responses. I'm sure I'm not the only one with these questions.

Brad



bmeilink@shentel.net

[Mike Everett]

Here's my winterizing list.
Change oil, oil filter, fuel filter. Top off fuel tank, add biocide.
Flush engine cooling system with fresh water, then add non-toxic antifreeze. (Leave it as an anti-corrosive. My Volvo is raw-water cooled.)
Open seacocks. Drain all tanks, then run antifreeze mixture through all pumps -- head, bilge, and fresh water.
Leave some antifreeze in the bilge. Leave some vodka in the water tank. (It'll taste better next spring.)



everett@megalink.net

[Neil Gordon]

>>My boat needs to be decommissioned by the first of November. I'm guessing sooner than that for those to the north of Chesapeake Bay.<<

I'm in Boston, and haul out on Nov 1. Fall sailing in New England can be the best!

Winterizing isn't that complicated. It's mostly a matter of getting the water out of the boat and adding anti-freeze to what's left.

I have a mechanic change the oil & filters on the motor, flush it and run antifreeze through the cooling system. Everything else, I do myself. (The motor's not that hard to do ourself, but it takes time and some hanging upside down in the locker to get to the filters. <G>)

Pump out the head, rinse clean, get as much water out as possible and pump non-toxic antifreeze through. Pump the water tank try and run anti-freeze through all the lines. (Vodka is preferred by some, but I've not had a taste problem using anti-freeze.) Pump the bilge dry and add anti-freeze there, too. Pump through both the electric and manual pumps. Open the seacocks so the water drains out.

Scrub any slime or growth or whatever off the hull. It won't want to come off in the spring.

I take just about everything off the boat for the winter.

Cover the boat, either shrink wrap or tarp.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



103355.34@compuserve.com

[Mike Wainfeld]

Check out the October issue of "Soundings" for a very comprehensive article about winterizing.



ripcord1@erols.com

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Brad,
Look for my response to Geoff Safron on 10/5/98. There is a whole list of stuff to do taken directly out of the CD owner's manual and Universal Engine manual for winterization. Also, there is a specific list of stuff I will do to Hanalei (CD-30) this fall and before relaunch next spring. It would probably be easier to read if you print out the response, there's a number of pages. Any questions, contact me by E-mail or on this site. It's not all that difficult and will save you bucks, all it takes is time. Fair winds....

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
Hanalei



stumpdg@gwsmtp.nu.com