How much salt in Typhoon bilge to keep water from freezing?

stollie · Post by **stollie** » Nov 10th, '09, 14:50

Hi all,

I did a search thru the board, but could not find an amount of salt (instead of anti-freeze) to put in bilge.

In addition, is any particular type of salt preferred over others?

barfwinkle · Post by **barfwinkle** » Nov 10th, '09, 15:25

But why use salt. Antifreeze is cheap and if its a environmental concern cheap Vodka words too.

I personally have never heard of putting salt in the bilge for this purpose? But then I dont get out much.

Fair winds

Steve Laume · Post by **Steve Laume** » Nov 10th, '09, 16:43

I believe salt is a very traditional method of keeping your bilge from freezing. Wooden boats don't like fresh water. It was a way of keeping things from freezing along with pickling the wood at the same time. Unlike liquid antifreeze's salt can be added at a concentration that will allow fresh water to enter without significantly diloting the mixture.

I don't think the type of salt is a factor. Butchers salt or whatever is on sale will work. As to the exact amount, I haven't a clue. If you were to dump in a couple of pounds you could keep an eye on things and always add more. The first thing would be to reduce the amount of water in there to begin with and try to limit any future infusion.

I sure hope that TY becomes yours. You are already in love with her from the sounds of things.

This reminds me of a suitor buying gifts and flowers for a girl that may not be interested. You may just will her over but don't be too disappointed if she falls for someone else.

The vodka is a great idea for the water tanks. Once again you don't want too much water in there so it isn't too diluted when you got to drink the tanks dry in the spring, Steve.

Jim Buck · Post by **Jim Buck** » Nov 10th, '09, 16:50

Stollie,

Bill is right on about using antifreeze instead of salt. I've never had salt water in my bilges (Third Coaster here) but it certainly seems like it would have a corrosive effect on material with which it was in contact. I'd certainly go with the antifreeze and stay away from the salt. (Sorry Bill, but I couldn't bring myself to using Vodka without installing a long thin tube for periodic testing of its efficacy.) Just my two cents.

Jim

ronkberg · Post by **ronkberg** » Nov 10th, '09, 17:23

Just wondering if one gallon would be sufficient or too much? I had about half gallon of water showing in the bilge and once pumped out, the little opening is now dry. However, I presume that more water is down within voids surrounding the lead and do not want to sound out places to drill for drainage. It just feels bad to me to drill holes into areas below the water line.......sure I can plug 'em.......but I'd rather not!

So, how much of the environmentally friendly pink antifreeze would the board smarties suggest? Any other Typhoon owners use this technique in their teeny bilges?

Ron

tartansailor · Post by **tartansailor** » Nov 10th, '09, 17:26

A 20% concentration (wt./wt.) of Calcium Chloride will lower the freezing point of water to 0.4Â° F.
10% will lower it to 22.3Â°F.
Dick

Steve Laume · Post by **Steve Laume** » Nov 10th, '09, 18:35

I can't see corrosion as a significant problem in a Typhoon bilge.

You might rust up the ballast lifting eye. It might be good to get that thing right out of there anyway to remove the temptation of using it to lift the boat.

Other than that there isn't anything but fiberglass in a TY bilge. Even if the water got as high as the seacocks, salt water shouldn't harm them. If it does you might have bigger problems.

Simple and traditional solutions still work. So do modern chemical products or vodka. I just don't think there would be anything wrong with using salt, Steve.

stollie · Post by **stollie** » Nov 10th, '09, 21:23

Vodka, eh? Hmmm, I'm more of a rum guy...wonder if that would work as well javascript:emoticon('

')

Thanks, fellas.

Bob B · Post by **Bob B** » Nov 11th, '09, 08:10

Propylene glycol, the antifreeze used for campers and such also works. It is not toxic in the same way as ethylene glycol.

Maine Sail · Post by **Maine Sail** » Nov 11th, '09, 08:25

The ocean will freeze at about 28f. You can conceivably add enough salt to get it below 0F. Unfortunately salt in high concentrations can come out of suspension leaving the freeze point as guess work. One thing salt added to water does not do is prevent expansion, if and when it does freeze.

Antifreeze lowers the "burst point" by lowering the temp at which the frozen mass begins to expand.

I have seen cabin soles ripped from stringers by ice freezing, keels split and rudders split also. Ice is a powerful thing..

Why not just leave the bilge dry?

barfwinkle · Post by **barfwinkle** » Nov 11th, '09, 10:21

I too much perfer the Rum, hence using the Vodka in the bilge!!!!! Good Rum IS NOT CHEAP

Bob Ohler · Post by **Bob Ohler** » Nov 11th, '09, 11:10

I have found that gin leaves less after taste (compared to Vodka) that needs to be flushed out in the spring. One half gallon of the cheapest in each water tank works!

Bob O.

tartansailor · Post by **tartansailor** » Nov 11th, '09, 14:55

My Dad had a Wooden Trumpy, and I vividly remember him dumping bags of rock salt into the bilges to inhibit dry rot.
Comparing freezing point depression with calcium chloride (high end deicer) rock salt has about 70% of the latter.
Dick

The Cape Dory Board

How much salt in Typhoon bilge to keep water from freezing?

How much salt in Typhoon bilge to keep water from freezing?

Just curious

RE: corrosive effects

Dry bilge but planning to pour in RV antifreeze

Freezing Point

The ocean

Vodka (aka Vodker)

Gin!

Rock Salt