Winterize list

Having recently purchased a 3888 Bayliner, I'm going into my first
winter storage.
Do I make a list of the things the marina should do to winterize my
boat, or do I just trust them to do proper storage procedures?

It will be stored on the hard and shrink wrapped with a door.

Is there a list of winterization must do's ?

My marina usually stores about 40 boats for the winter, so they
do have some experience.

Its just that its my new toy.

Well, I would never just let the yard do what they want to do and write them a check later. At the very least point out to them the systems that need to be winterized and discuss some specifics, like bypassing and draining the water heater rather than just dumping an additional 6 gallons of antifreeze into it which BTW is a bear to get all out in the spring.

But this is really a pretty easy DIY job. A summary:

Engine and generator- Close the thruhull, open the top of the strainer, start the engine and dump 2-5 gallons (2 for sailboat size engines, 5 for big 6 cyl ones) of antifreeze in while watching what comes out for a strong pink color.

Air conditioning- Remove suction hose from strainer, elevate it and with the A/C on dump a gallon in the hose with a funnel.

Fresh water system- Drain tank. Disconnect pump suction hose and put it (splice a hose if necessary for length) into a bucket filled with antifreeze. With the pump on, open each fixture until string pink comes out. For the hot water system, bypass the hot water heater with a coupler fitting or a short length of hose and some clamps. Drain the hot water tank to bilge. Open the fixtures as above.

Sanitary systems- Dump holding tank. Flush with water and flush macerator pump. Remove suction hose from thruhull and put it in a bucket of antifreeze. Run or pump toilet until bowl is pink. Pull discharge hose off of macerator pump and pour a cup into pump. Pour a quart or so down the shower and a cup into each sink trap.

Bilge- Pump out until little water left and dump a gallon of antifreeze in bilge to protect bilge pump.

After the boat is hauled, open each thruhull and let it drain, close. This eliminates the pocket of water in the ball that can freeze.

I suspect I have missed a thing or two, but that's the general procedure. I can do my boat in about an hour. It takes about 10 gallons of antifreeze- the -50F pink stuff of course.

David

To supplement David's discussion:

Change the Oil/Filter (different opinions on this but I do annually in the just prior to winterization)

I also drain and bypass the water heater before I winterize as it consumes 6 gallons of antifreeze. There are kits to do this sold by Defender and others but you can rig DIY.

I perform a freshwater flush of the engine before I run antifreeze through the system.

My batteries are on trickle charge in the boat all winter. I used to remove and bring home to trickle charge when I had a smaller boat with smaller battery banks. Top off battery cells with distilled water.

I learned most of this stuff by watching others at my yacht club. All easy peasy- one step at a time.

In addition to the above, (as an alternative to the trickle charge) I put on a small solar charger with a voltage controller to charge the Batteries all winter. And most definitely keep the batteries full of distilled h2o

One thing to add to Davids excellent write up. If your boat has a Raritan Purasan unit DO NOT put or allow any antifreeze to enter unit. Follow procedure from Raritan.

More information please

I am an Australian who is about to winter our first boat in the Netherlands. We are not used to freezing temperatures so all the talk of anti-freeze is very interesting. By putting it through the fresh water system won't it taint the water when the system is put into use next year? How much flushing will be required?
If anti-freeze is put into the engine water filter as described and then the boat has to be moved in order to be lifted won't all or most of the anti-freeze be eliminated thus ruining the required result?
No doubt this is basic stuff for experienced boaters but I am confused.

Retirement Planning said:

We are not used to freezing temperatures so all the talk of anti-freeze is very interesting. By putting it through the fresh water system won't it taint the water when the system is put into use next year? How much flushing will be required?

If anti-freeze is put into the engine water filter as described and then the boat has to be moved in order to be lifted won't all or most of the anti-freeze be eliminated thus ruining the required result?

Click to expand...

In the first instance, the product is a potable antifreeze... that could slightly add some taste to freshwater, but... it's easily flushed. Usually the whole system doesn't need more than a couple gallons of the antifreeze total (mostly for the lines, not so much the tank itself)... and so it doesn't usually take much to flush. I've never noticed the taste, myself, after flushing. An easy alternative is to drain the freshwater tanks and then blow out the freshwater hoses with an air compressor.

For engine antifreeze, yes, starting the engine will flush all that out... and put you back to square one. The solution around here is to winterize the engines while the boat is in the water, and then tow the boat the short distance around to the travel lift.

-Chris

To expand a bit on Chris' response:


If you bypass your water heater, it only takes maybe 5 minutes of running clean fresh water through your system to displace the antifreeze. And the propylene glycol pink antifreeze is safe for humans. But it does give the water an unpleasant taste, so do flush it out.


But if you don't bypass your hot water heater, it can take forever to get the antifreeze out, because you are not simply displacing the antifreeze you are mixing fresh water with the 6 gallons in the hot water heater, and it takes hundreds of gallons to dilute it to an acceptable level.


I winterize my boat on the hard to avoid the problem of flushing out the engine antifreeze when it is moved to the haul out slip. It is also important to drain each of the thru hull valves which can only be done on the hard.


David

Winterizing checklist

I have attached a copy of my checklist for my 36' 1987 MT single FL.

djmarchand said:

It is also important to drain each of the thru hull valves which can only be done on the hard.
David

Click to expand...

Don't miss Davids above - open all seacocks after winterization and the boat is blocked on the hard - if not you will likely be replacing them next spring

If you happen to have windshield washers don't forget to run pink through them as well

Also - if shrink wrapping I'd suggest making sure a couple of windows and/or portlights are openned to promote air circulation

Disconnect batteries if left in - I prefer to take them home & keep on a trickle charger / maintainer if possible - no longer practical w/ 8D's so I have switched to AGM which hold charge much better over winter than FLA

also be sure to remove batteries from all remotes, clocks, etc left on board

I installed a flush connector between my seacock and my seastrainer on my AC. The connector takes a garden hose. I can flush the system with freshwater. I use a bucket and a 1/4hp submersible pump, then fill the bucket either propylene glycol and run the antif-freeze through the AC that way.

I also pour propylene glycol down the head and flush until there is a decent amount in the holding tank. This takes care of the head, sanitation lines and holding tank.

I drain the freshwater tank, then fill with propylene glycol and turn on each faucet (both hot and cold) until all are running pink. This ensures the water tank, main line to pump, pre-filter, pump, expansion tank, all lines and faucets are winterized. (we don't drink from the water tank). I also crack the valves to allow for any expansion.

I do my oil and lube changes in the fall. I have AGM batteries and simply turn off the battery switches and leave the batteries in place. There are no direct connections to my batteries.

Don't forget to run propylene glycol down the shower drains and any scupper drains that use hose connections and hoses to throughhulls. Don't just pour down the shower drains, pour and run them until they discharge pink overboard.

Two other questions regarding winterizing.
1. Should I top the fuel tanks?
2. Is it necessary to add antifreeze to diesel fuel? I am leaving in Canada and the diesel I take from my marina is the same as the one for cars so not sure.

Thank you!

A lot of great info here, especially thanks to Flotsam
for the list. Its a great starting point.
I'm just trying to do the right things and not end with
things they forgot to do but I don't want to piss off
the yard like I'm telling them what to do.
As a DDS, I hate it when patients tell me how to fix their teeth.

If they want it their way, I charge a lot more.

Lou_tribal said:

Two other questions regarding winterizing.
1. Should I top the fuel tanks?
2. Is it necessary to add antifreeze to diesel fuel? I am leaving in Canada and the diesel I take from my marina is the same as the one for cars so not sure.

Thank you!

Click to expand...

No, diesel does not need antifreeze. If you were planning on running the engines in very cold weather, you might add something called "antigel", but otherwise the fuel will be fine in the spring.

Topping the fuel tanks is a very controversial subject. Some say you must, others say you don't have to. I never have and have never had a problem.

Ken

If you fill w diesel don't fill to the top
I've seen several boats on the hard leaking diesel as the fuel heats up and expands...3/4 or so is fine

Thank you @Kchace!
Thank you @Bacchus!
This will save me couple of $ before winter that I will spend on spring cruise planning!

Thanks

Many thanks for all the advice. It has been extremely helpful. I'll let you know in spring if I have made any mistakes.

As far as servicing goes is there any significant problem if that is left until the end of winter?

Don't overlook the hydraulic steering

When winterizing it is always a good idea to depressurize the hydraulic steering reservoir. Cold climates can allow leakage on seals that are good at summer temperatures. Don't find a mess in the spring.

Sanitary systems- Dump holding tank. Flush with water and flush macerator pump. Remove suction hose from thruhull and put it in a bucket of antifreeze.

Only necessary if the toilet uses sea water...if your toilet uses pressurized flush water winterizing the fresh water system also winterizes the toilet. You can pour the antifreeze down the toilet to winterize the tank. However if your toilet uses both, you do have to winterize the sea water intake plumbing too. To winterize the overboard discharge pump, just turn it on for about 5 seconds (macerator pumps move 12 gal/min...you don't want to pull all the antifreeze out!) to run the antifreeze through it. Much easier than pulling off hoses and pouring antifreeze into the pump. Leave the seacock open unless the boat will remain in the water.

Run or pump toilet until bowl is pink.

No need to leave antifreeze in a bowl that's dry...it's not freezing temps that cause damage, it's water that expands 10% in a space too small to allow any expansion...no water, no freeze damage.

Pour a quart or so down the shower...

First, clean the sump by putting a couple of ounces of Raritan C.P. down the shower drain when it can stand at least overnight. then remove any remaining water with a hand pump, sponge or whatever works. Add antifreeze and run the sump pump replace any water in it with antifreeze.

...and a cup into each sink trap.

First clean the drains and any traps...Put a couple of ounces of Raritan CP into those and fill the trap with water when it can stand overnight (do it at the same time you clean the sump). Then put antifreeze in the traps if there are any. There really shouldn't be unless your sink water goes into a gray water tank--which, btw, should be winterized the same way the sewage tank is.

Peggie
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