Polaris
Member
With the forecast for below freezing tonight (4/9) in the mid-Atlantic I am thinking about putting some form of heat by the motor and water tank. Probably a work light. Any other suggestions?
Heating engine compartment?
- Thread starter Polaris
- Start date
Here's a recent thread about the exact same subject (easier than retyping everything! :smt001 )
http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/77563-Below-freezing-for-a-few-hours-Should-I-worry
http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/77563-Below-freezing-for-a-few-hours-Should-I-worry
WDCboater
Member
- Oct 3, 2010
- 962
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- 2010 350 Sundancer
Raymarine c95 GPS
KVH Satellite
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- Twin Mercury 8.1 Horizon V-Drives
You can actually buy bilge heaters, but they aren't inexpensive or quick/simple to install since they need to be wired in.
With that said, I'm in DC. We are thinking of staying onboard tonight and running the generator. If it was only going to get down to 32 we would t be concerned because we wouldn't hit that low for very long, but with lows predicted in the mid to upper 20's it will be below freezing all night. By running our generator we'll generate enough heat to keep the engine compartment above freezing. At least that is the plan.
The heat is on in the cabin so that should prevent any issue with water lines in the cabin.
We've had a freeze scare like this in April in the seven years I've had a boat in DC.
With that said, I'm in DC. We are thinking of staying onboard tonight and running the generator. If it was only going to get down to 32 we would t be concerned because we wouldn't hit that low for very long, but with lows predicted in the mid to upper 20's it will be below freezing all night. By running our generator we'll generate enough heat to keep the engine compartment above freezing. At least that is the plan.
The heat is on in the cabin so that should prevent any issue with water lines in the cabin.
We've had a freeze scare like this in April in the seven years I've had a boat in DC.
bankyf
Member
In my opinion, the danger of fire from the work light is FAR greater than the risk of any damage from temperatures a few degrees below freezing for a few hours. If the boat is in the water, the water temp will likely keep the temps above freezing in the bilge. Even if it is not in the water, it's just not cold enough/long enough to do any damage, especially with highs near 50 today.
sbw1
Well-Known Member
- Oct 10, 2006
- 8,189
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- This is listed in my signature
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- This is listed in my signature
Agree with the assessment that the engine(s) will not be an issue in the 20s for a few hours especially if they have been run. However, a windy, cold night would cause me to wonder about potable water lines running to hand lavs, heads and ice makers. On occasion we have run a space heater in the cockpit or turned on the reverse cycle heat to prevent that. It takes many hours of cold weather to freeze things at our latitude in Michigan when water temps are in the low 40s. My avatar was taken in early April when it was probably down to 19 degrees that night. We probably had a cockpit heater going that night, but maybe just started the engines to warm things up.
Black Valkyrie
Active Member
75 and sunny here.
northshore
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- Jan 17, 2011
- 2,096
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- 1989 340 Sundancer
Raymarine E90W Radar/Chartplotter
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- Twin 454 Mercruiser 340's
In the immortal words of Opus the Penguin...... THPPTHHHHTP!
I woke up to four inches of 'partly cloudy' this morning.
boatman37
Well-Known Member
- Jun 6, 2015
- 4,256
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- 2006 Crownline 250CR. 5.7 Merc BIII
Previous: 1986 Sea Ray 250 Sundancer. 260 Merc Alpha 1 Gen 1
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- 5.7 Merc BIII
last fall i pulled the 4 engine drain plugs and the couple hoses the merc manual says to. i also disconnected the hose from the fresh water tank and drained it. then we decided to put the boat in undergroud storage so didn't do anything else. i would have blown out the fresh water lines and double checked everything but no need to with it being in a constant 55* environment. so its home now and i got a little nervous so i have an electric oil filled heater that i set in the cabin and set on low with the camper top on and set a thermometer inside. earlier today it was 50* in there but it will be much colder tonight than a few hours ago. pretty sure i will be ok anyway but figured the heater would help. it isn't in the engine compartment but setting on the cabin floor
WDCboater
Member
- Oct 3, 2010
- 962
- Boat Info
- 2010 350 Sundancer
Raymarine c95 GPS
KVH Satellite
- Engines
- Twin Mercury 8.1 Horizon V-Drives
So I stayed on the boat last night. Cabin was nice and warm.
Around 11pm it was still 36 at the marina, but I fired up both engines and the generator and ran them until they hit their normal operating temp. At 3am I got up just to check the air temp. It was 31. I checked the engine temps on the SmartCraft. Both were still above 75.
I fired up the generator and let it run for about 15 minutes and then shut it down and went back to bed.
This morning it was 29 at the boat at 7am. Both engines showed 60. All good.
Ran water in all of the sinks a few times and no issues. Water temp is 55 at our marina.
Overall it it was a nice, quiet evening on the boat.
Around 11pm it was still 36 at the marina, but I fired up both engines and the generator and ran them until they hit their normal operating temp. At 3am I got up just to check the air temp. It was 31. I checked the engine temps on the SmartCraft. Both were still above 75.
I fired up the generator and let it run for about 15 minutes and then shut it down and went back to bed.
This morning it was 29 at the boat at 7am. Both engines showed 60. All good.
Ran water in all of the sinks a few times and no issues. Water temp is 55 at our marina.
Overall it it was a nice, quiet evening on the boat.
