jim_m5
Member
1st time I've had a generator. I have a bilge heater and plan to use boat year-round. Is there anything I should be worried about in the 340. With my 260 there was no change to maintnenance with the bilge heater.
is winterizing required with bilge heater
- Thread starter jim_m5
- Start date
Jim,
Up here in the mountains I winterize the fresh water system. The bilge heater does the rest. I know you don't get as cold as us, but do you have any exposed water lines?
Chuck
Up here in the mountains I winterize the fresh water system. The bilge heater does the rest. I know you don't get as cold as us, but do you have any exposed water lines?
Chuck
Southpaw II
Active Member
Jim,
I think it depends on some other factors. If you keep your boat in a marina, with the canvas cover on, you will be OK. Also, it depends on the wattage and brand of your heater. I kept my 290DA in the water year-round in North Mississippi (Bay Springs Lake) without problems, but I also kept heat on in the cabin, and occasionally cranked the motors and genset...about once a week. The first year, I put the pink stuff in the fresh water system. After that, I didn't. I have used the Boatsafe 750 watt heater on all of my boats. Be watchful about the power going out (ice storms), and water temps, as the Crusair units get more inefficient below 40 degrees F. water temp.
I think it depends on some other factors. If you keep your boat in a marina, with the canvas cover on, you will be OK. Also, it depends on the wattage and brand of your heater. I kept my 290DA in the water year-round in North Mississippi (Bay Springs Lake) without problems, but I also kept heat on in the cabin, and occasionally cranked the motors and genset...about once a week. The first year, I put the pink stuff in the fresh water system. After that, I didn't. I have used the Boatsafe 750 watt heater on all of my boats. Be watchful about the power going out (ice storms), and water temps, as the Crusair units get more inefficient below 40 degrees F. water temp.
There are two things to be mindful of here in the south when we talk about "winterization". First off is what would happen if your shore power failed and secondly whether you have adequately protected your fresh water system from freezing (even if you have a bilge heater and heat in the cockpit. )
Only you can asses the risk of loosing shore power but with your daytime highs typically above freezing in the dead of winter, the risk of serious engine damage is minimal even if you loose shore power and your bilge heater. As to your fresh water system, I keep mine active thru the winter but that meant having to install shut off valves for the water lines exposed to freezing temperatures. Those would be the cockpit sink, the transom shower and the dock side water hookup as well as the spigot in lazarrette. Many folks in my marina neglect those things and invariably the freezing weather causes breaks from freezing. And naturally if you are going to use your water system it is necessary to heat your cabin as well to prevent water from freezing in the lines in there as well.
Dave
Only you can asses the risk of loosing shore power but with your daytime highs typically above freezing in the dead of winter, the risk of serious engine damage is minimal even if you loose shore power and your bilge heater. As to your fresh water system, I keep mine active thru the winter but that meant having to install shut off valves for the water lines exposed to freezing temperatures. Those would be the cockpit sink, the transom shower and the dock side water hookup as well as the spigot in lazarrette. Many folks in my marina neglect those things and invariably the freezing weather causes breaks from freezing. And naturally if you are going to use your water system it is necessary to heat your cabin as well to prevent water from freezing in the lines in there as well.
Dave
Uplate
New Member
- Oct 13, 2008
- 977
- Boat Info
- 1998 Sea Ray Sundancer 310
Westebeke 4KW Generator
- Engines
- Twin 5.7 Mercruiser Carbuerated.
Alpha 1 Drives
It is really a hard call here in the South. I winterized my fresh water and AC system last winter and also have the boatsafe 750, so did not winterize the engines.
Last winter I could have easily got by without winterizing the rest. I am on the fence about it this year. We like to boat all year round, so when the AC and FW are winterized, no head, no heat, etc.
Better safe than Sorry I understand...but it is a hard call in this zone.
Last winter I could have easily got by without winterizing the rest. I am on the fence about it this year. We like to boat all year round, so when the AC and FW are winterized, no head, no heat, etc.
Better safe than Sorry I understand...but it is a hard call in this zone.
Alex D
Active Member
I am in VA and I don't winterize because we also like to head out in the winter. I have a large BoatSafe bilge heater and a West Marine Cabin heater hooked up that's all.
Also, don't udnerestimate the buffer effect of the water mostly being at least 40F all winter here ... even if it gets cold, and we have usually single digits a few times during the winter, the surrounding water buffers it quite well.
Also, don't udnerestimate the buffer effect of the water mostly being at least 40F all winter here ... even if it gets cold, and we have usually single digits a few times during the winter, the surrounding water buffers it quite well.
Last edited:
everthing's irie
New Member
You will need to make sure your sink up top is drained. otherwise your fine. I leave the valve open in the winter when we leave the boat. We use our boat throughout the winter including the cockpit sink. We're on Allatoona. Make sure to test your bilge heater before it gets cold. You need some refrigerant to spray in the the heater to force it to come on. I found a can at radio shack.
