Moving 320DA to Lake Norman, NC next week - winterization??

[Rick Young]

I need some advice from you Lake Norman / Lake Wylie boaters. I am moving my 320DA from St. Louis to Lake Norman next week. I am going to have it dropped off at All Seasons Marina to have the bottom re-painted and the zincs replaced. Then off to its new home at the PYC.

My question has to do with winterization in this local. Those that I have already spoken with advocate a bilge heater and running the cabin heat at a low temp so the boat is useable all year round. The other suggestion still includes the bilge heater but winterizing the fresh and waste water systems, water heater, shower sump and heat/ac. I can still run the boat if I wish as long as I don't use these systems.

What do those of you that boat in this area do for winterization???

 

[Dave S]

Rick

I am on Lake Wylie and as long as you are in the water and have shore power, here is what I suggest.

Get a bilge heater. I use a Boat Safe Heater in my 260DA and it works just fine. This will protect your engines, generator, fresh water tank, hot water heater, and waste tank from freezing. Run your heat pump in the winter to keep everything in the cabin warm or if you would rather not run the heat pump then get a couple of quartz heaters. I have used both over the years and either way will work. If you plan to use your boat over the winter it is nice to be able to use your fresh water sytem. Since we use ours all winter and are on the water at least once a week during the winter, I installed some water shut offs for the transom shower, dock side water fill in the lazarette, and cockpit sink so I can drain those lines since they are all exposed to below freezing weather. You may also have an ice maker in your cockpit as well that will need to be turned off. Then I can use the rest of the fresh water system in the cabin. If you don't want to use your fresh water sytem at all, then merely drain those upper lines and you will be fine.

Here in Charlotte, if you have camper canvas you can be on the water any time the sun is shining and stay nice and toasty in the cockpit. We have been out on 40 degree days and thru solar heating it is about 75 degrees in our cockpit.

Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you.

Dave

 

[Kendall]

Exactly what Dave said....we use the bilge heater also and love winter boating here on Lake Wylie.

 

[Dennis P]

Rick

I am on Lake Wylie and as long as you are in the water and have shore power, here is what I suggest.

Get a bilge heater. I use a Boat Safe Heater in my 260DA and it works just fine. This will protect your engines, generator, fresh water tank, hot water heater, and waste tank from freezing. Run your heat pump in the winter to keep everything in the cabin warm or if you would rather not run the heat pump then get a couple of quartz heaters. I have used both over the years and either way will work. If you plan to use your boat over the winter it is nice to be able to use your fresh water sytem. Since we use ours all winter and are on the water at least once a week during the winter, I installed some water shut offs for the transom shower, dock side water fill in the lazarette, and cockpit sink so I can drain those lines since they are all exposed to below freezing weather. You may also have an ice maker in your cockpit as well that will need to be turned off. Then I can use the rest of the fresh water system in the cabin. If you don't want to use your fresh water sytem at all, then merely drain those upper lines and you will be fine.

Here in Charlotte, if you have camper canvas you can be on the water any time the sun is shining and stay nice and toasty in the cockpit. We have been out on 40 degree days and thru solar heating it is about 75 degrees in our cockpit.

Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you.

Dave

Hi Dave - I do plan to keep my boat in the water during this winter and wanted to know what size Boat Safe Heater you purchased? I plan to buy it this week and have the local Sea Ray dealer install it while my boat is in for some DTS recall work. Thanks!

 

[Dave S]

Dennis

I have the 750 watt model installed in mine.

Dave

 

[Dennis P]

Thanks Dave!

 

[Uplate]

I would like to tell my story about Boatsafe Heaters.

I bought the 750 watt version last season and hardwired it into one of my cabin outlets. I have a thermometer with both inside and outside temps that record min and max measurements (as recommended by another member of this forum).

I used the outside probe down in the engine compartment. I had recorded lows of 21 degrees, which concerned me a little. I called Boatsafe and explanied the situation. They sent me another heater imediately with no questions asked and I returned the old one. Well, I still recorded low temps of 21 degrees in the bilge. Not a big deal, it would have to stay way colder than this for quite a long time before the engines would actually freeze ( my boat stays in the water).

Last week I got a call from Boatsafe just checking to see how their product was performing, and I told them the above story.

Friday, I got a call from Tim Knight, the owner of Boatsafe and he said he wanted to make sure everything was OK. He is sending me another heater to try or to use both at my discretion. His only concern was that my engines are Safe. If I do not use it, I will send it back.

After some conversation about the problem, he said that my bilge was probably leaking heat somewhere (and I plug my vents), hence the low temps. He even offered to have someone come look at my boat to find out where this might be.

Final word, this is the most straight up, concerned, and genuine company I have ever dealt with. Tim gave me his personal number so I could report how things were going.

I could not recommend their product or service more! I went to the boat today and I think I have found where some heat may be exiting the bilge.

Boatsafe = #1 in my book.

 

[skolbe]

Good luck with the move. It was nice boating with you guys up here. I have an Xtreme Bilge Heater. I guess no more matching 320's in the Alton Pool.

 

[Dennis P]

Dennis

I have the 750 watt model installed in mine.

Dave

Dave,
The dealer estimated at best it would take 3 hours ($118 rate per hour) to install my BoatSafe heater wired to my switch panel, where I have an empty slot label of Stove (my Stove is butane). This sounds very expensive and would think it would take only an hour at most. I think I can do the job myself one weekend...I have wired my House, so how hard can it be to secure it and run the wires? Where did you install yours as I do plan to use the genny platform for storage?

 

[Dave S]

Dave,
The dealer estimated at best it would take 3 hours ($118 rate per hour) to install my BoatSafe heater wired to my switch panel, where I have an empty slot label of Stove (my Stove is butane). This sounds very expensive and would think it would take only an hour at most. I think I can do the job myself one weekend...I have wired my House, so how hard can it be to secure it and run the wires? Where did you install yours as I do plan to use the genny platform for storage?

I think three hours is about right. At least thats about how long it took me to install mine. You have to remove the interior panels in the mid cabin on the port side to run the wiring. I wired mine into a seperate breaker in the main power panel. And I mounted the heater on the generator platform. There was enough wire included with the heater to make the run up to the breaker panel as well.

 

[Kendall]

I guess I install my heater the redneck way....since I only use it in the cold winter months I just sit it in the bilge and run a drop cord to it. I leave the engine access panel open slightly for the cord. I pull it out when the weather gets warmer.

I also have a remote temperature probe in the bilge that I can see in the house just to be sure the heater is working as I don't winterize the boat.

Can the blocks actually freeze in these boats if they are sitting in water that is at the lowest 50 F? Always better safe than sorry.

 

[Dave S]

I guess I install my heater the redneck way....since I only use it in the cold winter months I just sit it in the bilge and run a drop cord to it. I leave the engine access panel open slightly for the cord. I pull it out when the weather gets warmer.

I also have a remote temperature probe in the bilge that I can see in the house just to be sure the heater is working as I don't winterize the boat.

Can the blocks actually freeze in these boats if they are sitting in water that is at the lowest 50 F? Always better safe than sorry.

Since yours is sitting on a lift, it is more probable that you could have problems. In the water it is doubtfull but if we get down into the single digits I would always want a bilge heater just the same.

Dave

 

[Dennis P]

Good to know the 3 hour estimate sounds about right...I'll install it on the genny platorm as well, so it spreads the heat out from the center...did not know I needed to remove interior panels...good to know and thanks... the BoatSafe will be great when I leave the boat at the yard to get the barrier & bottom paint done, as it is starting to get cold on these clear nights...just leave the switch on and no cords to bother with as it will be unattended...