When will you winterize?

D

Dave S

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TECHNICAL Contributor
Oct 3, 2006
6,014
Upstate South Carolina
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Down here in Charlotte everyone usually winterizes around November or December. Since my boat will stay in the water year round winterization only invlolves a bilge heater and a cabin heater plus emptying the freshwater system.

So when do you winterize in your area?
 
Done last week. Towing it tomorrow to "inside storage". I'm really going to miss her. :cry: It's going to be the longest winter of my life!
-Mike
 
About the same time as you Dave since we are essentially in the same area. I normally take mine in just after Thanksgiving and splash her again in late Feb. or March. During early spring, I normally drain the block, manifolds, ps cooler and water pump after each outing as it is quite possible to have a hard freeze in late Feb./early March.
 
In Florida hopefully never, but usually only for December through January. But with the boat out of the water is typically only involves not using it because it is too cold. :lol:
 
I drain the water out of my 210br engine from Labor Day to Memorial Day. I change the oils etc. in late Oct. Here in Colorado the elevation is 6200' above sea level and it can get cold at night.
 
Hope not to this year. I've added a Bilge Heater and Full camper top. Since its slipped hope to get a couple good days in the winter on it.
 
We boat all winter ... usually I winterize the water and head system. Have a heater in the cabin and bilge though. I may run some AF in the engines and genny just to be sure , but we will certainly boat up until after Christmas.
 
We usually boat all winter (even if it gets a little wet), so we don't truly winterize. The water temp in Puget Sound is 50-60 degrees year round

However, this will be my first winter with this boat. In my previous boat, the water tank was in the head area, so all I had to do was run an electric heater in the cabin.

My worry with the SR290 is that the water tank is uninsulated and is in the engine compartment, so it seems vulnerable. Looks like I may have to buy a bilge heater.
 
mrtopknight said:
Are bilge heaters safe? I would be afraid of fires
Click to expand...

Uhhmmm ... that's why they're bilge heaters, duh :smt017

There are two types out there: BENSACO BoatSafe and XTREME bilge heaters. I've got a BENSACO
 
Thanks for the info, Alex. I'll check them out. :thumbsup:

mrtopknight: The bilge heaters are designed to be ignition protected, but I do agree with your concern. That's why I am at my boat at least once a week every week, even during the winter. The motor needs to be turned over every week. It is afterall a machine and machines like to be used, not sit around idle for six months at a time. But, I'll get off my soapbox... :grin:
 
Tacoma290 said:
Thanks for the info, Alex. I'll check them out. :thumbsup:

mrtopknight: The bilge heaters are designed to be ignition protected, but I do agree with your concern. That's why I am at my boat at least once a week every week, even during the winter. The motor needs to be turned over every week. It is afterall a machine and machines like to be used, not sit around idle for six months at a time. But, I'll get off my soapbox... :grin:
Click to expand...

Tacoma especially check out the XTREME heaters! They are MUCH smaller and therefore a lot easier to install that the somewhat unwieldy large BENSACO.
 
I try to hold off until the first of December. But I am on the boat every nice weekend thru winter. It is very quiet at the marina in Jan. & Feb.
 
Sadly I'll be pulling the Sea Ray out on Monday. We are planning a weekend trip to end our cruising season. The Donzi will still be ready to go for a few more weeks and the fishboat has been out every month of the year.

Frank
NOT ready to give up... :smt089
 
We will fill the fresh water tank up with the pink stuff in late December. I will re-install the Boat Safe Bilge heater about the same time. Other than that, we do not winterize as we use her year round, Richmond, VA.
 
We're planning to be in the water all winter on the Oklahoma/Texas border on Lake Texoma where the record low lake temperature is 46 degrees. As for air temperature, historical records show that the area does not experience more than two consecutive days where the high is below 32 degrees. I have a BoatSafe bilge heater installed, and plan to cover the vents so the engine compartment should be fine. My mechanic is three slips down and lives aboard year round so he can start the generator if the marina looses power. However, this is my first year owning this boat and I'm still unsure of how to heat the cabin while I'm away. Do I keep the reverse-cycle heat set to 55 degrees (the lowest temperature I can set) or do I purchase a small cabin heater like the one below? Any suggesstions would be appreciated? We have a full camper enclosure and plan on being on the boat at least two weekends a month during the winter and was hoping that I would not have to winterize.

Cabin Heater http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...831/0/0/heater/All_2/mode+matchallpartial/0/0
 
when to winterize

I finished up the basics last week end and the boat will be washed tomorrow. Friday, I'll take it the marina where we store and put it into heated storage. This will be interesting in gale force Lake Michigan terrible weather. It is supposed to be snowing and 34 degrees. The marina is right off the Lake Michigan inlet and we will not be going out into the 13 foot seas; but getting into the Travel Hoist will be fun. :smt009
 
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