Winter with bubble system at Trump Marina

[ieyp35d]

I am playing with the idea of keeping my boat, which is a 1994 330DA Sundancer, down over the winter at Farley State Marina/Trump Marina. One of the other boaters at my dock rather than winterizing the boat, places an engine heater in his compartment and places it in a slip at Trump which is equipped with a bubble system.

I have alway had my boat pulled for the winter and winterized, so this is all new to me. The idea of having the boat accessible and at the casino is very appealing. I just need some guidance as to what to do. The marina provides electric and, of course, the bubble system. I understand water is variable

Obviously I need to install an appropriate heater in the engine compartment. I should cover up with insulation the vents. THe boat has reverse cycle heat, so keeping heat on is logical. What else do I need to anticipate doing? Any advise is appreciated.

Thanks
Jordan

 

[walts]

Jordan,
I leave my boat in all year. The marina provides bubblers to keep the ice away, however I still winterize the boat. I don't use any of the on board systems during layup. I would not trust the reverse heat system to keep everything from freezing. The same applies to an engine room heater. I do use the boat during the layup by using a ceramic heater when onboard. It is neet to look out over the ice and snow while nice and warm under the canvus. Unless you plan on using the motors for some reason, I would still winterize

Walt

 

[waterlogged]

I also keep mine in all winter. Like Walt, its fully winterized. I don't use it either, with the exception of going down and soing some projects. Its in a covered slip which helps.

 

[Skip]

Ditto.
I do annual services then full winterization of my boat's systems, engines, gen set, etc. then pay a local marine outfit to do an in water shrink wrap. After the spring rush I will haul and do anodes, bottom paint, compound, polish and wax the boat, and swap out my props with the spares.
My marina uses bubblers as well.

regards
Skip

 

[comsnark]

My family has kept a sailboat in the water every other winter over 25+ years.

Winterization of the boat is a must. There is NO WAY to ensure that the engine compartment is going to stay warm over winter. . you might do ok on 25F days, but the inevitable 0F nights will nail you. Also, don't forget your fresh water systems also need protection.

 

[osd9]

A good friend of mine keeps his 370DA at Farley's for the season. He also keeps his boat in the water there for the winter. He and his wife uses the boat as their weekend home.......all year. He doesn't cover his boat. A few of my neighbors and I also leave our boats in the water through the winter. We will have ours shrink wrapped in the water.

We ALL winterize our boats....Fresh water systems, HVAC systems, Head Systems, Generators, and engines. We all also have engine compartment heaters installed.

What we do is..... winterize the boats "systems" (Everything but the mains) sometime generally towards the end of November. Thanksgiving weekend, while the admiral is out shopping, is usually a good time, and excuse not to have to go shopping, to spend some quality time in the bilge.

As for the mains, we usually don't winteriz them until late December, or early January. You can usually monitor the temperatures in your area, and know when winter is going to "settle in" with enough advance notice to get down to the boat and suck up some antifreeze through the mains. BUT, that is why we all have the ER heaters going.....just for the little edge.

On March 1, or sometimes earlier depending on the weather forcast, I start up the mains.....but leave the ER heater going.
That way, you only leave the engines idle for about 2 months or so. I prefer to start my engines at least once a week rather than leave them idle.

We re-commission the "systems" sometime in mid to late April.

 

[goblue]

Deciding to keep a boat in the water for the winter has more to do with your insurance contract and how the ice goes out in the spring than the winter temps. Many insurance contracts specify layup dates. Two years ago the ice went out of our slip and snapped a spring pile off that was 18" in diameter and jetted into the mud 25 feet. The force of the ice flow would have sunk my boat and the loss would not have been covered.

 

[waterlogged]

goblue brings up a good point. I had to have a rider added to my policy to cover the in-water storage. It only cost $50, but we had to submit a document from the marina saying that someone was there 7 days a week.

 

[osd9]

The insurance concern is very good point. I have Allstate, and the first year before I wintered my 1993 330DA in the water back in 1999, I called and my agent said that there was nothing I had to do differently. I have a very good relationship with my agent, as I have been doing business with him since 1985, and I have 3 cars, two homes, life insurance, an umbrella policy and my boat covered through his office. Every year I call to confirm that the policy hasn't changed and I take pictures of all systems winterized and covered for the record.....