Winterizing a Dallas TX boat with bilge heater

[dsteele1]

What do I need to winterize if I have a bilge heater and live in Dallas where the boat will be in water year around.

Our winters get below freezing only 5 days out of the year and the water temp at the lake gets only as low as 50 degrees?

I have a Cruisair AC unit.

Thanks! :grin:

 

[Diversion]

Dsteele1,
Absolutely nothing is the answer as long as long as the electricity stays on those 5 days. I've done this for past 4 years with no issues. Bilge heater is plugged into a marina slip.
Good Luck,

 

[Scholarship]

I've been on Lake Texoma for three winters and have never winterized my 280. I have a bilge heater, keep my cabin heater set to 55 degrees and have full canvas installed. I place a high/low theremometer in the bilge, cockpit and cabin and none of them (including the cockpit) has ever registered under 34 degrees. I have also never lost power at my marina. I visit the boat every few weeks in winter and run the engines and genny for an hour or so and have no plans to change my strategy as its worked very well.

 

[95290]

What's with this fffuusky clown? Looks like a little cleanup is due here.

 

[Dave S]

Don

Mine stays in the water year round as well. I use a Boat Safe Bilge heater to keep everything above freezing in the engine room. I also installed valves on my fresh water system to turn off the transom shower, the faucet in the Lazarette, and the cockpit sink since they do get exposed to freezing temperatures. That way I can use the rest of my freshwater system all winter long. I heat the cabin with the Heat Pump until our lake water drops into the mid 40's then I use Ceramic Heaters since the heat pump is not very efficient at that point. I also use a ceramic heater in the cockpit with our camper canvas if we are at the dock. It gets the cockpit up to shirt sleeve temperatures in no time.

Dave