Winterizing for a boat in water...

[purplehayes]

Hey All,

Just a quick one as a first time boat owner.

I have a 290 Amberjack which will (if all is as per plan) stay in the water for the winter. Are there any specific considerations for winterizing a boat that will be remaining in the water versus one which is coming out. I will be running the little heaters in the engine compartment as well as below deck...

Cheers

 

[Uplate]

Hey All,

Just a quick one as a first time boat owner.

I have a 290 Amberjack which will (if all is as per plan) stay in the water for the winter. Are there any specific considerations for winterizing a boat that will be remaining in the water versus one which is coming out. I will be running the little heaters in the engine compartment as well as below deck...

Cheers

My suggestion would be too forget about the "little heaters" unless they are designed for engine compartment and are ignition safe. Being in Canada I would fully winterize engines, AC, and Fresh water systems as if it was out of the water on a trailer.

I am way further south than you and still suffered some freeze damage and using a Boatsafe heater. My boat stays in the water and we had a hard lake freeze last winter. You probably do not want to suffer the cost of replacing an engine (or two) from freeze damage.

My boat stays in the water all year.

 

[wish2fish]

Hopefully you are planning to winterize the freshwater system completely? Fiberglass is a lousy insulator, and if the water lines are near the sides of the boat, they'll freeze, even though the cabin interior is warmed via heaters.

:huh:

what was all that pink stuff I put in the walls of my house! :grin:

 

[rcknecht]

I keep mine in the water without a heater... I winterize the same as on land, but the seacocks are closed. I blow out throught the AC seacock and shut it off I will pour pick in all the strainers when I am done. I pour pink in the bilge. If you get any rain or leaks, you don't want to have you bilge pumps freeze. Make sure where you plan to keep the boat you have enough bubblers to keep the water from freezing around the boat. If you can, get your boat shrink wraped, with a zipper for access. Here's a pic of my boat last year in the very warm South Jersey:

 

[00squirrel]

I am way further south than you and still suffered some freeze damage and using a Boatsafe heater. My boat stays in the water and we had a hard lake freeze last winter. You probably do not want to suffer the cost of replacing an engine (or two) from freeze damage.

What sort of damage? I'm in Knoxville and I have used BoatSafe for several years with no issues.

 

[Bodkin Creek George]

There is a lot of piece of mind to having your boat either on dry land or a lift for the winter. You should NEVER use a heater unless it is approved for marine use. Failure to do so could result in the loss of you boat and maybe others as well. If you decide to leave it in the water then every time it snows heavy you must check your boat. Snow pushes it down and covers exhaust and above the water line thru hulls. If you live close by it's not a problem. When purging your raw water system remember to fill the system completely with the "PURPLE" stuff. Pink has no corrosive protection for the engines. As mentioned before, make sure your bilge pump is working and PINK stuff in the bilge. I keep mine on a lift at my house. Years ago I left one in the water at a Marina all winter. Never again. Too many variables. Peace of mind is a lot on a cold snowy winters night.
George

 

[Hellman Huddle]

Send me a plane ticket and I'll bring it to Sunny South Carolina and park it at my dock. We boat all winter down here. You can fly down time to time and go for a ride. But, if you leave it with me, the hour meter will be moving. :lol::lol::lol: