winterizing in NC

[sarbog]

Boat is in Beaufort NC and will stay in the slip all winter with some use but probably not a lot. What do you all do for winterizing ('05 340 Dancer, twin 8.1 Horizons and genny). I was going to empty the water tanks and pump the holding tank, set cabin temp to about 50, but really not sure it I need to do anything else. Bilge heater is a possibility but do I really need to spend hundreds of dollars on one? I'v lived here a long time and every now and again there will be a true cold snap. Genereally they only last a few days and rarely does it not get above freezing for several days on the coast. Usually cold is in the 20's overnight and back in the 40's and 50's during the day. Water temps generally in mid to high 40's at coldest.

 

[JimG]

That's a tough call... if your close enough and able to go to check on the boat ahead of predicted cold snaps, you will probably be OK. With cabin temperature at 50 and in the water, you will likely be OK. That said, its pretty easy to pull a plug and hit the little blue pump on those Horizons.

I'd probably leave a half of a bottle of water in the cockpit all winter and check on it after cold snaps just to see.

 

[mquiet]

We leave our 340 in the water in NC all winter. Water never gets below 50 as stated. I keep cabin heater at 60 and we use a bilge heater. We visit and stay off it every couple of weeks and have not had a problem. We also keep fresh water tank full as the marina will occasionally turn off the water. Hope this helps.


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[sarbog]

Very helpful. Yes I am close enough to check on it ahead of predicted cold snaps and turn up the heat, etc. I am fairly comfortable that truly unusually bitter cold weather would have a few days advance notice/prediciton. If I use a bilge heater would I need it before, say, January (assuming normal weather pattern). I am usually running on the beach in shorts and a t-shirt in December.

 

[mquiet]

Most likely that would be fine. I put the heater in in December and just don't worry about it. You can also plug the vents, but if you run the engines don't forget to remove them.


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[sarbog]

Thanks for the good info. Guess I'll leave water in the tank with the bilge heater. Are they hard to wire.

 

[mquiet]

run an extension cord from your outlet on the deck through the access hatch (emergency opening when actuator fails) and just set up on the bottom.