I usually take a shop vac to the fitting on the outside the boat. I also take the top off of my AC seawater strainer and use the shop vac on the through hull to get the water out of there.

I've never put antifreeze in either one and I've never had any problems.

 

I like this idea. Thanks for sharing!

Rob

 

Dude, unless your in the southern Hemisphere, you should not be asking about winterization now......kills the buzz

 

Oh, my bad.....:smt101

Always thinking ahead.

Rob

 

I don't think I've ever winterized a bilge pump.

 

The winterization is not for the pump but for the hoses, and in this case the one-way valve, from the pump to the thru-hull. In the larger boats the hoses can be long with dips where water collects. The water freezes and hose splits. The during the following season bilge water does not make it over board and now you have a safety issue. Plus having to replace that hose can be difficult depending on the model.

Thanks,

Rob

 

Can definitely see how this is a buzzkill for folks just now getting their boats in the water. When I do it, I pour a gallon of fluid in the bilge & flip the switch.

 

Use the bilge pump. Dump pink in the bilge until the pump turns on, done. I've don't the vacuum bit too, that works good.

 

The problem with dumping anti-freeze in the bilge until the pump turns on is that on the bigger boats you would have to put in gallons, 10+. For example there are 3 pumps in the aft bilge at varying heights. You basically have to fill the bilge to get a 1/2 gallon of anti-freeze to be pumped through the pump hoses.

Thanks,

Rob