Winter Wet Storage Prep

[Calypso413]

I am going to be storing my Caliber 33 at Pope’s Island Marina in Mew. Redford this winter. I have never stored by boat in the water and there is a lot of information and opinions on the web. I will of course be winterizing it as usual, doing the water system, engine, bilge, closing thru hulls, removing sails, etc. The question I have is this, should I keep the shore power (all inclusive, set price) plugged in all winter and run some kind of anti freeze safe heater and dehumidifier? If so, brand and model recommendations?
Oh, I’m 2.5 hrs from the boat so can check periodically not weekly. Should I get it shrink wrapped or do people in NB harbor leave their boats in water without shrink?
As for dock lines, anyone familiar with the harbor, meaning, do I really need chafe lines and excessive amounts of fenders? Do I need to position it differently in the slip or secure it as I normally would during the summer?
Any other suggestions?

 

[twodzusfittings]

When I store my boat in the water over the winter, like you plan to, I winterize all the systems. I do not like to leave my boat plugged in to shore power. Just like at home, I unplug the toaster and my charging station for my tools, etc. I have seen pictures of the aftermath of marine electrical fires and it scares the crap out of me. So instead I put Damp Rid bags around the boat. That helps tremendously with moisture. I do not shrink wrap, however I use a tarp over the boom and secure it like a tent over the life lines. This helps when it snows to have the snow drop over the sides of the boat. I use a tarp long enough (from the mast) to extend over the whole cockpit and use the Bimini frame to create a tented area. This way, when I visit the boat every two to three weeks, I have shelter if its bad weather and the cockpit does not fill up with snow. Over the winter I am active doing small improvements and upgrades, so a dry (ish) area is a plus. As for dock lines, my marina is very sheltered, however I always double my lines, just for peace of mind. I change out my regular nice lines and use older, discolored lines, three strand, for my winter berthing. It's just what I do.
One thing to mention, with the tarp. I buy a heavy duty silver tarp and ad many more grommets. I also use bungee cords all around. This way when the wind blows hard, there is flexibility in the tarp.I wrap the one end around the mast and use a bungee cord without hooks to shoelace tie the ends together. I buy my bungee cord in bulk on a roll and make my own to size for each connection point and reuse the hooks. It works for me.

 

[dlochner]

Tarps are best secured with lines from the edge grommets and lines over the top of the tarp. The lines over the tarp significantly reduce billowing and flapping which will cause a tarp to tear at the grommets.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Instead of the Damp-Rid products, try my solution. Less expensive than using Damp-Rid and more effective IMHO.
See my post #32 in this thread:

Best Winter Storage Tips

Please, please, please do this ONLY if you have a simple plumbing system. Each spring I get to repair frozen plumbing issues from DIY's who tried to blow out lines. This is why most boatyards use the pink. I don't know a single yard in Maine that uses air and it's because they eat too many burst...

forums.sailboatowners.com

 

[Calypso413]

All great tips so far. What about the exhaust, I have read something about ice build up there when in a wet slip, so after the engine is winterized should I do something to the exhaust?

 

[Calypso413]

Also, should I have the boat hauled and zincs replaced before winter or do it in the spring. I'm not sure what the marina offers, but I have ready that if a boat is going to sit in the water all winter, zincs should be replaced. I had thought I would just have the yard haul it in the spring for a day while I power wash the hull, change zincs, and touch up the spots that need paint. Last time it was out of the water was at the end of last winter which was late June (late launch this year)

 

[Art12050]

Just curious……what made you decide to store your boat in the water? New Bedford is a secure harbor, especially with the Hurricane Barrier, but we can have some harsh winters here in New England.

 

[shemandr]

Be mindful that the big blows in the fall, winter and spring are from the North East. Usually boats in New England are set in their slips for the prevailing SW winds of summer. Part of that mindfulness is the difference in fetch for what are 180 degree difference in wind directions. Ask yourself if the wind direction will put your boat on the dock or off it. I think off is better. There is also the question of floating vs. stationary docks and how that relates to tide. Obviously storms bring high tides which are fine at a floating dock until the dock floats off the poles (It happens). Fixed docks make it pretty hard to set lines and forget for weeks at a time. If there is someone to check as much as daily it's prolly OK. Other than that I would like awake at night when the wind is blowing while wondering what was going on down at the boat.
You'll probably want bubblizers or ice eaters in the slip.
I'd be surprised if the marina would permit leaving the shore power on.
Bumpers depend on how the boat sits against the dock. You may want to use fender boards as they are tougher.
You need to let your insurance company know of the situation and I expect the marina would require that too. I expect the INSCO will require not using the boat from November 1 to something like April 1st.

 

[Calypso413]

Just curious……what made you decide to store your boat in the water? New Bedford is a secure harbor, especially with the Hurricane Barrier, but we can have some harsh winters here in New England.

I had no choice, I moved from RI to Bayline Boatyard in NB because they had space for me, they just dropped the ball and didn’t put me on the winter list so in August the only option was Pope’s Island Marina and all they had was wet slips. They tell me they have many sailboats in wet slips, some with covers, some without, some live aboard, some not. They also say it never freezes in the harbor but with my luck it will be a brutal winter…I will certainly ask sailboat neighbors in the marina what their techniques are and ask the local marina and boat yard folks for tips, but the more opinions I can gather the better. I would not choose wet storage, next year I will find a place that I can be back on the hard during winter months…

 

[dLj]

All great tips so far. What about the exhaust, I have read something about ice build up there when in a wet slip, so after the engine is winterized should I do something to the exhaust?

When winterizing the engine, run enough antifreeze through until antifreeze is coming out the exhaust - that takes care of the exhaust side.

dj

 

[Calypso413]

When winterizing the engine, run enough antifreeze through until antifreeze is coming out the exhaust - that takes care of the exhaust side.

dj

Okay that's what I usually do, but what I read implied blocking the exhaust so ice wouldn't build up in it, maybe from the water sloshing in and around it.

 

[shemandr]

I could imagine that could be a problem. Certainly if fresh or brackish water. But even in salt water. Dock denizens say the warmth of the salt water keeps the bilge from freezing where the air temperature is lower than the water temp. So maybe the exhaust too.
I kept my boat in the water for one winter season supervised by the selling broker. No exhaust closure to my knowledge.

 

[dLj]

Okay that's what I usually do, but what I read implied blocking the exhaust so ice wouldn't build up in it, maybe from the water sloshing in and around it.

I've never had a problem. You'd have to get a lot of water in there...

dj