Winterizing

stanj

.
Oct 9, 2017
5
Catalina 22 Toronto
I am a new owner of an older 22 getting ready to winterise the boat which will be stored on land in Toronto. How do I ensure that all the water is drained from the boat. After running the bilge pump, there is still some water left in the bilge. Thanks!
 
Aug 13, 2012
533
Catalina 270 Ottawa
Pour some antifreeze into the bilge and pump it out using the bilge pump. Repeat until you see solid pink AF coming out. This way you not only remove any water from the bilge, but also winterise the pump. If you have multiple pumps, repeat the procedure for each of them. When you are done sponge the remaining AF (wear rubber gloves).
 

stanj

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Oct 9, 2017
5
Catalina 22 Toronto
Many thanks for this sound advice. What should I do re the Porta Potty? Are there any drain plugs that should be opened? Many thanks!
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,075
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Many thanks for this sound advice. What should I do re the Porta Potty? Are there any drain plugs that should be opened? Many thanks!
The one consistent feature of every porta potty is the "porta..." capability.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Be sure and run your outboard dry. I used to bring mine home and store it inside.
 
May 23, 2016
1,024
Catalina 22 #12502 BSC
+1 on both outboard & pottie...

Also, if you have water in the "bilge" find out where it's coming from, shouldn't be any! Usual suspects are forward scupper drains on pre-86 models, port lights, any thru-hull fittings, pop-top gasket, front hatch gasket, sliding hatch, crib boards, all deck fittings/chain plates.....from my experience. Make sure the entire boat is shrink wrapped or very well tarped (allow for snow load).
 
Aug 13, 2012
533
Catalina 270 Ottawa
@Don S/V ILLusion: In Ontario (the OP is in Toronto) your marine porta-potty has to be permanently fixed to the boat (and fitted with a pump out port. So it is (or at least should not be) portable.

Pump it out and make sure that there is no water in the water tank (the top, which should be removable). When i had a smaller boat (with a porta-potty), i used to take the top part (where the pump is) home for the winter. The plastic pump does not seem to like cold.

Additionally, make sure that water did not collect in any places where it cannot drain (e.g. spreaders (if they are hanging tips down), boarding ladder, even pull-pit/push-pit). You may not have that low temperatures in Toronto, but if it happens, water tends to expand and things gets split.

The outboard has to be self-draining, but in never hurts to run a bit of AF through it. Or at least blow it with air.
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,075
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
@Don S/V ILLusion: In Ontario (the OP is in Toronto) your marine porta-potty has to be permanently fixed to the boat (and fitted with a pump out port. So it is (or at least should not be) portable.

Pump it out and make sure that there is no water in the water tank (the top, which should be removable). When i had a smaller boat (with a porta-potty), i used to take the top part (where the pump is) home for the winter. The plastic pump does not seem to like cold.

Additionally, make sure that water did not collect in any places where it cannot drain (e.g. spreaders (if they are hanging tips down), boarding ladder, even pull-pit/push-pit). You may not have that low temperatures in Toronto, but if it happens, water tends to expand and things gets split.

The outboard has to be self-draining, but in never hurts to run a bit of AF through it. Or at least blow it with air.
Didn't know that, thanks for the info
 

SG

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
If you shrink wrap the boat --- MAKE SURE IT'S VENTILATED. Also, I have seen reported that are some cases where the paint or varnish is "popped" when in contact with shrink wrap.
 
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Jul 12, 2011
1,165
Leopard 40 Jupiter, Florida
If you're not used to winterizing outboards, ask about stabilizing the stored gasoline and also "fogging" the cylinders to avoid corrosion and fuel system issues. I'll give you one guess how I figured this out!
 
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stanj

.
Oct 9, 2017
5
Catalina 22 Toronto
Many thanks for all these helpful replies. If you have never been to Toronto in February, trust me it gets damn cold. The outboard will be taken off and delivered to a shop for a tune up and winter storage. The boat will rest on a shoreline cradle covered with heavy duty tarps.
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
I can attest to the frigid air sweeping in off of Lake Ontario in February, years ago I was part of a group that build a large paint shop for Ford and I had the pleasure of spending many hours on the roof of that plant taking stack readings in January and February. You know you are getting old when a plant you had a hand in designing and building is no longer there.....:mad:
 
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Aug 18, 2016
63
Catalina 30 mkII 5917 Muskegon, MI
All good sources for leaks mentioned and I will add the single biggest source for my Cat 22 .... all the screw holes that secure the rub rail aluminum to the hull. Big job removing and coating each screw with 3M 4000 adhesive sealant. Rain would get in through the screw threads and run down inside of hull to pool up in multiple bilge areas.
 
Dec 23, 2008
771
Catalina 22 Central Penna.
Change gear oil in bottom of outboard. Water will leak around the propeller shaft and mix with oil and then separate when engine sits.
 
Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
FWIW Our boat is in Manitoba
What we do:
- Use a shop vac to get any remaining water out of the "bilge" (such that it has one)
- Dump the water out the 5 gallon portable potable water tank
- Empty both porta-potti tanks, then put RV antifreeze in the porta-potti and pump it a few times so it gets into the pump.
-Put a few bags of "Fresh Cab" rodent repellent around the cabin
-remove and store all the cushions indoors
- use trailer support jacks at the rear of the trailer to help take load off the tires.

The last 2 winters we simply had a tarp over the mast above the cockpit, with a support in the middle of the cockpit. This was to help keep the snow out of the cockpit, without any ill effects.
That said, Southern Ontario is much more prone to moisture and the moderate temperatures that can lead to heavy snow, ice and a longer freeze/thaw cycle. The snow here is usually dry and once the winter hits, it usually doesn't melt until spring, so it has not been an issue.
Regardless, I am in last stages of sewing a full cover for future use.

If you have never been to Toronto in February, trust me it gets damn cold.
Torontonians have no idea what cold is, and we have no idea why they call out the army during snow storms ;) :laugh:

Seriously though.. the damp is an issue. I found the winter in Ottawa to be much worse than in Winnipeg, in regards to feeling cold, even though it has warmer winter temps. This is likely because you can't seem to keep the damp out from the higher humidity.
It's those warmer temps, and the longer freeze thaw cycle before and after winter, that will likely cause problems. Due to low temps/low humidity, the snow load on the deck here isn't usually an issue, though there have been occasional years when you needed to go clear off excess snow.
 
Last edited:
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
Cold? Seriously? I grew up in torojimo, and you guys don’t know nuthin. :)
A bunch of containers of -50 RV antifreeze goes a long way. Put it in everything.
 

greg_m

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May 23, 2017
692
Catalina Jaguar 22 Simons Town
+1 on both outboard & pottie...

Also, if you have water in the "bilge" find out where it's coming from, shouldn't be any! Usual suspects are forward scupper drains on pre-86 models, port lights, any thru-hull fittings, pop-top gasket, front hatch gasket, sliding hatch, crib boards, all deck fittings/chain plates.....from my experience. Make sure the entire boat is shrink wrapped or very well tarped (allow for snow load).
Yoh... steady on there! You make the thing sound like a floating sieve! :laugh: