Advice on new purchase and winterization

[xavpil]

Hey all. Seeking advice.
A week ago or so I got my first boat: 1980 cat 27.
Great lake area is cold already so I haven’t a chance to test anything really and no luck finding a surveyor
Previous owner had no info on engine maintenance
All I found was a dirty gooey diesel gauge meaning my tank isn’t clean.
And 2 drop/min of water from water pump meaning I need to rebuild it.
Before winterization I ideally would like to have a mechanic check the engine and then winterize it.
Does this make sense or would you advise differently?

English is my second language and mechanic terms my fourth. So take it easy and if the question annoys you just skip it

thx!

 

[dmax]

It would be a good idea to have a mechanic go over the engine and tell you of any/all issues and then winterize it. You can still work on the engine once it is winterized (can't start it though) so no real disadvantage.

 

[xavpil]

It would be a good idea to have a mechanic go over the engine and tell you of any/all issues and then winterize it. You can still work on the engine once it is winterized (can't start it though) so no real disadvantage.

Nice! Exactly what I was hoping for.
but not easy to find a mechanic at the moment

thx!

 

[Rich Stidger]

Nice! Exactly what I was hoping for.
but not easy to find a mechanic at the moment

thx!

In lieu of a mechanic, do you have any very knowledgeable boating friends?

 

[xavpil]

In lieu of a mechanic, do you have any very knowledgeable boating friends?

I’m relatively new in the city and even newer in the sailing world…

 

[Davidasailor26]

If you can find someone to check it before winter that would give you the advantage of time over the winter to have any fixes made. If you could get someone early in the winter but after it’s winterized it’s not terribly difficult or expensive to winterize a second time, so not the end of the world. Although it’s better to test run it in the water than on land.

 

[xavpil]

If you can find someone to check it before winter that would give you the advantage of time over the winter to have any fixes made. If you could get someone early in the winter but after it’s winterized it’s not terribly difficult or expensive to winterize a second time, so not the end of the world. Although it’s better to test run it in the water than on land.

Good tip. Thx.
hopefully I can handle the winterization myself.
You do yours yourself?

 

[Davidasailor26]

Good tip. Thx.
hopefully I can handle the winterization myself.
You do yours yourself?

I do. Winterizing the engine is basically just a matter of closing the intake seacock, pulling the hose off and putting it in a bucket of antifreeze, and running until just before the bucket runs dry. I use a full 5 gallon bucket but you can use less for a smaller engine. If the engine is raw water cooled it’s probably best to remove the thermostat to ensure antifreeze goes into the block.

I run the engine to heat it up and change the oil before winterizing too, but that wouldn’t need to be redone if re-winterizing.

 

[xavpil]

I do. Winterizing the engine is basically just a matter of closing the intake seacock, pulling the hose off and putting it in a bucket of antifreeze, and running until just before the bucket runs dry. I use a full 5 gallon bucket but you can use less for a smaller engine. If the engine is raw water cooled it’s probably best to remove the thermostat to ensure antifreeze goes into the block.

I run the engine to heat it up and change the oil before winterizing too, but that wouldn’t need to be redone if re-winterizing.

Oh I can handle that. And stabilizer in the diesel tank I guess?

 

[ggrizzard]

Your English is better than many I read on forums!

 

[Davidasailor26]

Oh I can handle that. And stabilizer in the diesel tank I guess?

Every time I add diesel I add a maintenance dose of biocide and stabilizer, so I don’t add any more especially for the winter. I do fill the tank before winter so there’s no air space to allow condensation.

 

[xavpil]

Every time I add diesel I add a maintenance dose of biocide and stabilizer, so I don’t add any more especially for the winter. I do fill the tank before winter so there’s no air space to allow condensation.

In my case, unknown boat maintenance and definitely gooey stuff on the gauge. Biocide and stabilizer will definitely go in
Thx for all your help!

 

[Sanfelice]

That covers a lot of the engine. (check antifreeze level if you a heat exchanger). For the rest of the boat you should pump out the holding tank, run pink antifreeze through your head system, drain water tank (s), take all freezable off the boat, winterize plumbing lines either by running pink potable antifreeze through them or blow them out (or both ,pink stuff and blowing them out ) open all sea cocks and let drain. Make sure Remove cables from your batteries. Get some dehumidifying crystals and put them inside boat (Home Depot etc.) I'm sure others will have something to add. Also, You Tube can be your friend. (Not as hard as it might sound.) Try and find the pink stuff labeled, -100. Walmart.

 

[xavpil]

That covers a lot of the engine. (check antifreeze level if you a heat exchanger). For the rest of the boat you should pump out the holding tank, run pink antifreeze through your head system, drain water tank (s), take all freezable off the boat, winterize plumbing lines either by running pink potable antifreeze through them or blow them out (or both ,pink stuff and blowing them out ) open all sea cocks and let drain. Make sure Remove cables from your batteries. Get some dehumidifying crystals and put them inside boat (Home Depot etc.) I'm sure others will have something to add. Also, You Tube can be your friend. (Not as hard as it might sound.) Try and find the pink stuff labeled, -100. Walmart.

No working head or faucet. Empty water tanks
Thx for the good advices