DIY Winterizing Engines + Water Systems

[Ducati]

My yard wants $500 to winterize our boat. Seems like alot of dough to me and was thinking of learning how to do it myself. Just how difficult is it to do this work and what special tools/equipment do I require?

Thanks

 

[CHARLIE STAGE]

I have always winterized my boats engines for the past 40 yrs. and never had a problem. First and foremost you should have an engine manual. A detailed manual will provide you with all steps necessary to perform almost any maintenance feature on your engine if you have a moderate amount of mechanical skill. If no manual is available and your yard is agreeable pay them the first time but ask to be and understudy and observe and take notes. I don't care how much I have saved I just like to be self sufficient, but it makes a new sail afordable if you can bank the cost.

 

[Maine Sail]

My yard wants $500 to winterize our boat. Seems like alot of dough to me and was thinking of learning how to do it myself. Just how difficult is it to do this work and what special tools/equipment do I require?

Thanks

May not be a bad deal, depending on what they include? If they are doing, oil, filter, fuel filters, AF engine, engine zinc, draining & by-passing the water heater, draining FW tanks & blowing out or antifreezing them, removing impeller etc. then it is a good deal. If just AF engine and winterizing fresh water system, not such a good deal...

 

[RAD]

A screwdriver and a pair of pliers is about all you'll need and a knowledge of how the plumbing works.
On my boat I used to drain the water tank and water heater then put about 8 gallons of pink antifreeze into the water tank and run the water system with an empty antifreeze jug under the faucets and after filling the jug I would put it back into the water tank and keep on doing that till its real pink looking coming out of the hot and cold faucets this method insures that antifreeze is in all the plumbing....pump,hoses,faucets....etc.
My new method involves draining the water tank and hot water heater but I pull the hoses off the hot water heater and couple them together, then I take the input of the water supply pump hose and put it in a bucket with 2 gallons of anti freeze and thats enough to do my whole system without getting antifreeze into the tanks and having to flush it all out in the spring.
Any other system eg. saltwater wash down, toilet is done by removing the input hose off the thru hull and putting it in a bucket of antifreeze till enough is injected through all working parts and don't forget to empty the holding tank and flush down a gallon of antifreeze
The engine raw water is done the same way....pull the input thru hull and insert it in a bucket with about 2 gallons of antifreeze and start the engine till you see pink coming out the exhaust then shut down....I pull the hose off my output side of my sea strainer and then open the sea strainer and clean out and remove bottom drain plug
All this does take time but its gets easier and faster after you do it a few times

 

[Maine Sail]

This may help..

Winterizing A Fresh Water System (LINK)

 

[Warren Milberg]

I'm with Maine on this: if they do all, or most of the tasks he lists, it really is not a bad deal. If you go ahead with the yard doing the work, try to schedule it in such a way as to be able to watch what and how they go about it -- and you'll be ready and confident in your ability to do it yourself next year.

 

[wflowe2]

I too drain all water tanks and the water heater. Next I disconnect the water heater and connect the outgoing hot and cold water lines together. Instead of antifreeze, I use a wet/dry shop vac to alternately suck and blow all standing water from the lines, opening the faucets sequentially (cockpit first, then head, then galley) until all water is removed. On my Catalina 320 this takes about 20-30 minutes. If you are interested, I can send you a couple of photos. I don't know how to attach them to this reply.

 

[PrincessoftheLake]

After a couple of seasons of paying my marina to do all my winterizing I made myself learn how to do the freshwater and head systems myself. I still pay them to do the diesel but that is a matter of conveinence since then I don't have to arrange to be there when she's hauled. I know it's not a ton of money but I like saving a few bucks here and there and I like doing it myself.