H33 Winterizing tips

[Juice6576]

Looking for some tips on winterizing my H33.
I've owned boats for a while, but my H26 was simple to lay up. I have owned campers and winterized water systems in campers for many years.

Question 1 - On the H33 water heater, it seems way too congested to even think about putting in a heater bypass - has anyone done this?

DO you blow down system or fill it with pink stuff?

I'm actually thinking it would be easiest to pump system until water tank is empty and then fill with anti-freeze. I'd hate to have to fill the water heater with anti-freeze, but the tubing layout doesn't really lend itself to adding the bypass kit.

Cockpit electronics (ST-60, Chartplotter) Do you remove or leave in place? A lot of books say to remove, but when we were boat shopping last spring, most boats had their compasses and instruments in place.
What are your thoughts.

 

[Ed Schenck]

I still do my boat the old fashion way. I run pink stuff through everything. I don't have a bypass "kit" but I do bypass. I just connect the hot and cold hoses together with a nipple and a couple of clamps. Not going to buy six extra gallons of anti-freeze.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

I hook a short garden hose (actually a washing machine feed hase) to the drain on the water heater, open the valve and let the pump run with the water tank empty. It forces the water out of the water heater. I have a 20 l pail with a valve and hose at the bottom that I use as a reservoir. I connect a fitting to the inlet of the pump and pump antifreeze through the entire system. When I finish I use the same drain method to pump the antifreeze back into the 20 l reservoir. I use the salvaged antifreeze to winterize the head and the engine, all from the same 20 l pail. It just takes a different fitting on the hose to connect to the through hulls. My boat and 3 others are done with this system. It works well and there is minimal antifreeze lost. It also guarantees that the antifreeze is through the mixing valve at the output of the water heater.

 

[Scott B]

I just did this yesterday. The fittings on the HW are not that difficult. I bought a couple of extra fittings, pull them apart and remove the hot water tank fittings, connect the water lines together. Dump couple jugs AF into the fresh water fill and run the pump until the faucets run pink. This will also get the lines from the water tank in the bow and the water pump itself.

I drain the hot water tank separately with a drill pump into the sink.

Electronics I leave in place as I tarp the boat. I pull a plastic bag over the pedestal just as added protection.

 

[bigsick]

Does anybody blow out their water system and not put in AF. Whenever I put in AF, I can't get taste out of system. Last year I hooked up a compressor and blew out system. Left all valves open and things were fine in spring. Am I risking freeze damage doing this?

 

[Herman18887]

Like Scott B, I bought fittings and did a bypass. The fittings are Seatech 15mm quick connect, available from freshwatersystems.com and other vendors. I bought a stackable elbow (Part # 1118-1515) and a union connector (Part # 1115-1515) and I cut about a 4" piece of tubing.

For tips on Seatech installation, see the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOkgT9ozoGA or search youtube for Seatech.

I have some photos that may help if you're interested.

I keep the instruments on the boat under a pedestal cover.

Herman

 

[JEJargoj]

Please share bypass pictures.

 

[Herman18887]

I'm attaching two bypass photos, one from the front and one from the top. It may be hard to make sense of the photos. If so, please send me an email and I'll be happy to discuss it.

 

[RonRelyea]

Basin Wrench / Faucet Wrench

For dealing with tight spots like around the water heater, you might find using a basin wrench helpful ....