I have a 94 35.5 that I keep in the water in Eastern NC. The last couple of winters have been really mild here and up until now I wasn't planning on doing a full winterization. We've apparently got our first hard freeze coming and I was wondering if I'm being an idiot for not planning on winterizing. I can be on the boat in about 35 minutes home and was planning on just going down and setting up one of those ceramic heaters with the automatic thermostat and anti-tip over features, to come on at about 40 degrees, and open all the cabinets doors. Now I'm having second thoughts and would like some other opinions. I've been told that with the boat in the water it would have to be below freezing for an extended period of time before there would be potential for anything freezing up. By the way I'm still sailing and plan on sailing well into December.
How cold before you winterize?
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I winterize Dec 1 on Ky Lake
I'm one of the latest boats in our marina to winterize and I wait until Dec. 1. I live an hour south of the marina, and if a lengthy hard freeze is predicted I plan on going to the boat and staying on it for the short time it is actually below freezing. In past winters, we have had overnight lows of 19 degrees that didn't hurt my boat (before winterizing). Right now the water temperature is 58, but within a month will go down into the 40's. If the water is below 40, I don't think there is much protection from the water itself, so I would winterize. You should make sure stern showers and external wash down outlets don't have residual fresh water that can freeze. I generally dewinterize March 1. I want the water at least 40 and preferably a few degrees higher. I have also seen 19 as a low just after dewinterizing with no ill effects. We don't keep power on any boat in our marina if not attended, so electric heaters are not allowed. This is an insurance requirement at our Marina.
I'm one of the latest boats in our marina to winterize and I wait until Dec. 1. I live an hour south of the marina, and if a lengthy hard freeze is predicted I plan on going to the boat and staying on it for the short time it is actually below freezing. In past winters, we have had overnight lows of 19 degrees that didn't hurt my boat (before winterizing). Right now the water temperature is 58, but within a month will go down into the 40's. If the water is below 40, I don't think there is much protection from the water itself, so I would winterize. You should make sure stern showers and external wash down outlets don't have residual fresh water that can freeze. I generally dewinterize March 1. I want the water at least 40 and preferably a few degrees higher. I have also seen 19 as a low just after dewinterizing with no ill effects. We don't keep power on any boat in our marina if not attended, so electric heaters are not allowed. This is an insurance requirement at our Marina.
IMHO, Best be Safe than Sorry
I'd winterize the important components (engine, water system). Any freeze may hurt you and be expensive. Especially if you are expecting a "hard" freeze.
I'd winterize the important components (engine, water system). Any freeze may hurt you and be expensive. Especially if you are expecting a "hard" freeze.
Down in New Bern...
No ones does that I'm aware of. Like you, we're close enough to react for extreme measures. Even a 110 light buld will give off enough warmth. There are exceptions, but generally I haven't. And seems that we always get a week or 2 in the 70's in Jan lately...
No ones does that I'm aware of. Like you, we're close enough to react for extreme measures. Even a 110 light buld will give off enough warmth. There are exceptions, but generally I haven't. And seems that we always get a week or 2 in the 70's in Jan lately...
Good Questions...
To me, it's always a difficult decision about when to winterize my boat. Here on the Chesapeake it can get very cold, very early. The bay has been known to freeze over, but not often. Yet I typically wait until around the last week in November to winterize my engine (I winterize my water tanks and head, etc. before that). My sense of this is that it would take a pretty long and hard freeze for the brackish raw water in my engine to freeze up solid. I believe the water in the slip would have to freeze hard for that to happen. And, perhaps like me, you would appear to be in a body of water that is salty, further lowering the freeze point. Having said all this, I would not recommend using an unattended heater of any sort on your boat. If you are very concerned about your boat's engine freezing you could do any of the following: buy and install a bubbler (assumes that a hard freeze doesn't knock out electricity at the slip, which would also negate the use of a heater); like the poster below, stay on your boat during the freeze and do whatever it safely takes to keep things warm inside; or bite the bullet and winterize early. In regard to the latter, many winters ago, it threatened to get very cold here early. So, I winterized early. Of course, it then got very warm (mid to high 70's) and I just HAD to go sailing. So I did. Started up the engine (but didn't use the head or water systems)and pumped all the antifreeze into the bay. When I finished sailing, I put another gallon of antifreeze back into the engine. I rationalized it by telling myself that it was only a "$10 sail" for the cost of the additional antifreeze. It was worth it....
To me, it's always a difficult decision about when to winterize my boat. Here on the Chesapeake it can get very cold, very early. The bay has been known to freeze over, but not often. Yet I typically wait until around the last week in November to winterize my engine (I winterize my water tanks and head, etc. before that). My sense of this is that it would take a pretty long and hard freeze for the brackish raw water in my engine to freeze up solid. I believe the water in the slip would have to freeze hard for that to happen. And, perhaps like me, you would appear to be in a body of water that is salty, further lowering the freeze point. Having said all this, I would not recommend using an unattended heater of any sort on your boat. If you are very concerned about your boat's engine freezing you could do any of the following: buy and install a bubbler (assumes that a hard freeze doesn't knock out electricity at the slip, which would also negate the use of a heater); like the poster below, stay on your boat during the freeze and do whatever it safely takes to keep things warm inside; or bite the bullet and winterize early. In regard to the latter, many winters ago, it threatened to get very cold here early. So, I winterized early. Of course, it then got very warm (mid to high 70's) and I just HAD to go sailing. So I did. Started up the engine (but didn't use the head or water systems)and pumped all the antifreeze into the bay. When I finished sailing, I put another gallon of antifreeze back into the engine. I rationalized it by telling myself that it was only a "$10 sail" for the cost of the additional antifreeze. It was worth it....
I am With Paul
In our area, winterizing is not a question, it is an obligation. I am surprised that you would take the risk. Since your boat is 1 hour away and winterizing is not a long, difficult and dirty job, I would not hesitate and be safe with no worries for the winter. What if your ceramic heater stop working? What if a breaker fail during winter? What if... Winterizing is an inexpensive pro-active solution. Just my 2 cents!
In our area, winterizing is not a question, it is an obligation. I am surprised that you would take the risk. Since your boat is 1 hour away and winterizing is not a long, difficult and dirty job, I would not hesitate and be safe with no worries for the winter. What if your ceramic heater stop working? What if a breaker fail during winter? What if... Winterizing is an inexpensive pro-active solution. Just my 2 cents!
Winterizing in Eastern Carolina
Hugh, we kept our boat at McCotter's on Broad Creek last winter and winterized the fresh water and engine systems, then turned around and spent the holidays and most of January on the boat. Granted, last winter was mild, with no memorable "hard" freezes, just some frosty mornings, but if you have been in the area for any length of time you know that the Carolinas can experience the effects of an arctic clipper just like our friends on the Chesapeake. Pamlico Sound has been known to freeze over as far south as Cedar Island,but the Pamlico River and Neuse River are generally ice free. That being said, if in doubt, be safe and winterize. Don, have you brought Tellico back to NB yet? We are in SC taking care of some family business but will be back soon. Four long term boats left for the Bahamas end of October led by Jake and Carrol in Offline, and Eugene's crew left for Texas with el Tigre as well. Kim may have a slip for you but we are still in B-31. We had Carolina shorthauled at Sailcraft for the ball valve recall and while we were at it had her scraped and painted. I had a diver check her in July and had a clean report, but when she was hauled there was three inches of barnacles and mussels on the horizontal surface of the wing keel and one inch on the lower third of the rudder, with comparable fouling on the prop. Barely made 5kts sow on the trip to Oriental. Coming back on Friday last week it was easy to sustain 7.5kts sow. A clean bottom feels good. Steve and Sheila H-38 Carolina
Hugh, we kept our boat at McCotter's on Broad Creek last winter and winterized the fresh water and engine systems, then turned around and spent the holidays and most of January on the boat. Granted, last winter was mild, with no memorable "hard" freezes, just some frosty mornings, but if you have been in the area for any length of time you know that the Carolinas can experience the effects of an arctic clipper just like our friends on the Chesapeake. Pamlico Sound has been known to freeze over as far south as Cedar Island,but the Pamlico River and Neuse River are generally ice free. That being said, if in doubt, be safe and winterize. Don, have you brought Tellico back to NB yet? We are in SC taking care of some family business but will be back soon. Four long term boats left for the Bahamas end of October led by Jake and Carrol in Offline, and Eugene's crew left for Texas with el Tigre as well. Kim may have a slip for you but we are still in B-31. We had Carolina shorthauled at Sailcraft for the ball valve recall and while we were at it had her scraped and painted. I had a diver check her in July and had a clean report, but when she was hauled there was three inches of barnacles and mussels on the horizontal surface of the wing keel and one inch on the lower third of the rudder, with comparable fouling on the prop. Barely made 5kts sow on the trip to Oriental. Coming back on Friday last week it was easy to sustain 7.5kts sow. A clean bottom feels good. Steve and Sheila H-38 Carolina
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