I have ice in my bilge and I need to do some work in there. Can I put car wash anti freeze in there, to help thaw it out? I have a heater going in there as well. I don't know if the anti freeze will react negatively with the fiberglass.
Ice in the Bilge
- Thread starter dwayne13628
- Start date
- Status
anti freeze in bilge
My boat in in the water in Boston Have been using Car anti freeze in the bilge and in every hose related to water for the past 5 years without any problem
My boat in in the water in Boston Have been using Car anti freeze in the bilge and in every hose related to water for the past 5 years without any problem
Wait for it to thaw enough
to loosen and just lift it out. Find out how the water is getting in and correct that. If she is in the water and the stuffing box leaks put a bucket under it. Anti freeze will keep it from freezing and anti freeze comes in plastic jugs so..........
to loosen and just lift it out. Find out how the water is getting in and correct that. If she is in the water and the stuffing box leaks put a bucket under it. Anti freeze will keep it from freezing and anti freeze comes in plastic jugs so..........
plastic
Okay, touche. Forgot about the plastic jugs, I will go fill the bilge with that, and get that water out. I need to figure out where that water is getting in though. I know its rain water (boat is on the hard).
Okay, touche. Forgot about the plastic jugs, I will go fill the bilge with that, and get that water out. I need to figure out where that water is getting in though. I know its rain water (boat is on the hard).
Is your mast keel stepped ?
I get water in the bilge during the winter months when it rains. It comes down the mast to the bilge as my H37C mast is stepped down to the keel in the bilge. Antifreeze works for me.
I get water in the bilge during the winter months when it rains. It comes down the mast to the bilge as my H37C mast is stepped down to the keel in the bilge. Antifreeze works for me.
Try RV anti-freeze
If you are nervous about car anti-freeze, try RV anti-freeze instead since it is formulated to be used around fiberglass and plastics.
If you are nervous about car anti-freeze, try RV anti-freeze instead since it is formulated to be used around fiberglass and plastics.
warm the antifreeze
it will help it to get a bite into the ice quicker quite often the antifreeze will just sit on top of the ice doing nothing, it will prevent future water from freezing, but untill the ice starts to melt it sits. I was getting a LOT of water and ice in my bilge, put antifreeze in it, then used a small stove to warm the water untill all the ice was gone I'd use the RV (pink) antifreeze, non-toxic and doesn't seem to leave such a slippery coat on everything. Ken.
it will help it to get a bite into the ice quicker quite often the antifreeze will just sit on top of the ice doing nothing, it will prevent future water from freezing, but untill the ice starts to melt it sits. I was getting a LOT of water and ice in my bilge, put antifreeze in it, then used a small stove to warm the water untill all the ice was gone I'd use the RV (pink) antifreeze, non-toxic and doesn't seem to leave such a slippery coat on everything. Ken.
Why not just pour some hot water in
and then use a shop vac to get it out? Antifreeze won't hurt your fiberglass but it is expensive. How about using a heat gun?
and then use a shop vac to get it out? Antifreeze won't hurt your fiberglass but it is expensive. How about using a heat gun?
Great ideas
I honestly would never have thought of heating the stuff first, makes sense. Never heard of RV anti freeze before, but I will look out for it. Thanks to all those that offered their advice, you have given me some great ideas.
I honestly would never have thought of heating the stuff first, makes sense. Never heard of RV anti freeze before, but I will look out for it. Thanks to all those that offered their advice, you have given me some great ideas.
Dwayne?
RV antifreze is basically the "pink stuff" that you are used to seeing. Also remember that windshield washer antifreeze doesn't have as low a freezing point as the pink stuff.
RV antifreze is basically the "pink stuff" that you are used to seeing. Also remember that windshield washer antifreeze doesn't have as low a freezing point as the pink stuff.
What are you going to do with auto antifreeze...
Dwayne: What would you do with automotive antifreeze when the winter is over. It is toxic stuff and needs to be disposed of properly. The RV varity comes in two flavors -50 & -100. Just melt the ice and remove all the water, then add the -100 stuff. Even if you get more rain water in the bilge it should not freeze.
Dwayne: What would you do with automotive antifreeze when the winter is over. It is toxic stuff and needs to be disposed of properly. The RV varity comes in two flavors -50 & -100. Just melt the ice and remove all the water, then add the -100 stuff. Even if you get more rain water in the bilge it should not freeze.
Antifreeze is sort of dangerous - not toxic
It is about as toxic as alcohol which is not much. Be responsible however, keep Fido out of it but don't have a cow in the process. Propylene glycol is also slightly toxic to animals so that doesn't get you off the hook if that worries you. My best idea is to heat some water and pour it in the bilge for a while. It will melt the ice quicker anyway and then you can just pump out the water or vacuum it or sponge it out without any concerns. You can also use a heat gun and if you can heat all the sides of the ice, maybe you can get it out as a brick of ice.
It is about as toxic as alcohol which is not much. Be responsible however, keep Fido out of it but don't have a cow in the process. Propylene glycol is also slightly toxic to animals so that doesn't get you off the hook if that worries you. My best idea is to heat some water and pour it in the bilge for a while. It will melt the ice quicker anyway and then you can just pump out the water or vacuum it or sponge it out without any concerns. You can also use a heat gun and if you can heat all the sides of the ice, maybe you can get it out as a brick of ice.
I hope you don't have it under the Bilge
Ice is not good anywhere! It expands and can damage your bilge.
Ice is not good anywhere! It expands and can damage your bilge.
My boat had
been frozen up hard at one time before I got it, I almost didn't buy it, water got into a small hole where someone screwed something down over the ballast (inside keel triton) and cracked the fiberglass wrap, thought it was messed up more than I wanted to fix, but was able to poke around and dig enough to see that the only damage was the top layer of fiberglass, if it was a deeper hole it could have caused some serious damage. Ken.
been frozen up hard at one time before I got it, I almost didn't buy it, water got into a small hole where someone screwed something down over the ballast (inside keel triton) and cracked the fiberglass wrap, thought it was messed up more than I wanted to fix, but was able to poke around and dig enough to see that the only damage was the top layer of fiberglass, if it was a deeper hole it could have caused some serious damage. Ken.
depends on HOW MUCH ice is in the bilge...
My last boat was a Hunter 29.5 with a very deep bilge. The last year I had it, the bilge filled almost to the top (i.e. with LOTS of water). I tried ethylene glycol in a panic...did nothing. So, I purchased a heat gun and sat in the boat for about 5 hours, melted the ice down to my bilge pump, hand pumped it out, went home, and poured myself a good stiff drink. Luckily, nothing was damaged, and I bought a new boat. In the middle of winter on the hard, a heat gun works fine if you have a lot of time...good luck!
My last boat was a Hunter 29.5 with a very deep bilge. The last year I had it, the bilge filled almost to the top (i.e. with LOTS of water). I tried ethylene glycol in a panic...did nothing. So, I purchased a heat gun and sat in the boat for about 5 hours, melted the ice down to my bilge pump, hand pumped it out, went home, and poured myself a good stiff drink. Luckily, nothing was damaged, and I bought a new boat. In the middle of winter on the hard, a heat gun works fine if you have a lot of time...good luck!
- Status