PSS winterizing question

[Bob Knott]

Kevin,I have a PSS dripless shaft on my 99 Hunter 380 and love it. This year we have opted for in water winter storage at a slip in the harbor where we usually moor during the summer. I have winterized the fresh water system and motor but what about the salt water inside the boot on our seal?? How do I keep this from freezing, expanding and making a mess or worse yet sinking my boat? If I pull back the collar to try to add pink anti-freeze the salt water gushes into the bilge. Pulling the boat out is not an option this year so I'd like your suggestions on how to proceed.Thanks,Bob KnottH380

 

[George]

Salt Water Freezes?

Salt water shouldn't freeze especially at the bottom of a boat.

 

[Mike D]

P.Y.I.

Bob,How have you been? We need to tell of our sailing seasons, maybe by email.Anyhow, I looked up the Manufacturer on the web. This is a good question. I would also be interested in knowing the answer.Here is the URL ,http://www.pyiinc.com/Maybe you can get a sensible answer from PYI.stay well and let me know,Mike DiMariop.s. We're going "on the hard" this winter but came very close to a decision to stay in the water and winter at Baltimore Inner Harbor!

 

[Stanley J. Rogacevicz]

Circulators ?

Bob, My marina uses circulators to keep the salt water liquid for the few boats that store in the water. Greenwich bay in the NW corner of Narragansett Bay has 1/3 to 1/2 frozen over the last couple of Very Cold years out of the 7 I have been there. It's a strange sight. I beleive the difference is only about 10 degrees or so salt/fresh freezing temps. It's the tides and waves that are the big help. The soft rubber bellows should be able to take some pressure. Good luck.Stan"Christy Leigh"c320 #656

 

[Bob Knott]

Oh Yea Salt Water Freezes too!

Salt water does freeze George, some years we can walk across the ocean, but not often. I have a beautiful picture of an ice berg I took just outside my harbor (Wychmere Harbor, Harwichport, MA on Cape Cod) in February 1978. Nantucket Sound was frozen as far as you could see, and you could walk to the ice berg. What a site! As for the boat in a slip during the winter, the tide rises and falls in Wychmere harbor about 6 feet on average so there is alot of water movement which usually prevents thick ice, but the amount in the bellows of the PSS is about 12oz so it could freeze rapidly during a cold snap. I do have two heaters on board on a frost cycle that come on only when the interior temp gets below 40deg F. I keep one in the aft berth on the floor with the engine access door open and the floorboard covering the PSS open too. The other one is on the nav station and it takes care of the rest.Mike D. e-mail me when you can the 380 owners seem to have gotten all the bugs worked out and the participation level has dropped off here significantly. You too Paul B down in FLA!Bob Knott99 H380rjknott@mediaone.net

 

[Kevin L. Woody]

Seal OK

Dear Bob, I would not use antifreeze in the tube. It causes two things; the first is the carbon will have problems with sealing against the stainless rotor and second it will leak out of the stern tube into bay. We have had numerous seals go through winters in the water with no problems. I would suggest that you do not do anything out of the ordinary concerning the seal. The expansion rate for freezing is apx. 10% in volume. The expansion rate of the bellows is apx. 300%. If you are concerned that the rotor is being pushed forward, place a spare collar zinc on the shaft, forward of the rotor and tight on the shaft. This will help to retain the rotors position on the shaft, in the event something tries to push it forward like ice. Please feel free to call me if you would like to discuss it. Hope this helps. Kevin.