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Fixed or halyard type?
A fixed topping lift that attaches to the masthead and adjusts at the end of the boom should be PVC coated 7x7 lifeline wire. If you make it the same length as the luff of your main it will leave enough room for adjustment at the end of the boom. For a halyard type that runs from the end of the boom up to a sheeve at the masthead and back down to the deck, you need twice the mast length plus a couple of feet if it cleats on the mast. Twice the mast length plus the distance to the cockpit plus a couple of feet if its lead aft. Don't know if the light will do much more than keep your engine up all night.
How warm does a 100W bulb keep your garage?
A fixed topping lift that attaches to the masthead and adjusts at the end of the boom should be PVC coated 7x7 lifeline wire. If you make it the same length as the luff of your main it will leave enough room for adjustment at the end of the boom. For a halyard type that runs from the end of the boom up to a sheeve at the masthead and back down to the deck, you need twice the mast length plus a couple of feet if it cleats on the mast. Twice the mast length plus the distance to the cockpit plus a couple of feet if its lead aft. Don't know if the light will do much more than keep your engine up all night.
How warm does a 100W bulb keep your garage?Lightbulb Worked For Me
Kurt, Normally by now I'm hauled but this year I'm still in the water. Since I need the engine later this month to move her I did all winterizing except putting the pink stuff in the engine. It's been a little colder than normal around here with the daytime temperatures in the 20's and 30's and the evening temperatures in the 20's and high teens. Anyway, I was concerned about freezing in my engine so I did the lightbulb thing. I put two 100 watt bulbs in the engine compartment and it worked great. That space is small (H34) and insulated. I went down to the boat this past Saturday and the temperature inside the boat was 30 degrees with a thin sheen of ice on the creek. When I opened up the hatch to the engine compartment I could feel the warm air come rushing out. When I felt the engine with my hand it was not cold at all. Best of all it started right up like it was the middle of the summer. All I can say is it worked for me. Good Luck, Joe
Kurt, Normally by now I'm hauled but this year I'm still in the water. Since I need the engine later this month to move her I did all winterizing except putting the pink stuff in the engine. It's been a little colder than normal around here with the daytime temperatures in the 20's and 30's and the evening temperatures in the 20's and high teens. Anyway, I was concerned about freezing in my engine so I did the lightbulb thing. I put two 100 watt bulbs in the engine compartment and it worked great. That space is small (H34) and insulated. I went down to the boat this past Saturday and the temperature inside the boat was 30 degrees with a thin sheen of ice on the creek. When I opened up the hatch to the engine compartment I could feel the warm air come rushing out. When I felt the engine with my hand it was not cold at all. Best of all it started right up like it was the middle of the summer. All I can say is it worked for me. Good Luck, Joe
Kurt
I responded to your original inquiry about the length of line needed for a topping lift for MY H28.5 by describing the geometry of MY setup. I don't recall you ever stating what yours is. If you simply need to connect a line from the masthead to the aft end of the boom, you certainly don't need 70 ft (what I used in my setup). A few feet more than the leech of your main sail would do. While the light bulb trick may work for some, it is not something you want to risk the life or your engine on. Electric power often fails in winter, sometimes marinas turn off the power during freezes, and light bulbs burn out. A jug of good quality anti-freeze costs less than $10. An engine rebuild could cost $10K. Anti-freeze never fails.
I responded to your original inquiry about the length of line needed for a topping lift for MY H28.5 by describing the geometry of MY setup. I don't recall you ever stating what yours is. If you simply need to connect a line from the masthead to the aft end of the boom, you certainly don't need 70 ft (what I used in my setup). A few feet more than the leech of your main sail would do. While the light bulb trick may work for some, it is not something you want to risk the life or your engine on. Electric power often fails in winter, sometimes marinas turn off the power during freezes, and light bulbs burn out. A jug of good quality anti-freeze costs less than $10. An engine rebuild could cost $10K. Anti-freeze never fails.
Thanks Franklin
I have them both secured and don't think they can move even if the boat moves around in the slip. The week after Christmas I hope to be on the hard with the pink stuff in the engine.
I have them both secured and don't think they can move even if the boat moves around in the slip. The week after Christmas I hope to be on the hard with the pink stuff in the engine.
Heat
I winterize my water systems and A/C, but put a 60 watt bulb in a small desk lamp with a timer in the engine compartment. It is on from 6 PM to 6AM, and keeps the engine 'winterized.' Now if we have a warm day and I want to use the boat, it's easy.
I winterize my water systems and A/C, but put a 60 watt bulb in a small desk lamp with a timer in the engine compartment. It is on from 6 PM to 6AM, and keeps the engine 'winterized.' Now if we have a warm day and I want to use the boat, it's easy.
winterizing with a bulb
The more I think about it...it's just crazy. a) Could burn down the boat (I'll admit this is easy to solve) b) Bulb could burn out (do you really want to risk a $6,000 to $10,000 engine to a $.50 bulb) c) not putting anti-freeze in the engine will lead to rust inside the engine...especially freeze plugs. d) what if the electricity went out? So my suggestion is to put in the $5 anti-freeze instead of a $.50 bulb...even if it is just for a night. Now if your just using the bulb to keep the engine warm for starting, that's fine...but do put in the pink stuff.
The more I think about it...it's just crazy. a) Could burn down the boat (I'll admit this is easy to solve) b) Bulb could burn out (do you really want to risk a $6,000 to $10,000 engine to a $.50 bulb) c) not putting anti-freeze in the engine will lead to rust inside the engine...especially freeze plugs. d) what if the electricity went out? So my suggestion is to put in the $5 anti-freeze instead of a $.50 bulb...even if it is just for a night. Now if your just using the bulb to keep the engine warm for starting, that's fine...but do put in the pink stuff.
anti freeze and light bulbs
I agree, use the anti freeze, it's cheap and does the job well. I have used lightbulbs for a lot of stuff, kept a 40 watt bulb in the pump house to keep water from freezing up, and never had a problem, and have used them to defrost frozen engines put a bulb under the engine, then cover everything with a sleeping bag or something (if you can find some old fiberglass window curtains they work great) many engines can handle a freeze without a problem, as long as they are defrosted before starting BUT don't rely on it. light bulbs work to keep machinery ready to go, my lathes and jointer, bandsaws etc all have lightbulbs under them, when I need to use them I turn on that light and a half hour later they are ready to go without having to worry about cold lube or dry bearings (no heat in garage other than a torpedo) put a light on the snowblower, and then put a steel barrel/bucket over it and it's ready to go, working in a cold garage? do the same trick with your tools, light bulb in a bucket and lay your tools out under the bucket, warm tools and you don't freeze your hands, and on a few times when I couldn't avoid it, I've even laid out a tarp, pushed a nonworking truck/car on to it, blocked up the vehicle, wrapped it with the tarp, buried it in snow and put a few lights in there to warm it up enough to change a tranny! But as for protecting a $10k engine? no, I'd say go with the anti freeze and stop any problems cold, if you don't want to use anti freeze, drain it and you'll normally be alright. another great all around heat up tool is a hair dryer, they work better than a heat gun for most jobs, soften sticker for removal, heat up a surface for sticker application, warm your hands, defrost windows, use them to warm the carb on a stubborn lawnmower on a cold day, dry out an area for patching, keep a car warm while working inside it, used to keep one running in the work truck when working out in the snow, always had a warm place to climb into when I got frozen! and if you'e in a hurry to get out the door, you can dry your hair with it Ken.
I agree, use the anti freeze, it's cheap and does the job well. I have used lightbulbs for a lot of stuff, kept a 40 watt bulb in the pump house to keep water from freezing up, and never had a problem, and have used them to defrost frozen engines put a bulb under the engine, then cover everything with a sleeping bag or something (if you can find some old fiberglass window curtains they work great) many engines can handle a freeze without a problem, as long as they are defrosted before starting BUT don't rely on it. light bulbs work to keep machinery ready to go, my lathes and jointer, bandsaws etc all have lightbulbs under them, when I need to use them I turn on that light and a half hour later they are ready to go without having to worry about cold lube or dry bearings (no heat in garage other than a torpedo) put a light on the snowblower, and then put a steel barrel/bucket over it and it's ready to go, working in a cold garage? do the same trick with your tools, light bulb in a bucket and lay your tools out under the bucket, warm tools and you don't freeze your hands, and on a few times when I couldn't avoid it, I've even laid out a tarp, pushed a nonworking truck/car on to it, blocked up the vehicle, wrapped it with the tarp, buried it in snow and put a few lights in there to warm it up enough to change a tranny! But as for protecting a $10k engine? no, I'd say go with the anti freeze and stop any problems cold, if you don't want to use anti freeze, drain it and you'll normally be alright. another great all around heat up tool is a hair dryer, they work better than a heat gun for most jobs, soften sticker for removal, heat up a surface for sticker application, warm your hands, defrost windows, use them to warm the carb on a stubborn lawnmower on a cold day, dry out an area for patching, keep a car warm while working inside it, used to keep one running in the work truck when working out in the snow, always had a warm place to climb into when I got frozen! and if you'e in a hurry to get out the door, you can dry your hair with it Ken.
Not Winterizing
Let me put your minds at ease...my light bulb is not 'winterization.' Normally, it does not get cold enough to warrant any winterization, but I do the water lines that are up without any protection. The engine in the bilge is fine. My light bulb keeps dryer and warm for use. As for the electicity, I'm in my 10th year at this marina and the power has never gone out. As mentioned, if there was any question concerning whether I'd have to buy another engine...I'd load it up with the pink stuff!
Let me put your minds at ease...my light bulb is not 'winterization.' Normally, it does not get cold enough to warrant any winterization, but I do the water lines that are up without any protection. The engine in the bilge is fine. My light bulb keeps dryer and warm for use. As for the electicity, I'm in my 10th year at this marina and the power has never gone out. As mentioned, if there was any question concerning whether I'd have to buy another engine...I'd load it up with the pink stuff!
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