Winterizing 31 Citation (In Water)

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Ken

I had to winterize my 31 Irwin Citation for the first time. I'm leaving her in the water for the winter and the Lagoon behind the house has frozen over a few times in the past. I plan to install a "bubbler system" which I will suspend about one foot off the bottom at low tide. I'll hang it off the stern. My neighbor has had good lock using this method. As for the cooling and fresh water systems, I drained the potable water tank, then filld it with 5 galloms of RV Antifreeze, then opened the supply valve and pump and ran the faucets till I got a steady stream of "pink". The engine is fresh water cooled and the radiator was replished with fresh antifreeze. I closed the thru hull sea cock, disconnected the hose at the strainer, connected the strainer to a four foot section of hose which I placed in a 5 gallon bucket filled with regular engine antifreeze and turned on the engine till I saw pink comming out the ezhaust. Before re-connecting the hose from the seacock to the srainer, with the head valve open (same seacock)and connecting the replenished 5 gallon bucket of antifreeze to the hose, I pumped the handle on the head till about 2 gallons went thru to the holding tank.I still have to bleed the hot water tank dry. And I put 2 gallons of the RV antifreeze in the bilgecausing the self activating pump to push out about half a gallon of "pink". I'll keep the shore power hooked up and put a lamp with a 75 watt bulb main salon. Soooo, having done all this, my question is, Did I miss anything? Ken
 
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Harry Anderson

Winterizing in the water

You have done just what is needed to winterize the water system if your boat is stored out of the water. Now you need to deal with the thru-hull fittings. You should have: 1)one for the engine under cockpit 2) one for the galley sink 3) one for the head sink 4) one for the head drain 5) possibly one for a knot meter (mine is under the navigation table) First, close each sea cock (should be a ball valve, not a gate valve) Second, remove the hose to the sea cock Third, Remove any water left in the fitting with a turkey baster, pipette or rag. Cover the cockpit with a tarp. Make sure the cockpit floor cover has good gaskets and tighten it down with the bolts to keep water out. Remove all food, berth cushions, sails, pfds, and portable electronics. Finally, check it once or twice every month.
 
H

Harry Anderson

Winterizing Suggestions

Here is a link to a site with some more winterizing suggestions.
 
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