Winterizing my Catalina 30

[jimmcgee]

Hey Folks,
I'd like to get some advice on winterizing my Catalina 30 for the first time. She's a 1995 model with the Universal 25XP. I'll be keeping her in the water at Long Beach Island New Jersey (salt water).

I'm figuring on:

• Anti-freeze in the sink and refrigerator drains.
• Pump anti-freeze through the head.
• Run some anti-freeze into the dock water hook-up and remove dock hoses.
• Drain the water tanks
• Take all soda, bottled water off the boat
• Humidity absorbing crystals fore and aft (I forget what they're called)

Questions:

• Is thre a drain on the hot water heater?
• What do I need to do to winterize the engine properly?
• Thoughts on cabin heaters that come on below 40 degrees vs. a couple of light bulbs above an open bilge?

I have a winter cover for the boat, but I won't be installing it until late December or early January as we've been having mild winters and I'm hoping to sail as late into the season as is practical.

What else am I not thinking of?

Thanks in advance,
Jim McGee
'95 Catalina 30
Goin' Coastal

 

[Shell]

Depending what muffler you have, there is a drain. There may also be a drain (zinc) on the heat exchanger. There are on my M-25 for my Catalina 30.
Run antifreeze through the heat exchanger of the engine.
Close all thu hulls and leave a note so you remember to open the raw water thru hull in the spring.

On my water heater there is a drain but not all water will come out so use some anti freeze. Use only non toxic antifreeze.

Fill your fuel tank up so there is less air, hence, less condensation.
Batteries are fully charged.

Good luck.
SH

 

[gathard]

Most important of all is to winterize engine; drain water replace with antifreeze, drain and replace oil and filter. General advice: strip boat as much as possible, install a thermostaticaly controlled ice-eater hanging over bow that circulates water along the waterline (salt water will/can freeze), sponge dry bilge and check periodically.
I am hesitant about leaving lights or heaters inside.

 

[Bruce Adams]

In addition to the other's correct advice, I would pump some anti freeze through the macerator if you have one to leave anti freeze in it. I like those oil filled heaters that never get really hot. I also put a bit of antifreeze in my bilge to prevent any stray water from freezing.