Winterizing Question

[SV At Last]

We are lucky that where we live we are able to sail pretty much year round, however our week of winter is coming soon. The forecast lows are high teens and low 20’s for a week or so but the highs are below freezing only for a couple of days. I haven’t winterized the boat since we are still using it. My thought was to just leave the heater on for that week. I am a little worried about the stern shower plumbing though. Should I disconnect it? Any other thing I should be worried about? Thanks.

 

[KZW]

I'm in the FL panhandle. I set my heater to about 70 degrees. I open the hatch to the stern (tank, rudder post, area, etc) and use a pillow to keep it open. I have a small fan that is used to blow the warm air back there. The temperature of the water in which the boat floats never gets below 65 degrees. That, and the air from the heater, keeps the hoses for the stern shower above freezing. It also helps keep the fuel tank from condensing water.

 

[SV At Last]

I'm in the FL panhandle. I set my heater to about 70 degrees. I open the hatch to the stern (tank, rudder post, area, etc) and use a pillow to keep it open. I have a small fan that is used to blow the warm air back there. The temperature of the water in which the boat floats never gets below 65 degrees. That, and the air from the heater, keeps the hoses for the stern shower above freezing. It also helps keep the fuel tank from condensing water.

Thanks. I was thinking the same thing. I have a small fan I can take out. Appreciate it.

 

[Pat]

I would be careful putting a pillow anywhere near a heater in a boat without someone aboard....and even then...perhaps
I would check w/another owner at your club or marina and discuss what they do if remaining in the water with no one aboard As cold as it is suppose to get here in Wichita I would hesitate to use a heater as it would never shut off...but
we are suppose to have high temperatures in the low teens beginning Saturday....w/ strong NW winds....burr.....good luck!
Pat

 

[SV At Last]

I would be careful putting a pillow anywhere near a heater in a boat without someone aboard....and even then...perhaps
I would check w/another owner at your club or marina and discuss what they do if remaining in the water with no one aboard As cold as it is suppose to get here in Wichita I would hesitate to use a heater as it would never shut off...but
we are suppose to have high temperatures in the low teens beginning Saturday....w/ strong NW winds....burr.....good luck!
Pat

Good advice Pat. I am actually using the heater that is built into the boat. It has a Flagship Marine FM18R unit that has a heating coil mounted into the blower fan section of the unit. Not much chance of the heating coil catching anything on fire. Stay warm.

 

[KZW]

I would be careful putting a pillow anywhere near a heater in a boat without someone aboard....and even then...perhaps
I would check w/another owner at your club or marina and discuss what they do if remaining in the water with no one aboard As cold as it is suppose to get here in Wichita I would hesitate to use a heater as it would never shut off...but
we are suppose to have high temperatures in the low teens beginning Saturday....w/ strong NW winds....burr.....good luck!
Pat

You misunderstand. The heater is electric, on the deck on top of a ceramic plate. It isn't on the bunk and nowhere near the pillow. The fan blows the warm air into the bunk area. Convection into the rear area through the access hatch works just fine.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Another quick trick for the back with the shower and holding tank is to put one of those old plastic work drop lights back there with a 60 watt light bulb (old school glass). It will put off enough heat to keep that back area above freezing even in Boston for a winter.

 

[SV At Last]

Another quick trick for the back with the shower and holding tank is to put one of those old plastic work drop lights back there with a 60 watt light bulb (old school glass). It will put off enough heat to keep that back area above freezing even in Boston for a winter.

Nice. I like that idea too. Thanks.

 

[Cowpokee]

QUOTE="JK_Boston_Catalina310, post: 1425394, member: 100811"]Another quick trick for the back with the shower and holding tank is to put one of those old plastic work drop lights back there with a 60 watt light bulb (old school glass). It will put off enough heat to keep that back area above freezing even in Boston for a winter.[/QUOTE]

Nice. I like that idea too. Thanks.

I contemplated the drop light idea for my engine room as well but was too paranoid of the bulb burning out in the middle of the night. If someone was to utilize that method I would recommend using at least two lights just to have one as a backup.

 

[tahomathundr]

I keep my heater at 38 degrees and I have never had a problem with the cockpit shower freezing. The boat is in the water all year and we get temp into the upper single digits several times a year. I do keep the doors to the Aft cabin and head open to allow air to move around the boat. Olympia, WA