Winterizing Water System

[Ducati]

This fall I'm winterize the water system our boat for the first time.

I ran the water system until no water was coming out. Then drained the hot water tank (it has a drain faucet) Next I'm planning to open the two fresh water fill openings and pour in the West Marine (non toxic, but still has a bad taste) anti-freeze. Then turn on the taps and watch for the pink color to start running out (including from the hot water heater).

Am I on the right track? How much antifreeze (gallons) should I put in each fresh water intake?

Thanks

 

[gpd955]

Bypass the hot water heater. Don't make the same mistake I did last fall. It will take hours of filling and running fresh water through in the spring to get the AF out completely. Male sure it it drained and then bypass it. My last boat did not have a HWH so I winterized this one like I did that one and it was a nightmare recommissioning!

If theres not already a bypass set up in your system just disconnect the cold in/hot out hoses and couple them together.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Am I on the right track? How much antifreeze (gallons) should I put in each fresh water intake?

Thanks

None (if you are referring to the the tank(s)). Just pump directly from your container of AF through your pump to all faucets. No need to fill tanks with AF.

 

[Roy10289]

This topic has been discussed in length in other threads through the past years. Basically what has been said here is what many,as well as myself do, and I have never had a problem.

 

[wflowe2]

I have always drained then by-passed the water heater and used a wet/dry shop vac to blow.suck the water lines dry. I do not put antifreeze in the fresh water system.

 

[Chuckbear]

We have done both anti-freeze in the tanks, and drained the tanks, for winterization. Our current tanks can not be completely drained without a lot of effort so we choose the anti-freeze route. Here is our, hopefully, last winterization process. http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot.com/2010/12/winterizing-boat-again.html . We have solved all of these problems by moving to south Florida. Chuck

 

[jimmcgee]

Here's a link to the kit for adding a water heater bypass if your boat doesn't already have one installed. You should be able to find this at pretty much any marine store.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...001&storeId=11151&partNumber=329195&langId=-1

 

[Jeff]

We never put the pink stuff in our fw tank. After running the system dry I access the line at the fresh water tank and blow out the system with a portable air compressor. I dial the pressure down to about 30 psi. I leave a short piece of garden hose permanently connected to the drain on my HW tank. I put the hose in the sink and open the petcock and blow it out also.

 

[Roy10289]

That winterizing kit from Weast Marine cited above will work fine. I made basically the same thing by going to a local hardware store 1 piece plastic tubing, 2 plastic fittings and unions. My cost was around $6.00

 

[sailingseadragon]

I too became tired of dealing with the pink antifreeze... I have for the last 5 years blown the lines out and used the pink stuff for the head and raw water system only.

http://www.sailingseadragon.com/winterize.htm

Garner