Hi! I am a new owner of a Catalina 380 and my husband and I would like to winterize our boat but we are totally new in doing this. Is there a book on the market that would really explain step by step how to winterize our boat? It would be very usefull to us. Thanks, Lyne Clarke
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
J
Jim Cheek
Watch a pro
I would hire someone to do it with the understanding that you will watch and learn. I've done this when I bought my 28 Catalina. I hired the best diesel mechanic I could find to check the engine (before purchase) and explain basic maintenance and winterizing. He was very open to this and I paid his regular hourly fee. It worked great the engine only had two hundred hours on it, everything checked out fine and he showed me everything( belt tension, impeller replacement, cooling systems, spare parts, etc.) . Best money I ever spent. Just tell them what your doing up front and take notes when they winterize your boat. This way you see it and it's on YOUR boat.
I would hire someone to do it with the understanding that you will watch and learn. I've done this when I bought my 28 Catalina. I hired the best diesel mechanic I could find to check the engine (before purchase) and explain basic maintenance and winterizing. He was very open to this and I paid his regular hourly fee. It worked great the engine only had two hundred hours on it, everything checked out fine and he showed me everything( belt tension, impeller replacement, cooling systems, spare parts, etc.) . Best money I ever spent. Just tell them what your doing up front and take notes when they winterize your boat. This way you see it and it's on YOUR boat.
T
Tim Leighton
NOT HARD TO DO YOURSELF, BUT...
Lyne: Jim is absolutely right with his idea of hiring a good diesel mechanic, especially for new owners like yourselves. As long as you can watch and learn, you will absorb far more useful info than it costs for the mechanic to winterize the boat. Remember though, the engine is just one part of the winterization process. You need to "pickle" the fresh water system, head/holding tank, and yes, even the bilge. Anywhere water (or its byproducts) can freeze. Still, if you want to do it yourselves, it really isn't hard, but I don't know of any book which details the process. Every year or so SAIL and Cruising World magazines run a series of articles on winterization techniques, but I'm not sure when the last time was. You could look them up on the net and see if you can get back issues. Here's a "Readers Digest" version of what I do down here on the S. Chesapeake Bay (where it really doesn't get cold until Jan and then only for a few weeks): - I drain the water tank, hot water heater, and all lines as much as possible (lines can be drained by removing them at one of the fittings and blowing compressed air...I just disconnect and let gravity do its work). I leave the lines unconnected through the winter to allow any remaining water room to expand without back pressure. I then add, believe it or not, a diluted solution of the cheapest Vodka I can find to the tank and allow a bit to flow to the hot water heater. A bit more expensive than using the purple stuff, but doesn't leave any foul taste in the spring. As for the holding tank, I pump it as dry as possible, clean it out as much as I can, add an enzyme (KO) "bug eater" (see the "Head Mistress" section) and leave it alone! The bilge I clean out to absolutely dry. Two reasons: It prevents any odors from forming over the winter. It also allows me immediate confirmation that no leaks have developed over the winter when I check the boat (stays in the water all year). Finally, the engine. Really pretty simple. I close the seacock and remove the intake hose. I fill a bucket with a 50% antifreeze solution and stick the hose in. Start the engine and let it run until you see a bit of the antifreeze come out the exhaust. Shut down, reconnect the hose to the seacock, and you are done! Of course, you should change the oil and perform other periodic maintenance before winterizing, but that is the basics. Oh yea, make sure you have ample air flow through the boat over the winter. If not, you will have grown a nice crop of mold spores by the spring! TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!!! Good Luck! Tim L. (former owner of Hunter 31 "TIDE" and currently waiting delivery of a new Catalina 400 - the dealer will winterize this year!)
Lyne: Jim is absolutely right with his idea of hiring a good diesel mechanic, especially for new owners like yourselves. As long as you can watch and learn, you will absorb far more useful info than it costs for the mechanic to winterize the boat. Remember though, the engine is just one part of the winterization process. You need to "pickle" the fresh water system, head/holding tank, and yes, even the bilge. Anywhere water (or its byproducts) can freeze. Still, if you want to do it yourselves, it really isn't hard, but I don't know of any book which details the process. Every year or so SAIL and Cruising World magazines run a series of articles on winterization techniques, but I'm not sure when the last time was. You could look them up on the net and see if you can get back issues. Here's a "Readers Digest" version of what I do down here on the S. Chesapeake Bay (where it really doesn't get cold until Jan and then only for a few weeks): - I drain the water tank, hot water heater, and all lines as much as possible (lines can be drained by removing them at one of the fittings and blowing compressed air...I just disconnect and let gravity do its work). I leave the lines unconnected through the winter to allow any remaining water room to expand without back pressure. I then add, believe it or not, a diluted solution of the cheapest Vodka I can find to the tank and allow a bit to flow to the hot water heater. A bit more expensive than using the purple stuff, but doesn't leave any foul taste in the spring. As for the holding tank, I pump it as dry as possible, clean it out as much as I can, add an enzyme (KO) "bug eater" (see the "Head Mistress" section) and leave it alone! The bilge I clean out to absolutely dry. Two reasons: It prevents any odors from forming over the winter. It also allows me immediate confirmation that no leaks have developed over the winter when I check the boat (stays in the water all year). Finally, the engine. Really pretty simple. I close the seacock and remove the intake hose. I fill a bucket with a 50% antifreeze solution and stick the hose in. Start the engine and let it run until you see a bit of the antifreeze come out the exhaust. Shut down, reconnect the hose to the seacock, and you are done! Of course, you should change the oil and perform other periodic maintenance before winterizing, but that is the basics. Oh yea, make sure you have ample air flow through the boat over the winter. If not, you will have grown a nice crop of mold spores by the spring! TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!!! Good Luck! Tim L. (former owner of Hunter 31 "TIDE" and currently waiting delivery of a new Catalina 400 - the dealer will winterize this year!)
T
Tim Leighton
CHECK HEAD MISTRESS
Lyne: Just checked the "Head Mistress" section. Peggy has a section on the winterization process. Trust me again, if Peggy does it or recommends it, DO IT. She is a gem and has never given out bad advice. Tim L.
Lyne: Just checked the "Head Mistress" section. Peggy has a section on the winterization process. Trust me again, if Peggy does it or recommends it, DO IT. She is a gem and has never given out bad advice. Tim L.
P
Paul Flanagan
winterization
Go to the Catalina 36 web page www.catalina36.org. Rich Lemieux has a very comprehensive winterizing check list most of which I'm sure is applicable to a 380. The only thing I would add is that we remove all cushions and anything that could absorb moisture.
Go to the Catalina 36 web page www.catalina36.org. Rich Lemieux has a very comprehensive winterizing check list most of which I'm sure is applicable to a 380. The only thing I would add is that we remove all cushions and anything that could absorb moisture.
T
Tim Leighton
BOAT U.S.
Lyne: Happened to see an article in a Ches Bay sailing rag that says Boat U.S. is offering a free winterization guide. You can get it by calling (800) 283-2883 or logging onto their web site at www.BoatUS.com. I haven't checked out the site myself, but suspect it is pretty all inclusive. Again, good luck! Tim L.
Lyne: Happened to see an article in a Ches Bay sailing rag that says Boat U.S. is offering a free winterization guide. You can get it by calling (800) 283-2883 or logging onto their web site at www.BoatUS.com. I haven't checked out the site myself, but suspect it is pretty all inclusive. Again, good luck! Tim L.
M
Michael Barry
Two tomes
Nigel Clders's Boat Maintenance book is excellent. the illustrations are fantastic. His winterization checklist is very through. Also, the Westerbeake and Yanmar manuals are very through on engine layup. If you are at all handy, doing these chores will pay off when you are out on the briny and you have a breakdown.
Nigel Clders's Boat Maintenance book is excellent. the illustrations are fantastic. His winterization checklist is very through. Also, the Westerbeake and Yanmar manuals are very through on engine layup. If you are at all handy, doing these chores will pay off when you are out on the briny and you have a breakdown.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.