I'm faced with some winterizing decisions for my 36 foot sailboat and would lke a little advice. The location is fresh water, southern Missouri. Boats are left in the water for the duration and while the surface may freeze "some", it's not enough to pull boats or use those deicers. But it can certainly get very cold from time to time. I don't want to just lock the boat up for four months. On nice days I'd like the option of going out even if it is a bit cold. I'm on a dock with AC power, so the batteries will be kept topped up. I'll winterize the fresh water system (the usual antifreeze), and will drain the hot water heater and head - guess I'll use a porti potti since there are no pumpouts in the offseason. But what about the diesel engine? I'd rather not go through the whole winterizing process each time I'm out. Any thougths would be appreciated.
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Here' what we do up north
add stabilizer to the fuel system Drain the sea water side of the heat exchanger close the engine water intake valve, remove the hose and stick it in a bucket with a few gallons of antifreeze. Start the motor and let it run till the antifreeze bucket is empty. this works in new england where it gets -25 degrees. sounds like overkill for you but it's cheap insurance
add stabilizer to the fuel system Drain the sea water side of the heat exchanger close the engine water intake valve, remove the hose and stick it in a bucket with a few gallons of antifreeze. Start the motor and let it run till the antifreeze bucket is empty. this works in new england where it gets -25 degrees. sounds like overkill for you but it's cheap insurance
Heat
You can maintain heat in the engine compartment and areas where the water supply to the engine run. Be advised, if you loose electric for any reason you lose heat. It can be a risky move.
You can maintain heat in the engine compartment and areas where the water supply to the engine run. Be advised, if you loose electric for any reason you lose heat. It can be a risky move.
Thanks Daryl
I have a 33 up here and this is my first winter...Have been wrestling over what to do with the engine. Your advice was exactly what I needed. If you have more ideas, keep it coming! We are in RI and were thinking of keeping it in the water but have pretty much decided to pull it in early Dec. We move to SD in Feb so that was part of the laziness in our decisions
I have a 33 up here and this is my first winter...Have been wrestling over what to do with the engine. Your advice was exactly what I needed. If you have more ideas, keep it coming! We are in RI and were thinking of keeping it in the water but have pretty much decided to pull it in early Dec. We move to SD in Feb so that was part of the laziness in our decisions
Same Winterizing Issue
Randall, Two winters ago, we kept our boat in Baltimore for the WInter and it was a pretty severe winter season. I started the engine several times, but I protected it ffom freezing each time and it was not a big fiasco to do so. I purchased the -100 Antifreeze and a "ear muff" type water supply that you would use to winterize a small outboard. I took it apart and attached a hose, about 3 feet long, to one of the suvtion cups. Whenever I finished running the engine, I closed the seacock, removed the strainer, opened up the antifreeze, put the hose into the bottle, and put the suction cup on to the bottom of the strainer body. I had my wife start the engine and used about a half of a gallon, enought to see the blue colored liquid emass from the back of the boat. In my humble opinion, IT IS NOT WORTH TAKING A RISK WITH YOUR ENGINE. We kept the boat heated but if something were to go wrong, there would be a high $$$$ price to pay. Mik D
Randall, Two winters ago, we kept our boat in Baltimore for the WInter and it was a pretty severe winter season. I started the engine several times, but I protected it ffom freezing each time and it was not a big fiasco to do so. I purchased the -100 Antifreeze and a "ear muff" type water supply that you would use to winterize a small outboard. I took it apart and attached a hose, about 3 feet long, to one of the suvtion cups. Whenever I finished running the engine, I closed the seacock, removed the strainer, opened up the antifreeze, put the hose into the bottle, and put the suction cup on to the bottom of the strainer body. I had my wife start the engine and used about a half of a gallon, enought to see the blue colored liquid emass from the back of the boat. In my humble opinion, IT IS NOT WORTH TAKING A RISK WITH YOUR ENGINE. We kept the boat heated but if something were to go wrong, there would be a high $$$$ price to pay. Mik D
Hot water heater???
if I do not use a HW by pass...can I just add antifreeze to my drained fresh water tanks and open my faucets including the HW and wait until the antifreeze comes out ALL faucets and showers ???...using both hot and cold lines?? I was also going to do the same with our diesel,,,just shut the seacock, pull the hose and stick in a jug of antifreeze turn the engine on and wait until it pumps out the exaust. Drain holding tanks add antifreeze. any cockpit scuppers I add a hose inside the pipe to below the water line to prevent any freezing solid of the line.
if I do not use a HW by pass...can I just add antifreeze to my drained fresh water tanks and open my faucets including the HW and wait until the antifreeze comes out ALL faucets and showers ???...using both hot and cold lines?? I was also going to do the same with our diesel,,,just shut the seacock, pull the hose and stick in a jug of antifreeze turn the engine on and wait until it pumps out the exaust. Drain holding tanks add antifreeze. any cockpit scuppers I add a hose inside the pipe to below the water line to prevent any freezing solid of the line.
I've never done this, but I've considered it: Instead of doing the "normal" winterization, i.e., adding antifreeze to the raw water side of the cooling system, why not just close the raw water intake seacock and run the engine for a minute or so to pump out all the water in that side of the system? Running the engine for such a short period is not going to risk overheating and I doubt you would do any harm to the water pump impeller. No water in that side of the system would seem to be as good, or better, than adding antifreeze. Anyone tried this?
In NE MO
We face a little colder weather then you good folks at Stockton. I would think that as long as you put the anti-freeze back into the engine freshwater system, after use, you would be good to go. My 322 came with the hose connection for the freshwater intake, so all I have to do is close the thru hull, drop a hose into the anti freez and start the engine, until freeze starts blowing out the exhaust and you're ready to sit again. Have a good winter. Jeff
We face a little colder weather then you good folks at Stockton. I would think that as long as you put the anti-freeze back into the engine freshwater system, after use, you would be good to go. My 322 came with the hose connection for the freshwater intake, so all I have to do is close the thru hull, drop a hose into the anti freez and start the engine, until freeze starts blowing out the exhaust and you're ready to sit again. Have a good winter. Jeff
Warren ?
I don't know that no water/antifreeze is better. Your assuming that the impeller would push ALL the water out of the system, gota question that. even if you blew the system out, with the introduction of air into the system, I would think the possibility of rust or corrosion would increase.
I don't know that no water/antifreeze is better. Your assuming that the impeller would push ALL the water out of the system, gota question that. even if you blew the system out, with the introduction of air into the system, I would think the possibility of rust or corrosion would increase.
George - Water heater comments
If you don't bypass the water heater, you'll have to use enough antifreeze to replace all the water in the heater, which is probably about 6 gallons for most of us. Here's what I do: Manually bypass the water heater using some clear hose. And don't forget to drain the water out of the heater so it doesn't remain and freeze! Instead of putting antifreeze directly into the drained fresh water tanks (some of which would stay in the tanks all winter, possibly leaving a taste to deal with next spring), I disconnect the hose coming out of the tank and put the end in a jug of antifreeze. Then individually open each faucet, shower, etc., both hot and cold, and pump through until antifreeze appears. Reconnect the hose to the tank and you're done. (I leave the bypass in place until after I've flushed the system with plain water in the spring.) Add antifreeze to each of the drains as well to flush water that may be in any of the traps. Hope this helps.
If you don't bypass the water heater, you'll have to use enough antifreeze to replace all the water in the heater, which is probably about 6 gallons for most of us. Here's what I do: Manually bypass the water heater using some clear hose. And don't forget to drain the water out of the heater so it doesn't remain and freeze! Instead of putting antifreeze directly into the drained fresh water tanks (some of which would stay in the tanks all winter, possibly leaving a taste to deal with next spring), I disconnect the hose coming out of the tank and put the end in a jug of antifreeze. Then individually open each faucet, shower, etc., both hot and cold, and pump through until antifreeze appears. Reconnect the hose to the tank and you're done. (I leave the bypass in place until after I've flushed the system with plain water in the spring.) Add antifreeze to each of the drains as well to flush water that may be in any of the traps. Hope this helps.
Antifreeze better than air
By installing a bypass hose for easy antifreeze sucking, or using Mike D's suctionator method, re-winterizing is pretty easy after a mid-winter sail. If you go with just pumping water out and air in, you can't be sure all the water is out, and you might end up with a dry impeller, and they'll last longer if kept wet. I have a winterization / spring steps spreadsheet of to-do's that I'm happy to share via email attachment if anyone is interested - look up user name "Sailor Joe" in the directory and send me your address.
By installing a bypass hose for easy antifreeze sucking, or using Mike D's suctionator method, re-winterizing is pretty easy after a mid-winter sail. If you go with just pumping water out and air in, you can't be sure all the water is out, and you might end up with a dry impeller, and they'll last longer if kept wet. I have a winterization / spring steps spreadsheet of to-do's that I'm happy to share via email attachment if anyone is interested - look up user name "Sailor Joe" in the directory and send me your address.
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