A Mechanic's Winterizing Request

[CR CRUISER]

The boating season is coming to an end and I am already getting requests to winterize customers' boats. I have a dry land repair facility, ie. not on the water, and get 50 to 60 boats through here for prepairation for winter storage. Despite all my requests to customers, I still get at least 10 boats that have not had their holding tanks emptied.

There are no facilities locally for dry land holding tank pumpouts. The only 2 'honey wagons' here refuse to pump boats as their vacuum pumps are too powerful and they have had previous problems where inadequately vented holding tanks have imploded. The only solution is to launch their boat and take it over to the pumpout dock which is time consuming and therefore expensive.

I have had customers request that I just flush a couple of gallons of RV antifreeze down the toilet. However, RV antifreeze is only effective when it is almost 100% pure and not diluted with water or the other stuff in the tank. I don't want to take the chance of a holding tank or its plumbing freezing and splitting. You couldn't pay me enough to clean up that mess.

So, in short, please dump your tanks (responsibly) before hauling your boat at the end of the season.

 

[partskenn]

Re: A Mechanic's Winterizing Request

Seems like common sense, although that is in short supply at times. I used to be a tech at an RV dealership that also winter stored rv's. We would store an rv all winter long 50 yards from the shop, (which had a pumpout), and when the customer would come to pick it up in the spring we would learn that they had not winterized last fall, and now water lines and holding tank had burst. Again, seems like common sense.

 

[emoney]

Re: A Mechanic's Winterizing Request

I bet if the owners themselves had to clean up the mess in the Spring at least they wouldn't repeat that mistake. Of course, you could always add a line item, "Winterize w/Pump Out" service. Just price it at $1,000.00.

 

[BobGinCO]

Re: A Mechanic's Winterizing Request

I wonder if shops that winterize RV's have the same problem?

 

[blouderback]

Re: A Mechanic's Winterizing Request

I think the real issue here is the fact that it's the middle of August and you're getting requests for winterizations.

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: A Mechanic's Winterizing Request

^^^ You said what I was thinking.

 

[Don S]

Re: A Mechanic's Winterizing Request

I think the real issue here is the fact that it's the middle of August and you're getting requests for winterizations.

Two very good reasons. Tourists that leave their boats there over the winter and spend the summer fishing, and Charter boats.

When I lived up in Ketchikan AK, when scheduling them in, we always told the customer to be sure they emptied their holding tanks, or, if we had to do it, it was $1000. We also had no way but to launch the boat and go to a single pump out station in the area.
Usually a 3 hour tour for 2 people and the truck to launch.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: A Mechanic's Winterizing Request

My wife does not like cold weather much, so I always use the excuse that I need a pump out as the best reason for the last day out late in the season. Otherwise, she'd probably balk at taking the boat out in October...