Did something freeze and potentially break?

[xymmot]

Re: Did something freeze and potentially break?

well let's not be too hard on the guy just yet; everyone takes chances and everyone has stuff come along that wrecks plans. I don't know about where he is, but the first cold snap in many regions catches people by surprise--and lots of untended boats get through them.
Anyone who has a boat, cabin, whatever that is a couple hours from home, and also has a job and responsibilities, understands this. Sometimes stuff is where you can't get someone to go out and rescue it.

I don't have to worry about freezing but my stuff, here and at the remote placem, are at risk from hurricanes and big storms like northeasters, and sometimes you just can't get to it all in a scramble.

Although here it sounds like he could have just picked up the phone and had it done.

I have a boat on the Potomac river 30 foot Carver.....last year the old owners only winterize the water lines inside the boat and shut off the sea **** valve. They claim it didn't get cold enough in Va for a super freeze. I plan to do the same, the boat stays in the water at all times, but what happens to the auto bilge pumps and others? Should i winterize the engine as well? I plan on fishing through Dec. and restart in March 2014.

cheers tommy x

 

[Natesms]

Re: Did something freeze and potentially break?

I have a boat on the Potomac river 30 foot Carver.....last year the old owners only winterize the water lines inside the boat and shut off the sea **** valve. They claim it didn't get cold enough in Va for a super freeze. I plan to do the same, the boat stays in the water at all times, but what happens to the auto bilge pumps and others? Should i winterize the engine as well? I plan on fishing through Dec. and restart in March 2014.

cheers tommy x

The bilges will be fine. They are down under the water line and if the water doesn't freeze around the boat no worries (if it freezes around the boat you have other problems anyway).

How cold does the water get? If it were my boat I would winterize the engine, especially since you plan to pack it up for a few months. You can't predict the weather and it's cheap insurance.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Did something freeze and potentially break?

Smokeonthewater, I am glad we are on the same page. I did a poor job with my poll comment of illustrating my true opinion. That is that in the end you can get all the advice in the world but you have to sort through it and make your own decision because opinions are rarely all the same on the internet. I just thought a poll here (freeze or no freeze) would have shown that in this case. I agree that on most maintenance type questions the guys here are pretty spot on.

PS. I put full synthetic in my car. My boats are 2 strokes and don't get syn.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Did something freeze and potentially break?

I have a boat on the Potomac river 30 foot Carver.....last year the old owners only winterize the water lines inside the boat and shut off the sea **** valve. They claim it didn't get cold enough in Va for a super freeze. I plan to do the same, the boat stays in the water at all times, but what happens to the auto bilge pumps and others? Should i winterize the engine as well? I plan on fishing through Dec. and restart in March 2014.

cheers tommy x

you need advice from experienced boaters where you are--not someone across the country. I'm just a couple hours south of you but I have saltier and warmer water so even if I knew about winterizing your type boat my advice would be of limited value. Stick local. Maybe ask around on tidalfish.com.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Did something freeze and potentially break?

I have a boat on the Potomac river 30 foot Carver.....last year the old owners only winterize the water lines inside the boat and shut off the sea **** valve. They claim it didn't get cold enough in Va for a super freeze. I plan to do the same, the boat stays in the water at all times, but what happens to the auto bilge pumps and others? Should i winterize the engine as well? I plan on fishing through Dec. and restart in March 2014.

cheers tommy x

The bilges will be fine. They are down under the water line and if the water doesn't freeze around the boat no worries (if it freezes around the boat you have other problems anyway).

How cold does the water get? If it were my boat I would winterize the engine, especially since you plan to pack it up for a few months. You can't predict the weather and it's cheap insurance.

you need advice from experienced boaters where you are--not someone across the country. I'm just a couple hours south of you but I have saltier and warmer water so even if I knew about winterizing your type boat my advice would be of limited value. Stick local. Maybe ask around on tidalfish.com.

You need to start your own thread to ask a new question instead of hijacking someone existing thread.....

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: Did something freeze and potentially break?

FWIW- ice won't hurt a boat that's in it. Our houseboat has sat in 15+ inches of ice for 4 of the 7 years we've owned it, and it'll spend this winter in ice too. A sailboat on our dock, more years than ours. Since the ice has room to move up, it exerts zero pressure on the hull. The big problem with ice is if the boat's in a place where ice blocks can get to it from the main water. Our harbor is completely 'enclosed' by the way the dike was built.

Now, I'm not exactly crazy about my drives being froze so I DO have a pump under the diving deck that keeps the water out back from freezing...

sorry for the re-hijack...

 

[alldodge]

Re: Did something freeze and potentially break?

sorry for the re-hijack...

Just repost on another thread, I'm sure there will be plenty of responses