To Winterize or not Winterize?

[truline]

I live in the northern puget sound and I winterized my boat this year. It is a 23' Bayliner with a Mercrusier Alpha One powerplant. The engine is internally cooled and has antifreeze. It does get stored indoors when not in use.

This year has been colder than most with a few weeks of sub freezing weather. There are days though that although it is cold it is clear and very nice to boat.

I am wondering weather I could do a modified winterizing, such as draining the freshwater tank and flushing the outdrive with something along with freshwater to prevent any freezing in the outdrive.

Anyone out there have any ideas for winter boat use?

 

[kmarine]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

I recomend winterizing. Even though you have closed cooling on the engine you need to drain the heat exchanger and oil coolers. your options depend on your engine size and type(I did not see one listed) you might get away wtih flushing with -100 degree antifreze pumped through muffs, but this is not the factory recomended procedure.

 

[Snobike Mike]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

Manifolds will also probably need to be drained.

For the outdrive, let it drain in the down position and you'll be fine. I put a garbage bag over the drive to keep snow/rain/whatever out of it.

Cheers.

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

so im not the only one on the this forum thing that asks dump questions no offence

 

[NYBo]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

so im not the only one on the this forum thing that asks dump questions no offence

I don't think the OP asked anything about a dump.

Nor is his question dumb, if that's what you meant. In some places, the temps in the winter are right on the borderline between year-round (albeit cold in winter) boating and having to winterize to prevent freeze damage.

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

wow i am bad at spelling lol no but weather you wanna call it winterizing or mainetice you should always change the oils and stuff. but you should always winterize when the weather is a threat to damage something like freezing.

 

[truline]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

The only question that is dumb is the one that is not asked. I appreciate the thoughts about the winterizing. I guess just doing normal maitenance and cleaning would be good as long as in the winter it is stored indoors and the building is insulated enogh so that it does not freeze inside.

 

[NYBo]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

Insulation in and of itself won't prevent freezing. There has to be a source of heat that is able to overcome whatever heat loss there is to maintain an above freezing temperature.

This would be a lot simpler if you had an outboard!

 

[RickJ6956]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

With Merc closed cooling, I used to just loosen the petcocks on the risers and pull the outdrive intake hose off the oil cooler. Trickle some RV antifreeze into the cooler until you see pink stuff come out of the prop/exhaust. It flushes through the heat exchanger. Never had a problem in 20 years.

If the temp is just below freezing (high 20's) and the water temp is 40+ you can just leave the boat in the water with the outdrive down. The warmth of the water keeps the metal parts of the outdrive and engine above freezing.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

If your indoor storage is climate controlled, then youve got no worries. Do all of your regular maintainance, and as long as the boat is protected from freezing at all times, I see no reason to do a full winterization for a boat which is already protected from the winter. To be on the safe side, though, just in case of power loss or loss of climate control/insulation for any unforseen reason, when storing the boat during cold weather, drain everything containg unprotected fluids. Just don't get slack on any regular preventative maintainance that a majority of boaters think of as wnterization...

 

[veritas honus]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

The "Kid" is coming out again... truline did not ask a "dumb question" as NYBo pointed out. You seem to be getting on the right track SBL. We have fun and try to be playful in giving people a "lighthearted" hard time, sometimes... But accusing others of asking "dumb questions" isn't the way, especially in so short a time after clearing things up. I'm not trying to be a "BUTT", or lecture you; but I promise, you'll gain more respect, and make more friends if you take smaller steps, and maybe tread a little lightly for a while. "I'm just sayin'"...

 

[DaNinja]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

so im not the only one on the this forum thing that asks dump questions no offence

Respect your elders.

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

so im not the only one on the this forum thing that asks dump questions no offence

if SBL could spell better than a 5th grader he would not get so much crap. I'm thinking short bus.

Truline has a real, reasonable question and the best source of info is here in these forums. Like the others have posted above- there are several factors to take into account and some good info.

 

[tjf]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

Nothing nice to say then just be quiet!!!!!!!!!!!! small boat lover

 

[TrygWes]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

Truline,

The San Juans and Gulf Islands are incredible this time of year. Ther are so many days that the water is like glass clear into the afternoons.
I'm out just east of Seattle and am experiencing the same weather. You have an advantage in being able to store your boat indoors. That alone will saves you risk. It does not take a lot of effort to keep your boat (engine/drive from freezing. Putting a clamp on, caged light bulb in the bilge will generate a suprising amount of relatively safe heat for freeze protection and draping a canvass tarp over the engine cover will help retain it. If you can tarp the whole boat or even the back half and set up a milk house electric heater underneath, this can work too. Just use proper caution to keep hot surfaces off flamables.

 

[QC]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

I decided to use this thread as a teaching moment. Would love for it to be known as a "Beer Summit" but we don't do politics here . . . After that little slipped in lesson :redface: , there are about three things we can learn from here.

1) We have a new forum called Non-Repair IO and Inboards. This thread definitely belongs there and pointed out the need as it was in Boat Topics Non-Engine, which is a little confusing at times as this is pretty much an engine topic, but could be considered a general boat question so Voila: Non-Repair IO

2) tjf, let's not dig up old threads, especially to make a comment about a little spat over spelling and I can't even tell who you are commenting to or for . . . I assume it is in defense of sbl, but kind of looks like criticism of sbl, but we really don't need either as this thread was dead.

3) Welcome aboard TrygWes!! Sorry you got inadvertently associated with this, but maybe we'll all gain some 'sperience. Pretty much all of us have been sucked into old threads like this. Thanks for understanding your guilt by association

 

[tjf]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

lol Don get a life

Edit: hmmmmmm, you just don't get it huh? - QC

 

[Bondo]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

lol Don get a life

Ayuh,... I see you bein' a short timer here....

 

[QC]

Re: To Winterize or not Winterize?

Well Bondo, my teaching moment both backfired and the user decided I was Don . . . Alrighty then.