Winterization or Winterizing (NorthEast)

jeff_c

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Joined
Apr 17, 2007
RO Number
25917
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568
For the first time ever I will have my boat in a yard that will allow me to winterize my boat myself.

I've done a bunch of work on this boat myself (and my prior boats) but I figure, besides saving a few bucks (never a bad thing as long as it doesn't come back to bite me in the arse), that I would even more intimate with the inner workings of my boat and engines.

However, I've never fully winterized any of boats before so I figured I would check in here and see if I've got a complete checklist prepared:

Top off fuel tanks
Treat fuel with stabilizer/biocide
Check belts
Check hoses
Replace fuel filter(s)
Flush cooling system
Flush raw-water side with salt-away
Flush raw-water side with salt-away with antifreeze
Change gear lube
Change oil and oil filter
Replace sacrificial anodes
Remove water pump impeller
Spray electrical connections with moisture repellent
Spray entire engine with anticorrosion treatment

Drain fresh water tanks
fill with 5 (?) gallons potable antifreeze
Run faucets
Unplug/drain hot water heater
Pump out waste tank
Flush toilets with antifreeze
Pump antifreeze through shower drains
Run antifreeze through AC pumps
Run antifreeze through Bilge pumps (dump and pump?)

What do you all think?

Jeff
 
I lose my belt tensioner to release the unnecessary pressure on alternator, water pump and p/s pump during winter.
 
Might want to wait until spring to change the raw water impeller, so the vanes of the new impeller don't sit in one position all winter. I'm not certain it makes a critical difference, but I do it in the spring.

For the fuel filter, I also wait for spring. I figure that when it first gets started up in the spring, a whole bunch of crud will flow into the filter. Rather than all that junk going in the new filter, I'd rather the junk go in the old filter. Then I change the filter after that first start-up. I do that first start-up on the garden hose. Again, I'm not sure if doing it that order is critical. That's just how I do it for the years I winterize. (I don't winterize every year, as I take it to FL for some winters).

Another item .... Put some "Damp-Rid" containers in the cabin.
 
I have gotten away from the pink stuff in freshwater system. I bypass the freshwater pump and blow air thru the lines. Similar to an inground sprinkler system.
 
If you are going to use pink antifreeze in your fresh water system, you may want to drain and bypass your water heater before pumping antifreeze thru the system. That way, you won't be filling your water heater with antifreeze. It doesn't need it, just drain it and hook the hot and cold lines together with a short segment of flexible hse and hose clamps. Then you're good to pump pink antifreeze thru the rest of the system.

How do you plan on running antifreeze thru your AC pump? Most AC pumps won't self prime and thus won't suck antifreeze out of a bucket. Easiest way to do this is get a portable 12 volt bilge pump. Connect it to a short length of hose with a tapered fitting that you can push into the AC water discharge port on the side of the hull. Put the pump in a bucket of pink antifreeze and push the antifreze backward thru the system. When you see pink coming out of the bottom of the hull at the water pickup, you're done. Need to make sure your seacock is open. You can also use the portable pump to push antifreeze antegrade thru the system thru the hose from the seacock and out the side discharge port. First method is easier as you don't have to unhook any hoses.
Also, don't forget to run antifreeze thru your city water hookup if you used it and don't forget to let antifreeze run thru your transom shower if you have one.
 
There is a whole forum on winterization, why not post this question there? Most of these questions are already answered ( many, many times) there.
 
Plus 1 on using air instead of AF for the fresh water system. If you do this enough it will pay for a cheap compressor easy. You can even do this with a 12v compressor. I have. I used air for 10 years without issue. But drain the water heater and bypass it.
Put the fuel treatments in before you haul out and run the boat on plane to ensure it gets to the carbs or injectors. Make sure it is compatible with your injectors if you have them.
Remove all the water from the bilge with a shop vac.
Fully agree on doing impellers, filters, plugs etc. in the Spring after an initial run up or shake down.

Check the AF coming out the exhaust to ensure it is protected. Flush the holding tank with fresh water a couple of time before the AF goes through.
I never ran AF through the bilge pumps because they drain into the bilge but if you have check valves in the over the side hoses be careful.
 
What would draining and bypassing the water heater accomplish ? After I hook up the air compressor I "pressure up" the system and turn only farthest cold water faucet and let it blow till there is only air, turn it off and got to the next cold faucet and so on till nothing blows but air. Turn all cold faucets off and do the same for the hot. Once the water is blown from the hot water heater all that's left is air. And even if there was some residual water remaining in the tank it wouldn't damage anything. This will be my 4 th year with this method. Of course I have over simplified issues such as ice makers, toilets, carbon water filters. These all have their specific issues with regard to water supply and draining / winterizing.
 
The water heater has enough water in it to delay the whole job. If you are using AF you would use gallons more AF.

I put a switch on the ice maker so that I can open up the water line and blow air through it as well thus treating it like a faucet.
 
Thanks all. I have amended my list with the applicable suggestions here. I'm not sure what the best way will be to treat the fresh water system. I have both options (AF and a compressor) available to me so I can decide that later. Boat won't be pulled until Nov 2nd anyway so I have time to plan.

The current plan:
Top off fuel tanks
Treat fuel with stabilizer/biocide
Check belts
Check hoses
Loosen belt tensioner (? - not sure if this is possible)
Flush cooling system (? - need to check manufacturers reco)
Flush raw-water side with salt-away
Flush raw-water side with antifreeze
Remove water pump impeller
**Service aftercooler
**Service heat exchanger
Drain Racors of any water.
Change gear lube
Change oil and oil filter
Replace sacrificial anodes
Spray electrical connections with moisture repellent
Spray entire engine with anticorrosion treatment

Spring Commissioning of engine
Replace raw water pump impeller
Replace fuel filter(s)

Drain fresh water tanks
fill with 5 (?) gallons potable antifreeze
Run faucets
Unplug/drain hot water heater
Pump out waste tank
Flush toilets with antifreeze
Pump antifreeze through shower drains
Run antifreeze through AC pumps
Run antifreeze through Bilge pumps (dump AF, pump AF and vacuum remainder)

Jeff

PS I didnt know there was a winterization forum so if a mod can move this it would be appreciated.
 
Jeff. I did my own boat every year but this year I am hiring someone so I can see what they do to IPS.
I blow out my lines and I put pink in ac system.
I can show you if you want help.
I have jug for pink stuff and depending on your strainer for ac I may have the thoroflush that fits on top.
 
FWIW - this is ours.....

1995 4788 Bayliner Winterize
(Dry Storage)

A/C-Raw Water
1 Ensure seacock closed.
2 Remove cover from sea-strainer under sole of main cabin floor
3 Set A/C breakers to “ON”
4 Use forward A/C control to turn on Raw water A/C pump while pouring:
a. Saltaway into sea-strainer
b. Pour 1 to 1 ½ gallons of domestic antifreeze into the sea-strainer
5 Ensure antifreeze has come out of all three raw-water A/C outlets
6 Remove and save pump drain plugs for commissioning

Alternate method A/C
1. Remove drain plugs from raw water pump
2. Use wetvac to pull water from each through hull opening (3)
3. While removing water from each through hull temporarily block the other 2 with tape
4. Visit each through hull in order until no water exits, then repeat one more time

Fresh Water System
1 Run system dry
2 Drain hot water heater with drain on heater & open pressure lever
3 Bypass heater by removing and re-attaching heater “COLD” line to heater “HOT” line. Use the short attachment coupler made for this usage.
4 Heater is done, leave valves open
5 Pour 3 to 4 gallons of domestic antifreeze into fresh water tanks (2) and run all faucets beginning with farthest one until you see color.

Alternate method: disconnect water tanks at tank side, disconnect water pressure pump at pump outlet, use wetvac attached in place of water pump to pull water out, beginning with farthest faucet, in order ‘hot’ and ‘cold’:

a. Forward Wash Down
b. Master shower
c. Master sink
d. Washer
e. Guest shower
f. Guest sink

g. Rear shower
h. Rear wash down
i. Bar sink
j. Ice maker (2 places)
k. Galley sink

Repeat the entire sequence in order expecting no additional water out.

6 With system filled with domestic antifreeze, or vacuumed clear, open lines at both sides of pump and remove caps at hot and cold ‘ends’ in mid bilge.
7 Leave all faucets and caps open until ready for use, disconnect water at ice maker inlet and washer
8 Disconnect lines from the (2) freshwater tanks and leave open if not done so already
9 Move wetvac to inlet pipe side of water pump and alternately remove all water from each water tank line by selecting the valves one at a time - repeat each line once again.

Shower and Sink Drains with pumps
1 Pour ½ gallon of domestic antifreeze into drain while operating pump

Heads (2)
1 Follow owners manual for Bayliner or do as follows
2 Add 1 gallon of domestic antifreeze to each head when bowl is dry and pump to holding tank until “dry”
3 Operate head pump-out switch until holding tank is empty

Main Engines (2)
1 Remove and replace primary fuel filter (every other season for 1,000 miles)
2 Remove and replace secondary fuel filter (or per vacuum gage)
3 Drain water separator (likely nothing)
4 Add fuel additive to fuel tank (stabilizer)
5 Prime fuel system
6 Change oil while warm
7 Remove and replace oil filters (2 per engine, lube & bypass)
8 Add clean oil (12.75 qts each)
9 Remove and replace transmission fluid every 2nd season (5.5 qts Dexron III)
10 Chemically clean transmission filters
11 Drain antifreeze every second season – save to use later – 2 petcocks per engine
12 Add new antifreeze and distilled water 50/50
13 Start engine – if not warm, wait until gauge begins to show improvement
14 When warm, close seacock and remove hose
15 Use raw water hose to flush with fresh water first, then flush with Saltaway while running engine
16 Use raw water hose and “used” antifreeze to add to engine while running until shut down. 5 gallons of antifreeze mix is more than sufficient to flush system
17 Remove air cleaner – plug with oily rag
18 Clean air cleaner for next season and store
19 Close fuel petcocks
20 Tape fuel tank vents closed with oil-soaked rags if outside
21 Grease fuel tank fill caps with waterproof grease (superlube)
22 Pull raw water impellers
23 Check raw water drain tubes for blockages at cutlass bearing by removing hose
24 Plug exhaust with oily rags
25 Drain exhaust mufflers
26 Relax fan belts
27 The mains are now ready for next seasons use by just clearing the vent line, air cleaner inlet and exhaust ports. Remember to open fuel petcocks, replace impeller, tighten fan belt and replace drain plugs

Generator is the same as above except:
1 Only 1 oil filter
2 (2) 2nd fuel filters (not needed each year, every 2nd season)
3 Different capacities – see handbook (5 qts oil)
4 There is a pencil zinc in the heat exchanger

Strainers – Main (2), Generator (1), A/C (1), S/W Washdown (1)
1 Open strainer and vacuum out water
2 Clean as necessary
3 Partial fill with domestic antifreeze
4 Grease seacock
5 Leave open until before launch

Zincs
As listed on maintenance sheet

Shaft Packing Glands
1 Done with Teflon flax and Tefgel
2 Most likely good for two seasons (check last change on maintenance sheet)
3 If adjusted, follow handbook – VERY LITTLE tightening is required

Ron & Karen Krupka
“No Worries”
 
Yikes...I forgot zincs. Thanks Ron.

Dave, Let's talk about pooling resources with Walter to see what we should outsource and what we should do ourselves.

Jeff
 
You may not want to "top off" the fuel tanks. Fill only 75-80 percent. Reason being, if you get some warm spells during layup fuel could expand and run out overflow.
Good luck
Ron
 
I flush a head lubricant to lubricate the duck valves, other head components and also for the macerator.
 
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