Do you really need to winterize a boat?

[ChromeDome]

Well, not the Netherlands but Scandinavia , where berthing between poles is by far the most common setup. In some places these 'floating fingers' are added to help small(ish) boats when the berths are a bit long for them. Location more specifically is Denmark facing Sweden and the Baltics.

[Start of Rant] While I truely think we must consider our impact on the globe I also know that some of the big changes belong to mother earth (ice ages indeed were not a result fossile fuel burn). Consequently I think we have to consider our impact and behave responsibly (yes, ALL of us, also you over there and you in APAC!), while admitting some things are out of our reach. [End of Rant]

Checked my boat today as the tempeature is changin to above freezing, to ensure nothing has bursted or is leaking. All well, due diligence is one of my core focus areas

Adding todays pics, also of some on the hard (me among others) after the night's snowfall.



You see that the poles are kept free from ice. Managed by a bubble system that provides air around the pole at the seabed to prevent the ice+changing waterlevel from pulling the poles out of the seabed.

 

[Momac]

Daytime temperatures continue to be forecast to reach at least 10 degrees for the next week ahead.
While frosts are probable of course it seems to me the need to offer winter protection to a engine may well have elapsed. I tend to remove frost protection mid March and would deviate from that only if the weather forecast at that point suggests otherwise . As things are with Covid it seems unlikely we will be going boating before Easter.

 

[ChromeDome]

I believe it is a personal decision how you go about it, of course also governed by location and climate.

At the time of lift out in the fall, I assess the risk... and every time for the past 52 years decided that winterizing is sooo much cheaper and easier than engine/plumbing repair.

Hence I follow my regime:

Empty the holding tank, pour some Winter windscreen washer fluid into the bowl and pump out.
Drain and save engine coolant. Put new coolant in the engine circuit. Run the saved coolant through the sea water filter at idle, then turn off and leave the stuff in the sea water cooling circuit.
Empty the fresh water tank, hoses and taps. Remove the shower handle from the swim platform (as it by experience is prone to freeze and break).
Add a proper protective spray (not WD40) to engines and obvoious electrics.

Empty the boat. Everything except curtains are taken home, to be stored in room temperature over the winter.

Shut of all power consuming devices except charger and connect to shore power. Keeping batteries topped up prevent freezing and since almost no amount iof power is used, it costs chips even if connected for months. The solar powered vent will help moving air out of the boat, but as the sun isn't out a lot during winter, the net effect is limited

While on the hard, visit the marina and check the boat/stand/canopy daily, at least visually. A couple of times during winter climb the ladder and check things in and out (so far never had to do anything, but very reassuring). She's just sleeping there until spring

Oh, and do source antifouling, cleaner, polish, anodes, filters, wax etc. during winter while most things are in stock and the occasional lead time isn't a problem.

 

[Jim@sea]

I had a boat with a calor gas shower unit. One winter the thing inside it which the gas heats up, froze and split. should have drained it down.
The same thing happened in a Mobile Home I had and I had paid the campsite to "winterise" the mobile home.