Doing the nasty wintery bits

[andrewbarker]

I've read the usual rash of winterisation articles in the mags showing gleaming spotless engines & smiling journos demonstrating their prowess at all things mechanical & boaty. Not quite the same for me. Most of my winterisation is done standing on my head taking skin off my knuckles in 4 inches of greasy bilge water while my wife makes offensive remarks about the parts of my rear end sticking out of the hatch.

Someone just tell me please. When they say "suck water & antifreeze through the outdrive & leave in the engine" just how is that done? I've got DP290 volvo legs & V8 petrol noisy bits.

Also - any suggestions for witty responses to my wife's comments please. They range from "at last, somewhere to keep my magazines" to "I can't quite hear you - I'll just pull your jeans down a bit further". I urgently need to get back at her

 

[boatone]

Cutting thru the serious stuff about winterising and SWMBO how come, if you've got outdrives, you have 4" of greasy(greasy?) bilge water. Not a windup-serious question as no reason I can think of why bilges shouldnt be nice and dry.
Honest answer will bring helpful reply re antifreeze and SWMBO - not necessarily interlinked!

boatone@boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[andrewbarker]

Rain & a leaky port trim tab reservoir. O.K. I promise I'll fix them this winter.

 

[scottie]

You can use a bucket in the engine compartment or in some case outside the boat
Watch that the level is below engine height or you can get a siphon effect after you stop the engine
Take a hose from the water pump into the bucket and run mains into bucket. Do not connect mains straight to pump as this can get past when the engine is not running. Watch the flows and keep the bucket full. If you blip the throttle it can take a good lot out.
The antifreeze can be added to bucket at end. Watch out for exhaust and water at the drive, as it is quite messy.

 

[boatone]

Ah..thought it might be something like that but confession is good for the soul is it not? and we might have given you that little nudge that really will persuade you to sort it this winter!
As for the antifreeze problem.....you need to introduce the antifreeze somewhere between the water intake and the pump. On my previous boat I had a weed filter just inboard of the seacock and would shut off the seacock with the engine running and then pour 50/50 antifreeze into the weed filter until I saw it coming out of the discharge. On my new (old) boat I've got Volvo 270 o/d's and there is no seacock so a bit of a problem. One solution is to remove cover plate from pump and let water drain out (more water in bilges!) thus no need for a/freeze as raw water system empty (method shown in Volvo manual) . Or try scottie's trick with a bucket.
HTH. Watch this space for more helpful info on how to solve wifey problem but beware - it might involve some alterations to underwear.........(yours, not hers)......

boatone@boatsonthethames.co.uk