Hanger storage

[MapisM]

Interesting. What do you do for your "winterisation process"?

LOL, he didn't say processes for nothing, P: the list is rather long...
I'm on a mobile atm, but will follow up later if nobody else does in the meantime.

 

[Boatbore]

Interesting. What do you do for your "winterisation process"?

Most years I pay someone a lot of money to drain everything, lubricate everything, wash everything, dry store everything, service everything etc etc !

 

[petem]

LOL, he didn't say processes for nothing, P: the list is rather long...
I'm on a mobile atm, but will follow up later if nobody else does in the meantime.

Thanks P, I'd be interested to see what's on your list as mine is rather short!

Pete

 

[petem]

Most years I pay someone a lot of money to drain everything, lubricate everything, wash everything, dry store everything, service everything etc etc !

Thanks BB!

 

[MapisM]

Thanks P, I'd be interested to see what's on your list as mine is rather short!

Well, to start with, you should consider that when the boat stays is in the water, it's extremely rare that anything onboard can reach freezing temperature, because the sea water acts as a huge thermal damper. I'm talking of the Med, mind: this might well not be true for UK boaters, let alone Scubaman, for instance...

But, when you put her on the dry, even if in a shed (unless it's a heated one, which do exist but are very rare), and particularly in the northern areas of the Med (N Adriatic being probably the worst in this respect), you must consider anything which can be affected by freezing temperatures:
- empty fresh water tank + holding tanks + boiler;
- empty as much as possible the whole fresh water circuit, leaving all taps opened;
- be sure to have antifreeze where appropriate (engines+genset closed cooling circuit, AC compressor+fancoils circuit);
- flush with fresh water+antifreezee all raw water circuits (engines+genset+AC+watermaker, if any);

There are also other things typically recommended, when boats are going to be stored and unused for several months, regardless of how cold the weather can be:
- seal the engine intakes (air filters)+exhausts with cellophane. This is meant to not let moisture find its way inside cylinders, through open valves;
- for the interiors, it's a good idea to leave mattresses and cushions lifted in some way, with air circulating around them, and also leave the lockers open;
- fully drying the bilges if wet is another good idea;
- putting in place some way to keep all batteries topped up, at least periodically, even if the battery switch is (obviously) left off.

...and I am sure to be forgetting something.
Since I moved to almost African latitudes, winterization is not a real concern anymore!

 

[Portofino]

Stack the chain on a crate .
Anyone know why ?

 

[MapisM]

See? I did say that I was surely forgetting something!
Not that this is strictly necessary when winterizing, but it is indeed good practice to take the opportunity to dry out the chain locker, clean it and possibly paint it if necessary. In pre-chain counter (or plastic chain markers) days, that was also good for repainting the chain marks.

 

[petem]

Well, to start with, you should consider that when the boat stays is in the water, it's extremely rare that anything onboard can reach freezing temperature, because the sea water acts as a huge thermal damper. I'm talking of the Med, mind: this might well not be true for UK boaters, let alone Scubaman, for instance...

But, when you put her on the dry, even if in a shed (unless it's a heated one, which do exist but are very rare), and particularly in the northern areas of the Med (N Adriatic being probably the worst in this respect), you must consider anything which can be affected by freezing temperatures:
- empty fresh water tank + holding tanks + boiler;
- empty as much as possible the whole fresh water circuit, leaving all taps opened;
- be sure to have antifreeze where appropriate (engines+genset closed cooling circuit, AC compressor+fancoils circuit);
- flush with fresh water+antifreezee all raw water circuits (engines+genset+AC+watermaker, if any);

There are also other things typically recommended, when boats are going to be stored and unused for several months, regardless of how cold the weather can be:
- seal the engine intakes (air filters)+exhausts with cellophane. This is meant to not let moisture find its way inside cylinders, through open valves;
- for the interiors, it's a good idea to leave mattresses and cushions lifted in some way, with air circulating around them, and also leave the lockers open;
- fully drying the bilges if wet is another good idea;
- putting in place some way to keep all batteries topped up, at least periodically, even if the battery switch is (obviously) left off.

...and I am sure to be forgetting something.
Since I moved to almost African latitudes, winterization is not a real concern anymore!

Thanks P, that's all standard cold climate precautions but I would be surprised if the SoF shed in which Boatbore keeps his S/S ever gets close to freezing. The Costa Blanca is similarly warm all year. So I'm rather puzzled what extensive winterisation could be required for shed storage where there is no risk at all of freezing.

 

[Elessar]

Thanks P, I'd be interested to see what's on your list as mine is rather short!

Pete

Mine is:

Put dehumidifier in boat and turn on.
Top off tanks.
Check drinks fridge is full.
Check woolly hat is where expected.
And repeat every time I use the boat in the winter.

Desiccant dehumidifier provides background heat and costs about £30 in leccy in the coldest months.
Means beds can be left made up, clothes in wardrobe etc facilitating spontaneous use.

 

[Boatbore]

Thanks P, that's all standard cold climate precautions but I would be surprised if the SoF shed in which Boatbore keeps his S/S ever gets close to freezing. The Costa Blanca is similarly warm all year. So I'm rather puzzled what extensive winterisation could be required for shed storage where there is no risk at all of freezing.

I don’t think it’s particularly extensive...... just good practice. We had snow in Grimaud this winter although I think you are right that it is unlikely to freeze in the shed. I still prefer everything that has water in it to be drained including the lavatory, air con and seakeeeper...... can’t do any harm and seems to be good practice. I also have the electricity plugged in once a month for a few hours to top up batteries and run de-humidifier. Which drains into the sink (and onto the hanger floor !). I leave internal cushions on board but put all the outside ones in my garage which is very dry. Anchor chain gets run out to help with anti corrosion but is probably not especially necessary.
Ideally I would have engines serviced at end of season rather than at beginning. It is probably marginally better to have them sit full of clean oil than dirty oil all winter, although in practice this usually doesn’t happen to plan as the SoF mechanics tend to do the job when it suits them and not when it suits me !

 

[Rocksteadee]

In my yard in the UK if a boat is out on the hard standing there are 2 options.
1. Pay half price mooring fee but give up berth and may not get it back
2. Pay full price mooring fee to keep berth.

It strikes me as strange that to come out onto the hard standing if paying full price you would loose your berth. There must be defined time limits, eg the whole winter or would you still lose berth if out for anti foul.
You could come out for maintenance, anodes, antifoul, etc but just take all winter to do it.

Change oil at end of season:
Marine oil has a higher capacity to absorb water without detriment to itself, this water in a film when left to drain off can cause surface rust;
Old oil left stationary for a period of time allows all the particulates to drain down and deposit as sludge in the sump

 

[scubaman]

To Portofino I would say that in the nordics, tens of thousands of boats are stored ashore every year. Standard procedure in winterising is to run glycol into the engines (and some into toilets), drain the water tanks and taps, and lift the cushions and hatches. So pretty much what MapisM very accurately described above.

This has been going on for decades and usually for a period of six months per year. If there was any evidence of this being particularly harmful to the engines, the marine service sector would undoubtedly have come up with a more complicated way of doing it. But, as it is, this is also what Volvo engineers recommend.

Looking at it the other way, keeping the boat in the water and allowing marine growth to gradually clog up water intakes and heat exchangers will really mess up your EGT’s in the longer run . Also, thinking of corrosion, it is much better to have glycol than salt water in the engines.

 

[Rocksteadee]

I have a problem of black mould in the heads over winter, even with a humidifier as other end of the boat (it is there to drain into sink). Have been advised to put a cactus in heads to absorb moisture. Not tried it yet.

The chain on a pallet: my guess is to keep it at ambient temperature as the concrete act like a huge heat sink

 

[Portofino]

I visited a hanger run by Suncap twixt Grimaud and Cogolin .
It had some dormant boats, all N European owned where the owners had skipped a season or two .
I was told one guy had a heart attack and was not fit enough, another was a divorce etc etc .
So that’s a slight advantage of end of season hangering if there’s uncertainty for what ever reason of being able to boat next season leave it in storage .
My boat too was hangered over 3 seasons as I was told the owner had started another family while still married and the subsequent babies arriving put paid to any boating .
I bought it at the end of the first season he tried it with his new toddlers , and was told the Italian tax man was hot on his heels on top of the first wife’s divorce lawyers .

That’s imho partly, or has some component in the decision some Italian s take re hangering - basically hiding it out of sight of Guardia Finanza or anybody else ?
Obviously Those are not the reasons being discussed here but the roll over principle of a hangering still applies.

There’s a few hangers in Pegomas at the back of La Napoule Pete if you end up here .

 

[Portofino]

To Portofino I would say that in the nordics, tens of thousands of boats are stored ashore every year. Standard procedure in winterising is to run glycol into the engines (and some into toilets), drain the water tanks and taps, and lift the cushions and hatches. So pretty much what MapisM very accurately described above.

This has been going on for decades and usually for a period of six months per year. If there was any evidence of this being particularly harmful to the engines, the marine service sector would undoubtedly have come up with a more complicated way of doing it. But, as it is, this is also what Volvo engineers recommend.

Looking at it the other way, keeping the boat in the water and allowing marine growth to gradually clog up water intakes and heat exchangers will really mess up your EGT’s in the longer run . Also, thinking of corrosion, it is much better to have glycol than salt water in the engines.

You have no real choice for climatic reasons .
And as said I have tried to draw a distinction between your VP “ winterisation “ which if I remember correctly inc removing the impellers and just Med Hangering where frost and mould are low down in the “threats “but possible.

Re corrosion, the Zincs don’t work dry you need salt water to complete the electrical continuity.

Usually in the Med boats get lifted and fully serviced before the start of the season , well mine does .
But crucially as I said no nasty surprise like 8uggered / ceased pumps etc .
I can imagine PeteM , proudly getting excited at the start of a season after a winter of inactivity in a hanger say at Easter only to post a thread
“ my holding tank won’t empty “
“ Another fridge won’t work “
“ trim pump relays gone “
“ autopilot pump knackered “

You get the picture .

All good stuff for the Scando marine support industry there not gonna bite that hand that feeds them .
The SoF marine support guys don’t take prisoners either

 

[MapisM]

I can imagine PeteM , proudly getting excited at the start of a season after a winter of inactivity in a hanger say at Easter only to post a thread
“ my holding tank won’t empty “
“ Another fridge won’t work “
“ trim pump relays gone “
“ autopilot pump knackered “

I'm quoting this statement but actually replying to Scubaman, just to say that PF does have a point, in this respect.
On each of my boats, bar none, my most vivid memories of failing bits of equipment are definitely upon re-launch, rather than out of the blue in the middle of the season.

That said, sheltering the boat for half a year or so does extend the life of teak, covers, and of the boat exterior in general - no doubt about it.
And I also fully agree that it's better for any mechanical bit to stay in contact with fresh water+glycol, rather than sea water.
Drying out the hull completely is a good idea, either.
But for some other things, a regular usage seems to work well.

Of course, this is all theoretical when you don't really have a choice, as in your case.
Aside from moving the boat to the Med, of course.....

 

[scubaman]

I'm quoting this statement but actually replying to Scubaman, just to say that PF does have a point, in this respect.
On each of my boats, bar none, my most vivid memories of failing bits of equipment are definitely upon re-launch, rather than out of the blue in the middle of the season.

That said, sheltering the boat for half a year or so does extend the life of teak, covers, and of the boat exterior in general - no doubt about it.
And I also fully agree that it's better for any mechanical bit to stay in contact with fresh water+glycol, rather than sea water.
Drying out the hull completely is a good idea, either.
But for some other things, a regular usage seems to work well.

Of course, this is all theoretical when you don't really have a choice, as in your case.
Aside from moving the boat to the Med, of course.....

I can see that point, even though thinking back of all the breakages I've had with the boats, I can't remember one that had occurred upon relaunching after winter storage. That is not to say that there hasn't been one, just that I can't remember one... .

But yes, there are things such as holding tanks that benefit from regular use.

As for moving the boat to the Med, that would be the most sensible solution to all boat related matters for sure .

 

[petem]

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