New Owner: in or out during next winter?

[watson1959]

Assuming I survive my first season as an owner and that I avoid sinking both my own and others' boats, there appear to be two main options open to me come the winter:-

1. Leave her in the water
2. Take her out (see....I'm quick to learn!)

So....

1. In: If I decide to leave her in the water (with the possibility of being a grown-up and going out on cold frosty days etc), what are the winterising precautions that I should take without exposing myself to unneccessary costs?

2. Out: Is the annual cost of winterisation substantial? I have no experience of engines but am happy to turn my hand to the basics so long as I have a Haynes Manual or equiv (or friendly neighbour who can advise/help).

I realise some will be dependent upon the engine size (FNM 200Hp) but general advice/views are much appreciated.

Thanks
Simon

 

[IAIA3259]

what boat and engine do you have?

 

[watson1959]

BALT 750. Relatively unknown under its own brand: here is the link to the broker's detail http://www.valwyattmarine.co.uk/sales/used/detail_overview_new.php?boat_id=871 with FNM 200 diesel.

Current owner seems to be spending £350-£500 pa on what appear to be 'winter serrvices'

Simon

 

[oldgit]

Keep it in

There is no technical reason why your boat cannot remain in the water all year round and the bonus of just popping along on a nice bright winter day and mebbee just popping out of the marina for an hour can break up the long tedious gap over the winter months.So much better than wandering along and finding the poor old thing sitting forlornly on the hard when an early spring day catches you out.Like this year.

 

[boatone]

Do a search on this Forum for WINTERISING and it throws up over 350 posts on this topic over recent years.
Read them all carefully and then listen to Uncle Tone (aka M*ch**l W*nn*r) when I say "Calm Down, It's only a boat, my dear"

Boats are in their intended place when they are in the water. That is where the hull will be best supported and also less exposed to wind, all the dirt and dust that wind kicks up on hardstanding areas. It will also, temperaturewise be in a more friendly environment as the themperaure of the water under the boat is several degrees warmer than at the surface - even when the surface is actually frozen.
I posted evidence of this a few weeks ago IN THIS THREAD where you will see that the engine compartment temperature stayed pretty stable and above freezing for the whole of February.

To answer your questions more specifically:
1. Drain down the domestic freshwater system including the calorifier
2, Flush 50:50 antifreeze through the raw water side of the engine cooling - main block cooling should already be antifreezed.
3. Try and allow a little ventilaltion in the cabin

Finally - far too early to be talking about winterising - it's only May for heavens sake !!!! Get enjoying the boat and worry about winterising come September when everyone here will be asking the same old questions and Oldgit will proffer his usual gems of worldly wisdom

 

[watson1959]

Excellent response, thats BoatOne.....

As for the 'forget the winter and enjoy the season....I know, I know.....unfortunately it's the way my brain is wired.

'What would sir like as an aperitif?' Answer: ' Is your espresso fresh deep roast?'

'Happy New Year, darling: let's have a great one in 2011' Response: 'Wonder if I will need to get a new scarifyer this Autumn?'

I'm hoping that time on the river, at river speeds and with some peace and quiet, I can un-wind and enjoy 'today' instead of always planning for some time in the future

Simon

p.s......I'm already wandering from the thread subject

 

[DWT]

In or out for the Winter?

I ask myself this question every year. I have left it in the water and in commission with the intention of popping out on a crisp Winter's day, but have done nothing of the sort, and I have taken it out of the water for a scrub off, inspect the bits underneath, do the anti fouling and allow it to dry out to reduce the risk of osmosis.

I have seen threads which cast doubt upon the validity off the last bit and the hardstanding at my marina has only limited shore power connections. I like to run some heaters and a dehumidifier which does a great job of keeping everything inside the boat dry. Out of the water and without the heaters she gets very cold and damp and looks a bit sorry for herself.

This Winter just gone I kept her in the water, but had the engineer do all the draining down etc of the engine domestics and toilets and with a view to taking her out for a couple of weeks about now to do the underwater bits. I would probably be up at the marina today getting covered in anti fouling paint if the weather had not been so unseasonably good. There were some exceptionally cold nights this Winter so I am glad I took all the necessary precautions, but the previous Winter I just relied upon the heaters and the insulation from the water and had no problems.

The figure you quote for the work seems about right. I had both engines serviced at the same time as the decommissioning and the bill for the lot came to £585. I am still waiting for the bill for the work to connect it all back up again because there was a small extra job to do which has not yet been finished.

 

[watson1959]

Thanks

David...that's a really helpful, pragmatic view. Much appreciated.

I see you're also in Reading..where are you moored?

Simon

 

[DWT]

Thames & Kennet Marina. If you believe everything you read on this forum you would conclude that the world revolves around Bray marina, but I consider that T&K is about the best on the river in terms of location, facilities and value for money. Even Brayman moors there.

 

[watson1959]

Splendid......thats where I expect to end up so I look forward to sharing a glass or two at some stage soon.

I'm ar too uneducted in the ways of the river/boating to comment on the rest lol

 

[No Regrets]

We started at T&K, and enjoyed 18 months before moving down to Bray.

We went up again last week, and decided we wouldn't go back up!

Thats a small issue compared to your choice of Boat, which you will find totally unsuitable for Thames cruising, in the same way as our almost identical Rio 700 turned out to be!

It will steer very poorly unless on the plane, which is not going to happen this side of Wandsworth, will be sickening to sleep in, as any movement will make it roll around, and leave a wake that will make you sick of the shouting you'll attract.

I really really wouldn't get a sports boat for upper Thames. We trade our 2 year old mint Rio in, and bought a Birchwood for a third of the price, which was just divine by comparison!

Ask around, I don't think you'll find anyone to say otherwise. We bought ours because we thought it looked sexy: Big mistake!

 

[Glorfindel]

We normally put our boat (Stardust on C3) on the hardstand during the summer holidays - it dries and we don't have to fight with the summer Thames. Winter at T & K is sometimes good but for the last two years we have had to drive to the Bull at Sonning for our Christmas Day lunch because we have been frozen in. The boat has engine room and underfloor heaters on a good thermostat. Always 6 inches of clear water around the hull although the rest of the marina is thick ice. Do find that the drinking water doesn't work until the heater has been on for an hour or so.
The winter river is terrific - you can see so much and NEVER have to wait for locks!

 

[Ian45]

Thames & Kennet Marina. If you believe everything you read on this forum you would conclude that the world revolves around Bray marina, but I consider that T&K is about the best on the river in terms of location, facilities and value for money. Even Brayman moors there.

We made two stops at Thames & Kennet marina to make use of the showers while we had some battery issues that prevented us using our boat shower, mind you it was MUCH easier using the marina facilities anyway.

The staff were very helpful and friendly and the facilities very clean and moorings well organised so although I love being at Harleyford I was very impressed with the T&K based on our experience.

We kept our boat in the water this year but our marina froze so couldn't go out when we wanted not to mention being between two locks both being repaired!

 

[CX54WEK]

NC stays in the water all winter and comes out for a couple of weeks towards the end of March for a quick spruce up, anode change and drive service. The only winterising we do is to lob the cockpit carpets back in and stick a big tube heater in the engine bay and a couple of smaller ones in the bathroom and galley. This method seems to work fine for us. This year we had a frozen domestic water pump which was our own fault for locating the heater in the wrong location.

 

[CX54WEK]

We started at T&K, and enjoyed 18 months before moving down to Bray.

We went up again last week, and decided we wouldn't go back up!

Thats a small issue compared to your choice of Boat, which you will find totally unsuitable for Thames cruising, in the same way as our almost identical Rio 700 turned out to be!

It will steer very poorly unless on the plane, which is not going to happen this side of Wandsworth, will be sickening to sleep in, as any movement will make it roll around, and leave a wake that will make you sick of the shouting you'll attract.

I really really wouldn't get a sports boat for upper Thames. We trade our 2 year old mint Rio in, and bought a Birchwood for a third of the price, which was just divine by comparison!

Ask around, I don't think you'll find anyone to say otherwise. We bought ours because we thought it looked sexy: Big mistake!

There is always one isnt there

Not everyone likes driving around in the equivalanet of a floating caravan, some of us prefer to boat in style.

< From the owner of a small sports boat with a single outdrive kept on a small inland river for almost three years now. Not regretted a second of it >

 

[mlines]

There is always one isnt there

Not everyone likes driving around in the equivalanet of a floating caravan, some of us prefer to boat in style.

< From the owner of a small sports boat with a single outdrive kept on a small inland river for almost three years now. Not regretted a second of it >

- I am regularly told that "Bowriders are death traps, I will ship water over the front daily and will sink!", probably told that by people with wooden houshold patio furniture on the deck.
Whilst the weather is always an issue for any boat its all a matter of knowing how it performs and what conditions it can handle and learning to handle it. By the performance of some of the large, displacement boats (not hired ones) at the locks and bridges and the amount of wake then a smaller planing boat can hardly be criticised.

 

[apollo]

Thames & Kennet Marina. ...., but I consider that T&K is about the best on the river in terms of location, facilities and value for money. Even Brayman moors there.

...if you like looking at Gas Storage Cylinders....


Not everyone is Bray based, also an ever growing band of Harleyford residents.

 

[watson1959]

...if you like looking at Gas Storage Cylinders....

.

Ah yes....but on a misty day, with the setting sun low on the horizon, and with your eyes almost closed, they provide a picturesque reminder of Britain's great industrial heritage, which has now mostly been demolished and replaced with shiny new shopping centres ......LOL

One of my family ancestors was George Stephenson, so much as I would like a mooring in a Green and Pleasant Land......I must admit T&K will help me keep in touch with my roots. No......I am NOT interested in a narrow boat......yet

 

[No Regrets]

There is always one isnt there

Not everyone likes driving around in the equivalanet of a floating caravan, some of us prefer to boat in style.

< From the owner of a small sports boat with a single outdrive kept on a small inland river for almost three years now. Not regretted a second of it >

Thats because you don't know any better, and you are not on the upper Thames, and 50 miles from the first whiff of anything tidal

I just wish somebody had told us what we now now, and we would have just bought the right boat for the job.

As it is, the Sports cruiser was wrong in every way, other than it looked cool.

Sadly, in the particular environment, it was as cool as a Nike training shoe at a Royal garden party

I stand by my post, despite the fact you have a sports cruiser and don't like the content. No seasoned Upper Thames resident will tell you it's not accurate.

 

[Lazy Days]

Thats because you don't know any better, and you are not on the upper Thames, and 50 miles from the first whiff of anything tidal

I just wish somebody had told us what we now now, and we would have just bought the right boat for the job.

As it is, the Sports cruiser was wrong in every way, other than it looked cool.

Sadly, in the particular environment, it was as cool as a Nike training shoe at a Royal garden party

I stand by my post, despite the fact you have a sports cruiser and don't like the content. No seasoned Upper Thames resident will tell you it's not accurate.

I would consider myself a "seasoned Upper Thames resident" and am on my second sports cruiser. I don't know if she's cool but frankly that's not something I could give two figs about and I wouldn't swap her for the world.