Staying in over winter, what should i do?

[nrbx]

Not sure if this has been talked about elsewhere, but we are staying in over winter in Yorkshire and it hit -10 to -15C last winter for the odd day at its worst.

There was quite a lot of engine damage as a result something i want to protect against!

I emailed my insurers for what i should do to still be insured and they replied with;

With regards the winter arrangements you need to make sure that the engines / machinery are taken care of in line with the manufacturers recommendations and the addition of the heater in the engine space will of course help.


Provided the manufactures recs are followed (and you keep the receipts to prove it just in case!) then you are covered against engine damage caused by extreme cold etc.

Which i assume he just means "Winterise it", however clearly not something i wish to do as i intend to keep boating through winter.

So the question is what should i do to still be insured if i wish to not lay up the boat?

Engines are Volvo TAMD 122P EDC's.

What does everyone else do?

 

[RIN]

We always keep the boat in the water over the winter as it is safer in the water than out on the hard. We have a heater on a stat that we put in the engine compartment and a dehumidifier on a timer in the cabin, and extra warps for mooring. The likelihood of the water the boat sits in actually freezing is very remote. So there is a big heat shunt sitting all round the hull of the boat keeping the engines above freezing

 

[volvopaul]

Engine wise, you need to drain out every bit of raw water from heat exchangers and any related pipes from the seacocks to the exhaust elbows, then pour an antifreeze /water 50/50 mix into the strainers with the cocks closed, run the engines till you can see it exit the exhausts. Test the coolant for strength.

I would also buy tube heaters and wire them on a stat to come on at at 5 dec c, you ca also place a thick blanket or an old duvet over the engines, id also have the oil changed as not to have contaminated oil sat in the sump over the winter.

And finally make sure no one tries to nick your props!! especially the new one.

As for the domestic water supplies, you will find drain cocks in most lower places to drain off, leave all taps open and remove the transom shower of you can.

Dehumidifier, maybe 2 on a 50ft boat and a oil radiator somewhere.

 

[nrbx]

Hi Paul,

I'm staying in so someone needs diving gear to do that...

Really the question was if i want to stay in and use the boat regually, say 2 times a week, what do i do to be insured still.

Might be a tricky one...

Guess i might just have to trust the shore power... Oh dear!

 

[rafiki_]

Rafiki stayed in the water last winter, and we had -19C at the coldest, with the marina frozen for 42 days continuously. Several (petrol therefore raw water cooled) boats suffered cracked blocks and a couple cracked sea cocks.

I did nothing to the engines other than cover them with blankets, and add 2x120W tube heaters on a stat set at +6C. I checked the temp one night at -15C ambient outside, and the engine bay was +2C.

I use dessicant trays in the saloon/cabins to dehumidify, and this worked very well. I have read some horror stories about dehumidifiers, but many on here use them successfully.

I drained off the service water side to the taps and calorifier, and used the dinghy foot pump to blow the water out. It was surprising how much came out, and withput this, I might have damaged the calorifier.

Doing the above meant that Rafiki was available for use as and when.

 

[MRC]

I prefer to stay in over the winter and get a few months ashore every other year in the early wet(er) season.

Use a couple of dehumidifiers plugged in and running plus greenhouse tube heaters in cabins, saloon and engine room. Seems to have worked well in the past.

I usually close the seacocks over the winter too.

Unplug the lot, open sea cocks andf go out for a day or so.

 

[Sulley]

I am planning to stay in the water for the winter as well. I have two tube heaters, one for the cabin and one for the engine bay and a dehumidifier.

If I drain the domestic water system, including the transom shower! do I need to do anything with the engine??

The boat is a Bayliner 285 with a Mercruiser 5.7L petrol MAG 350.

It's in a marina on the Thames so hope to use it and stay on it regularly over winter.

Any advice appreciated, thanks.

 

[volvopaul]

You can drain a merc down, you will se various blue plastic plugs on manifolds and various pipes and hoses, but you may still get an ingress of waer through the inlet hose at the top of the transom shield, it depends how low or high your boat sits in the water, you can take the inlet hose off the sw pump, plug it and tie it up above water level over the winter months, but you cant use your boat unless you refit it every time.

Why they dont fit a ball valve on sterndrive boats in totally beyond me!!

 

[Sulley]

mmm, does that means I'm crazy leaving it in the water then?

Should I have it professionally winterized and not use it really?

 

[A_8]

Over here it gets really cold for long periods and beyond what has been mentioned I cover the airvents to the engine room and cabin with foam covered in plastic bags. It helps significanly with keeping the temperature above freezing in the engine room and the rest of the boat. And yes you also need something to keep the humidity low or you will get mold or mildew problems.

 

[Scubadoo]

Similar to others, I keep my boat in the water over winter and have 2 x tube heaters in the engine bay set on a stat for +6c. I also have an oil filled rad in the cabin and mini dehumidifer (B&Q one, peltier type), along with the rechargable crystals.

I also leave the taps on but pump off.

I take the boat out of the water usually around mid to end of Feb for about 6 weeks to do those usual maintenance jobs etc.

I have been doing that for over 6years and never had any issues. Also had no issues with the shower on the bathing platform.

However, if the temp drops considerably like last winters down to -10c etc, then I tend to visit the boat more often just to be safe and ensure the electrics are still on etc. The engine just has the normal antifreeze etc.

However this year I think I will block the engine vents off as well, the lowest I recorded in the engine bay was +2c when it got down to -15c a few times last winter.

The key is knowing to have realiable electrics in the Marina, if not then I would be doing more on what Paul has suggested.

 

[carlton]

...The key is knowing to have realiable electrics in the Marina, if not then I would be doing more on what Paul has suggested...

Failing that, keep your boat on a tidal mooring on the sea.

Last winter was one of the coldest on record. My boat had no heating in the engine bay. The engines are direct cooled. I did nothing to them - just left them so the boat was ready to go at a moment's notice.

Everything was just fine, mainly because the sea temperature rarely drops below 5 degrees Celcius, so the boat is constantly heated from below.

 

[David of Essex]

I cover all vents in engine room, place a heater also in engine bay and cover all of engine with a good tog duvet. Have been OK for the last 4 winters.
David

 

[Sulley]

I've spoken to one of the marine guys who is going to show me what needs to be done on the engine so I can do it myself. Thanks for the advice Paul.

We have reliable electrics on the marina plus only live 15 minutes from the boat so it can be regularly checked and I want to be able to use it.

So with three tube heaters now (thanks Dad!) and a dehumidifier I hope to be ok, I'll also look at the vents etc as well.

 

[ralf2]

Please report back with a checklist,it may prove beneficial to many.

 

[zt260]

Neil if you still gonna live on it over winter just turn the heating up you tight sod

regds ashley