Winter in the water with no electricity..

[wipe_out]

Will be leaving the boat in the water over the winter but this year we have no electricity so won't have a tube heater in the engine bay.. Is this asking for trouble?

Engine is raw water cooled petrol V8.. I am sure the salt content of the water will reduce the freezing temperature but still not sure it's "safe"..

Also what should I do in the cabin? Last year I had a dehumidifier in there which worked great but that too isn't an option this year.. I have left a window open for ventilation but not sure it's enough..

Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions..

 

[sarabande]

how often does the mooring area freeze over ? If never, then the hull of the boat will be OK.


However, I'd look at closing the sea water inlet and outlet seacocks and putting some compatible anti-freeze into the block and cooling matrix, as the interior of the boat could go below freezing. Procedure will vary from engine to engine, and it may even be possible to drain all the seawater out, but this can lead to some corrosion. Bit of a specialist area; someone here will have the complete answer.

If you have a decent airflow through the boat, condensation will be minimal, as structure and air temp will be roughly the same. Problems arise where you have a small airflow, and the boat interior surface temps lag behind atmospheric. Don't think about using silica gel, unless you have several hundredweight of it.

 

[Chris_d]

It will be fine if in the water, been leaving boats in all winter with no power for over 20 years. Only problem I have ever had was a transom shower hose popped off.

 

[Viscount]

Leave some desiccant type dryer plastic things available in pound shops etc. That's all I've used for years and no problems. They need replaced periodically (2 months maybe). Works with one in the car also to deduce misting up.

 

[TheOrs]

I kept my boat in the water through winter last year with no electricity/heating/dehumidifier - It's a raw water cooled petrol V8 like yours. Location is Plymouth. It was fine.

I went down to the yard about once a fortnight to air it out and I wrapped the engine in old curtains/blankets to cut down on the wind-chill through the engine bay vents.

 

[wipe_out]

Thanks all.. Feeling a bit more comfortable now..

 

[sarabande]

I don't agree with wrapping an engine in old blankets. If the engine and air are roughly at the same temp, then when the rel hum changes, there is no or very little condensation.

Condensation occurs when there is a temperature difference (ignoring the humidity) between the air and the object (window, upholstery, engine, etc) Blankets will trap the condensation.

We keep tractors and implements inside a large windy farm shed. There has to be a sudden change in air temp for any condensation to take place. If an implement has access to the air flow, it dries off, whereas the inside of a tractor cab, for instance (which is locked for security purposes, natch) can often have condensation on the inside of the windows.

 

[gordmac]

Use the boat regularly through the winter. Engine heat and a bit of through draught helps and using the mechanical bits is good for them.

 

[TheOrs]

I don't agree with wrapping an engine in old blankets. If the engine and air are roughly at the same temp, then when the rel hum changes, there is no or very little condensation.

Condensation occurs when there is a temperature difference (ignoring the humidity) between the air and the object (window, upholstery, engine, etc) Blankets will trap the condensation.

We keep tractors and implements inside a large windy farm shed. There has to be a sudden change in air temp for any condensation to take place. If an implement has access to the air flow, it dries off, whereas the inside of a tractor cab, for instance (which is locked for security purposes, natch) can often have condensation on the inside of the windows.

It's a good point and I did/do wonder which is the worst of the two evils. I went with the blankets because I figured humidity = rust whereas cold air blowing through the side vents onto (salt) water filled engine could result in a big bill.
I would be happy to be proven wrong as it proved to be a pain removing blankets before running engine & waiting to cool before replacing blankets etc. There is also the risk of forgetting to remove them before starting up of course.

I will probably get it lifted for the coldest few months this year as we didn't really use it in the winter.

 

[macnorton]

Drain water tank and pipes, run antifreeze through engine and heads, close all seacocks ..
Inside the cabin I open all doors and lockers and leave a couple of the granule packs mentioned inside.
Have done this for many years and even toilet paper stays dry!

 

[alant]

Will be leaving the boat in the water over the winter but this year we have no electricity so won't have a tube heater in the engine bay.. Is this asking for trouble?

Engine is raw water cooled petrol V8.. I am sure the salt content of the water will reduce the freezing temperature but still not sure it's "safe"..

Also what should I do in the cabin? Last year I had a dehumidifier in there which worked great but that too isn't an option this year.. I have left a window open for ventilation but not sure it's enough..

Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions..

Can you fit a wind generator?

 

[wipe_out]

Drain water tank and pipes, run antifreeze through engine and heads, close all seacocks ..
Inside the cabin I open all doors and lockers and leave a couple of the granule packs mentioned inside.
Have done this for many years and even toilet paper stays dry!

Engine is raw water cooled so no anti freeze in the cooling system, just sea water..

 

[wipe_out]

Can you fit a wind generator?

No, not easily.. Would one make enough power to run a heater?

 

[sarabande]

yes. Wind generators output 100 to 500W in good wind, so if you put that into a 12v heater in a block of concrete, it will act as a heat storage unit and let the (very useful) heat out steadily.

Of course, buying one will also stop the wind blowing....

 

[oldgit]

Have never used any form of heating or dehumidifier on any boat, simply because no power available on my mid river salt water moorings in various locations .
Always provide plenty of ventilation,leave some windows or doors cracked open a fraction but not enough to allow rain in.
Turn any seating cushions,mattresses on their side to get air underneath and leave cupboard doors ajar, esp fridge, to aid circulation.
You could lift any floor inspection covers to get air around bilges.
Can only ever remember the Medway freezing over two or three times in 50 odd years of boating.
Water temp needs to be several degrees below O.C to freeze and probably a bit more than that if moving ie. tidal.
You could pour neat A/F into block and risers,which are most vunerable to damage and also drain fresh water tank and leave any taps open.
Vast numbers of boat amazingly survive intact during the winter months despite not having a 10 MW shorepower supply to keep the fridge,dehumidifier, a small field of tube heaters,the immersion heater and the 52" Plasma TV on standby.

 

[tinkicker0]

Drain block and manifolds via drain plugs, refill with fresh water, drain that to ensure salt is gone and you are good to go. Air does not freeze.
More importantly, action to take before you do that is to fog the engine with fogging oil if it is to be laid up in a moist, salty atmosphere for a few months.