Winterizing For Cold Weather

Ole_Sea_Dog · #1 (**permalink**) 11-29-2003

Greetings,

Having just purchased my Catalina I was trying to find out the best way to winterize it for the cold weather. I live in North Carolina and can probably sail most of the winter. My question is should I shut it down during January and February or can I get by with just keeping a heater on for the engine?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

tonyod · #2 (**permalink**) 11-29-2003

I live in the frozen north of Oakville, Ontario, but I would suggest having a chat with other boat-owners with water systems in your marina/area.

~ _/) *

KenD · #3 (**permalink**) 01-05-2004

I have had in the past a boat in nc lake norman area I sailed all year round a heater works fine if ac is dependable and your allowed to keep pluged in other wise, unless your real close to winterize it during a freeze, put your toy away for a few months and enjoy it at the end of march.

obiec · #4 (**permalink**) 01-05-2004

I do not belive in counting on things like shore power. Almost evey one I know that will tell you to just keep a heater going is going to change there mind on a cold and stormy night when the Ice takes out the power or a car hits a telphone pole. That hapens mostly when the whether is at its worst. develope a quike and easy way to winterize. It will only take a few minates at the end of a nice sail. I caqn do mine in less that 5 minets. You will sleep better. Also preach it at your dock. You just might save some one else a real expensive mistake.

h37skipper · #5 (**permalink**) 01-07-2004

Maybe the others know your boat so these questions might be redundant. Is it an inboard or outboard? Will you be using the water system and is there a hot water heater? What about the head and holding tank if you have one?

If you just daysail maybe you can forego the water and head systems. Winterize once and forget. But I think in North Carolina you have to winterize the engine every time you tie her up. If you trust the forecasters you might wait. I wish I had your problem, mine is in the cradle for four more months.

obiec · #6 (**permalink**) 01-11-2004

old man winter made my poing again, I have seen it 3 times now in the 15 year I have had boats in Marinas. Big artic blast over the last 2 weeks One dock lost power at our marina, Several boats froze solid, One on the bottom now.

KenD · #7 (**permalink**) 01-12-2004

I would like to keep the record straight.My boat was less than an hour away and yes I watched the weather guessers pretty close.If we were getting a cold air mass like this weekend provided I would run down to winterize the engine. since I only day sailed it I almost never had water in the tanks,and used a portipotti for those moments of need.The Prudent thing to do would be winterize for the three months and sail from march to nov. the three years on the lake I enjoyed almost year round sailing and had uncommonly mild weather.The saying if in doubt don''t go out can be turned to if in doubt winterize 6 dollars is a bunch cheaper than a new engine.

obiec · #8 (**permalink**) 01-12-2004

Buy a Vetus Water strainer $40. Mount it abouve the water line. Then when neaded for winterizing,just open it up and the water will run back out of the boat, Then close you sea water valve, and pour the strainer full of the pink RV antifrease. start engine for a couple secots. and fill agen and start engine for a couple secots again, and you are done. Cold frunts ar sneaky.

ross99 · #9 (**permalink**) 01-14-2004

another easy solution is to put a "Y" in your water intake hose, (above the thru hull shutoff), with a short hose on the new intake. After starting the engine, stick the hose in a gallon of Marine antifreeze, throw the valve, and suck the a/f till you see pink from the exhaust, then shut down the engine. A 2 minute job!