When do you winterize question

[Ken Juul]

I wouild have guessed with the number of southern and west coast boats the number leaving it in would have been bigger.  Maybe they are too busy sailing to respond to the poll.

I Don't have too  21 (41.2%)
October  20 (39.2%)
November  8 (15.7%)
December  2 (3.9%)
January  0 (0%)

Total Votes: 51

[Jeff Kaplan]

ken, boat was just hauled on tues. fri. am going to clean hull,waterline. sat., winterize eng. and water. sun., attempt to remove fixed ports...jeff

[saildog2]

Being a new owner of a C-34, and being that this is my first winter in the Puget Sound, I am wresteling with just how much winterizing I really need to do.  I am told that we did get a little ice in the harbor at the moorage last year ( stream water entering harbor)  Freezing temps isnt real common. Water temps avg 55.  I understand that some people use space heaters and fans to circulate warm air.  We're also predicted a mild winter. Perhaps a lightbulb in engine area.  I am hoping to talk to a few more local people to see what they do. WMP has a 110v heater with a freeze setting - ie comes on when temp hits 38 - I think this may be the ticket here.  I am close enuf to the boat to visit frequently.   

Yes, I have alot to learn.........any thoughts/comments from the experts would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Ron Hill]

Dale : You are flirting with disaster!!  NEVER let heaters, light bulbs or any other such devices on inside an unattended boat!!

I'd strongly recommend that you winterize the parts of the boat that you won't use, carry bottled water and put a "Y" in the raw water intake so you can re winterize the engine when you come back from sailing.

One of our C34 owners got a call on Christmas Day ( a few years back) from the marina and was told his boat was gutted by a fire.  I don't recall the exact culprit but the boat was plugged in to AC power and there was an electrical fire!!

Consider it - freeze damage is easy to repair compared to an unattended FIRE !!   

[Footloose]

Dale

I have to agree with Ron.  Don't put any unattended heaters on your boat.  The C34 is easy to winterize.  I did mine this year in a little over an hour including changing the oil.  There are a couple of good write ups in the FAQs.

BTW:  The first time took significantly longer.

[wind dancer]

Being a new owner of a C-34, and being that this is my first winter in the Puget Sound, I am wresteling with just how much winterizing I really need to do.  I am told that we did get a little ice in the harbor at the moorage last year ( stream water entering harbor)  Freezing temps isnt real common. Water temps avg 55.  I understand that some people use space heaters and fans to circulate warm air.  We're also predicted a mild winter. Perhaps a lightbulb in engine area.  I am hoping to talk to a few more local people to see what they do. WMP has a 110v heater with a freeze setting - ie comes on when temp hits 38 - I think this may be the ticket here.  I am close enuf to the boat to visit frequently.   

Yes, I have alot to learn.........any thoughts/comments from the experts would be appreciated.

Thanks

Many marinas around here do not allow heaters to be run unattended.  As an alternative, many people use 100w light bulbs which generate enough heat to keep the cabin temperature above freezing.  I don't feel terribly comfortable with either approach though I am interested in West Marine's solution: a 90 watt fan that circulates warm (not hot) air:  http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/245832/10001/8200/0/0.  This wouldn't do any good for those that experience, but we rarely see night time temps below 25-30 around here.  Does anyone have experience with this item?

[Ron Hill]

Guys : I'll say it again -- IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA TO LET AN UNATTENDED BOAT PLUGGED IN TO AC SHORE POWER.

My worst nightmare is that some guy parked next to me will have a fire and it'll spread to my boat!  A fire can happen from any electrical short - AC or DC, don't stay plugged in.   

[sedelange]

Ron:

Do you disconnect power from your house when you leave or the battery from your car when you get out.  Sure, fires can happen, but a properly maintained boat that is wired correctly should not be at a greater risk of fire than your house.

[Fuzzy]

Dale:

I would think that if the water temp is around 55 degrees (F) your boat shouldn't freeze
unless the outside temp drops down pretty low.  Around here we can keep the boat without
winterizing right now if we keep it in the water but as soon as it is hauled it needs to be
winterized.  I'm not sure what the water temp is right now but I'm guessing around 50 or
55 degrees.

Larry

[Ron Hill]

Steve : FYI, my house has a surge protector at the meter where the main power enters.
You hit the nail on the head when you said "properly maintained boat".  I'm sure that your factory wiring and previous owner wiring on your C34 was done by licensed electricians just like your house!?!.   

[Stu Jackson]

Steve

And your house dowsn't move around, shake, rattle and roll like your boat does.

Remember, and consider that most boat electrical problem can be traced to poor connections.  And how many connections are there on a boat?

Ron's right, and there are much better ways to deal with issues raised than by keeping an unattended boat plugged into power.

"Conventional wisdom" just isn't smart.

[Mark G]

Winterized yesterday in Milwaukee in rain, wind and temps in the high 40s and then pulled it since a crew was at the crane and no one else was hard-headed enough to be out there. Our September and October have been terrible for sailing this year. I could have pulled a few weeks earlier and only missed one day sail.

My dockmaster at the MYC recommends leaving the old oil in all winter. Drain it in spring, along with any condensation. Refill oil with the old filter still in place. Run it up. Drain it again and change the filter. Fill it a second time. The second change is then good to go for the season. That's my plan for May.

All of you in better climates please pray for an early spring.

[Footloose]

In response to Mark's post; I have been told to change the oil in the fall and then again in the spring before launch.  The reason is that diesel fuel has a fair amount of sulfur in it, and some ends up in the oil.  When it sits for long periods it becomes sulfuric acid.  Is this fact or legend?  What do others do?

[Jeff Kaplan]

dave, i have never heard of diesel fuel mixing with oil and becoming acid. i change the oil in the fall, along with filter and don't worry about it till next fall. never had a problem. i live in the boston area, same climate as you...jeff

[wind dancer]

dave, i have never heard of diesel fuel mixing with oil and becoming acid. i change the oil in the fall, along with filter and don't worry about it till next fall. never had a problem. i live in the boston area, same climate as you...jeff

I believe it is water in diesel that increases the amount sulfuric acid created, not oil.  Some does end up in the oil, though, which is a major reason to change it regularly.

I'm not sure if the new ultra low sulphur fuel will be mandated for marine use, but a significant part of the reason for its existance is to decrease the amount of sulfuric acid is diesel exhaust.