Time to Winterize

It has come to that time of year again.  I thought this year I would explain how I winterize.  Admittedly, I do store in heated storage so we do not have too much risk of freezing temps, but I still winterize as if I was.  I will hopefully add some pictures when I do it this year.

It is a good idea to keep a list of things that need to be done in spring to your boat before spring launch.  I keep my list in the galley.  There are some things that can be routine and other that may not.  Always a good idea to keep a list handy for commissioning the boat, some are as simple as “put the bilge plug in”!

Interior water system:

Be sure water heater is off at electrical panel.  Don’t turn this on in spring until you have refilled it with water. You will also need a flexible hose the same diameter as your fresh water inlet on your pump. This will be used to direct pink antifreeze directly in to the water system without having to fill your fresh tank with pink. You will use much less using this method.

• Drain the fresh water out of the holding tank by running cold faucets
• Drain water heater at drain on unit. Leave valve open remember to close in spring.  
• By pass water heater by removing cold in and hot out hoses and connecting them.  I wait to reconnect until spring.
• Locate water pump and disconnect inlet hose and attach your longer hose
• Place longer hose in a pink jug and run all water valves hot and cold Example: Bathroom, Galley, Bar,Transom, Shower, Toilet.
• Once all have adequate pink run through replace inlet hose to water pump
• Dump pink in all drains to insure no fresh water remains trapped. Note: vary important that any drain that uses a sump step pump is filled and runs at least twice and the toilet gets plenty of pink to insure there is no fresh water in pumps or hose.  

It is not a bad idea to open all compartments to floor to check for moisture.  Also I do not do anything with my air conditioner as it is self draining.  You could, however, do the pink by pass at the water pump for the unit usually located in the bilge.

For the engines you will need a gravity fed pink antifreeze bucket for the engine: - five gallon pail with a hole drilled in near the bottom with valve spout attached.  This can be hand made very easily and inexpensive.

Motor:

Note: Never run motors without water. You will damage the impeller due to friction heat. Depending on if you have stern drives or direct drives, or V –drives will determine your setup for your method to run your boat out of the water. Direct drives and V-drives have seawater strainers that draw water up through the hull on the bottom of the boat.  In this case you will need a hose adapter for connecting the seawater inlet hose to your gravity bucket from inside the bilge. Stern drive boats can use the muffs that can be commonly purchased for this application.  I also recommend a standard faucet tee to allow both fresh water and pink to be hooked up to the boat at the same time.

• Run motors with fresh water to warm up engine oil 
• Drain oil by routing remote hoses out the bilge and drain (if equipped) or pump out of dipstick with oil pump.
• Remove and replace oil filter while oil is draining
• Replace oil
• Run engines and check oil levels add if needed.
• If you are going to fog engine through carb or intake remove flame arrestors at this time
• Run engines again with fresh water.  Tee valve should be set for pink valve closed and water valve open until engine warms up
• Once operating temperature is reached (allowing the thermostat to open), turn water tee valve off and turn pink tee valve on to allow pink to fill the engine block.  When satisfied with the amount of pink run through the motor turn motor off, or fog depending on layup time.   You may also fog each cylinder by removing spark plug and shooting the top of piston with fogging oil. I personally do not fog.  The time we lay up is usually 6 months and that we are climate controlled I just don't see it being an issue. 
• Inspect flame arrestors.  Cleaning with a parts cleaner or carb cleaner is recommended to insure motor breathes well.  

Always be sure to inspect all of your hoses.  It is also a good idea to replace impellers every few years as these part wear and will break down. Better to do it when it is not an emergency to insure you’re on the water when you want to be.

Generator:

• Remove water inlet hose from strainer valve in hull.
• Attach coupler for gravity fed pink.  
• Follow similar steps for the propulsion motors insure that engine is run up to temp and run pink through also remember to replace impeller every so often too.
• If you have a closed cooling system, but still uses water in the heat exchange just run pink no need to run up to temp.  

Stern Drive only - Lower unit gear oil:

• Crimp hose on lower unit over flow gear oil tank if equipped. Ever few years replace all the oil. If you use this method be sure to use the same oil brand and style every year so not to mix.
• With units in the down position remove bottom gear oil plug and top vent plug
• Check oil for milky color.  If you have excess cloudiness you have a seal leak on the lower unit somewhere and it should be serviced. 
• After all oil is drained out of unit screw the gear oil pump on the lower plug hole and pump oil in until it comes out vent hole above.
• Replace top vent plug
• Quickly remove pump from lower unit and replace plug

Note for lower unit inspection:
You will want to inspect all adenoids and replace where necessary.  Be sure while the lower unit is in the trailer position to inspect all hoses for wear and to be sure everything is still attached.

Last step is to remove batteries

Disclaimer: I am not a mechanic by trade, however, I have worked on a few boats.  This is my procedure for winter layup.  Use this at your own risk.