To winterize or not to winterize.... [Archive]

View Full Version : To winterize or not to winterize....

roadtrip se

10-12-2009, 05:05 PM

that is the question.

Trueser

10-12-2009, 05:55 PM

What would you do? How late do you guys usually go? If it breaks 50-55 degress, I'm on the water. I'm leaning towards winging it. If you see a pic of a guy running a Donzi in a ski mask, it's Tripper....[/quote]

I thought we talked about adding a drain system on the 22. I wouldn’t chance it myself.

Start thinking about next year...

MOP

10-12-2009, 05:57 PM

Todd being as you want to get some more testing throw a heater in the boat, The only draw back is the possibility of a power outage. As long as you are close by you can do a drain job! The other alternative it to dunk the drive in a tub with a heavy antifreeze mix, run it and check the mix to make sure it meets your freeze zone. There was a post awhile back about fabing a Y pipe out of light gauge PVC to route the exhaust water back into the tub. Or better yet borrow some 4" flex hose!

Phil

mrfixxall

10-12-2009, 06:37 PM

MOP,like thease? sorry for the short vid!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzDob8um5Xc

f_inscreenname

10-12-2009, 07:08 PM

MOP,like thease? sorry for the short vid!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzDob8um5Xc

OMG that is to funny! How many gallons does he have in there?

I to am "winging it" so to speak. I've been knowing winter is on the way for a while now. Summer was a lot cooler then normal, the leaves started to turn and get that dry look, the sky, etc, etc.... Even today it was not cold enough to but it smelt like snow was in the air. So on the first ride I have taken in weeks in weeks (gas money can buy parts for the 24) I ran Stabol thru the gas system when I filled up. I always flush the motor after use so thats done and I don't use antifreeze. I use the water thats under my property and I would rather not drink the stuff when the snow melts.
Not to be a tree hugger but for all you folks that use that stuff (regardless if the says its not piousness) you have to reclaim it. Not start the motor and blow it out he exhaust on to the ground.

mrfixxall

10-12-2009, 07:19 PM

[QUOTE=f_inscreenname;542891]OMG that is to funny! How many gallons does he have in there?

I to am "winging it" so to speak. I've been knowing winter is on the way for a while now. Summer was a lot cooler then normal, the leaves started to turn and get that dry look, the sky, etc, etc.... Even today it was not cold enough to but it smelt like snow was in the air. So on the first ride I have taken in weeks in weeks (gas money can buy parts for the 24) I ran Stabol thru the gas system when I filled up. I always flush the motor after use so thats done and I don't use antifreeze. I use the water thats under my property and I would rather not drink the stuff when the snow melts.
Not to be a tree hugger but for all you folks that use that stuff (regardless if the says its not piousness) you have to reclaim it. Not start the motor and blow it out he exhaust on to the ground.[/QUOTE

The HE would be me:).i start out with 6 gallons of antifreeze -40 below then use my refractor to make sure its -40 below..i do it this way to all the boats i work on,then they bring it back in the spring and i drain the antifreeze out and recoup the stuff in 55 gallon barrels for the next time around..The antifreeze goes through a filter then i reuse it..BTW i only use sierra

The Hedgehog

10-12-2009, 07:22 PM

You should be good to go for a while. The only think I would worry about is it you get stuck out on the road on business and there is nobody around to throw in a heater or do an emergency draining of the block and exhaust.

I usually start thinking about it in Mid Oct but usually don't get finished winterizing until Dec. I have a couple of folks that can do some emergency work but not a full winterizing if I get stuck out of town.

You are about an hour and a half north but seem to have about an additional month of winter (2 weeks on either side) vs middle Tn.

gcarter

10-12-2009, 07:51 PM

I never think about it, and not because I live in FL as it got down to 25* three nights in a row in February.
But because my boats have closed cooling.
Still gotta drain the raw water out of it though.
Simple to do.

Phil S

10-12-2009, 08:56 PM

...a lot of work & $$ tied up in that machine ! Temps & weather for that matter have been unusual this year for upstate South Carolina. Lots of early fall rain, and cool temps, heck we built a fire in the fireplace tonight.

"Sealed" heater, that sounds interesting but I've never seen one of those. I've used a frost-watch heater with ventilation in mine to drag out the fall month weekends a little further, but keep all supplies at the ready for a quick winterizing job. We like fall leaf-viewing cruisin' in the mountain lakes.

With that kind of machine though, I think I would play it safe.

With kind regards,
Phil S.

sweet 16 1966

10-12-2009, 09:33 PM

I fill up a 5 gal bucket with antifreeze, put on the ear muffs with a siphon hose to winterize. Catch and release or reuse . Easy to do or undo for
those nice days or a trip south in the winter. Sunday was 75 and sunny!

f_inscreenname

10-12-2009, 10:06 PM

[quote=f_inscreenname;542891]OMG that is to funny! How many gallons does he have in there?

I to am "winging it" so to speak. I've been knowing winter is on the way for a while now. Summer was a lot cooler then normal, the leaves started to turn and get that dry look, the sky, etc, etc.... Even today it was not cold enough to but it smelt like snow was in the air. So on the first ride I have taken in weeks in weeks (gas money can buy parts for the 24) I ran Stabol thru the gas system when I filled up. I always flush the motor after use so thats done and I don't use antifreeze. I use the water thats under my property and I would rather not drink the stuff when the snow melts.
Not to be a tree hugger but for all you folks that use that stuff (regardless if the says its not piousness) you have to reclaim it. Not start the motor and blow it out he exhaust on to the ground.[/QUOTE

The HE would be me:).i start out with 6 gallons of antifreeze -40 below then use my refractor to make sure its -40 below..i do it this way to all the boats i work on,then they bring it back in the spring and i drain the antifreeze out and recoup the stuff in 55 gallon barrels for the next time around..The antifreeze goes through a filter then i reuse it..BTW i only use sierra

I'm eating my words. :wink:

Phil S

10-12-2009, 11:57 PM

The heater I have looks like an old school house radiator. It is filled with oil with no exposed elements.

Phil S

10-13-2009, 12:22 AM

I would think that that works fine....boat stored outside ? Inside, unheated ? Either way, that's a good idea for a heater for that purpose methinks. Better than my "frostwatch", but I don't have a generator, so she gets winterized when the temps require.

Thoughts go out to the much more Northern contingency...wishing you all an Indian Summer and several more weekends on the water !

With kind regards,
Phil S.

axelkloehn

10-13-2009, 01:56 AM

Hey, it's already snowing in mid germany from yesterday on. Winter comes so quick, we have almost missed the fall. If this weather comes over to you guys you better hurry up with winterizing.

Some of my friends are really in trouble cause their boats are still in water... what a strange season we had... Weather was good during the week but got bad from friday afternoons on til monday morning. Then it was good again. :shocking: It made some guys really think about selling their boats...

Hope you guys had a better one...

Cheers, Axel :germany:

tmh

10-13-2009, 06:32 AM

It was 93 degrees in south florida this past weekend. I'm looking forward to a cold front this weekend.
T.M. Hayes

axelkloehn

10-13-2009, 06:41 AM

It was 93 degrees in south florida this past weekend. I'm looking forward to a cold front this weekend.
T.M. Hayes

... we'll blow it over to you...

mrfixxall

10-13-2009, 09:23 AM

axelkloehn

10-13-2009, 09:30 AM

Alex,here in the upper midwest we also had a vary cool summer and it seems to be skipping fall

...too bad, hope when I finished my GT next spring it will be a better one... :yes: