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Winterization ideas


Bradley Thornton

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Ok, So I see so many people winterizing their boat. I like to ride till Dec. So I just add a heater in the back side locker and take the side walls out between it and the motor and put the cover on so it can help keep the whole boat warm. I use a digital heater so it doesn't cut on till like 45deg. My question is this a bad idea if not why doesn't everyone save the money and do it. I am in Alaska at work and people use something they plug in and it keeps the motor warm at night I think it is a blanket on the motor and some are plugs that go in the motor. What about doing that. Are these bad ideas does anyone else have any other ideas. Where I live its not that cold so the northerners should know way more than me. I did see one person said they use this. Till later in the winter.

http://www.westmarin...71#.UGtVqFJ63To

This is what I have not the one but close

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Lasko-Digital-Ceramic-Heater-with-Warm-Air-Motion-Technology-Black/21268167

Blanket

http://compare.ebay.com/like/250525470058?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

Plug

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&qe=bW90b3Igd2FybWVyIHBsdWc&qesig=gyCfrWP17Rte51lSIRRQnQ&pkc=AFgZ2tn3JljWNWpWpJpGHGypj_SBe8ZmWIk8_3QuAgARNyUfX2LzxdVrtIiJJwY4HCkziFo77U8MLADa8k1OSHz59G9eTo6oCg&ds=sh&pq=motor+warmer+blanket&cp=17&gs_id=11&xhr=t&q=motor+warmer+plug&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&biw=1280&bih=738&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=2713458771362768173&sa=X&ei=JaxrUMnwCMT2iwKAvYDoDw&sqi=2&ved=0CGYQ8wIwAQ#ps-sellers

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I am trying to learn how to winterize now while it's warm and mistakes won't cost an engine, so I can easily take boat out in winter and rewinterize quickly. Plus broken foot gives me time to do this

My worry with heaters, lights, blankets is all require power. I'm away from my boat for 5 days each week, a power outage and dead battery would cost an engine, not a risk I want to take. I think with practice, draining the water is a 10 minute chore.

Edited by augie09
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What I think about is fuel leakage. Have to run the bilge to remove built up fumes that could be explosive. Putting an electric heater in there may not be best. Maybe a low temperature totally enclosed heater of some kind. Explosion proof electric heaters are $$$

I've thought about doing the same but since all the lakes around me are getting low and it's getting cold out, I think I'm done for the year. Got oil/ trans fluid/ filters/ belt/ antifreeze all ready for this weekend :/

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Why not just use a bilge heater thats actually made for the purpose? No reason to reinvent the wheel or use something that isn't safe in the environment.

Xtreme or Boatsafe both make them. There are tons of threads on here every fall about them.

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What I think about is fuel leakage. Have to run the bilge to remove built up fumes that could be explosive. Putting an electric heater in there may not be best. Maybe a low temperature totally enclosed heater of some kind. Explosion proof electric heaters are $$$

I've thought about doing the same but since all the lakes around me are getting low and it's getting cold out, I think I'm done for the year. Got oil/ trans fluid/ filters/ belt/ antifreeze all ready for this weekend :/

Fuel leak (Explosion) Good point

Why not just use a bilge heater thats actually made for the purpose? No reason to reinvent the wheel or use something that isn't safe in the environment.

Xtreme or Boatsafe both make them. There are tons of threads on here every fall about them.

THANKS, Xtreme is for me I like the 40deg to 55deg better than the 45deg to 55deg on the Boatsafe.

http://www.bakesonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=1769

What did you think of the plug I had never seen anything like that.

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What about preventing the heater core from freezing? It seems that the core would be the first thing to freeze (all those thin passages in the heat exchanger designed to couple the water to the air).

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What about preventing the heater core from freezing? It seems that the core would be the first thing to freeze (all those thin passages in the heat exchanger designed to couple the water to the air).

Other than another bildge heater on the heater core you will need to drain that one. There are some threads on here about adding quick drains to the heaters.

  • Like 1
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There is no reason to use a block heater in Michigan. The blizzard that freezes your block will also kill your block heater. I think block heaters make more sense down south where boats stay on the lift all year and it gets cold occasionally.

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if you use you boat late in the year i would just add a half system closed cooling system then the engine block and heater are full of antifreeze. you can drain the manifold by just disconnecting the hose that links the two manifolds and pop and end cap of heat exchanger or add a valve to the drain on heat exchanger. and unless you get a really hard freeze the raw water pump should be fine. I have added half system closed cooling to my last boat and my current boat. and i have no intention of ever going to salt or brackish water. just like having antifreeze in my block

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Fuel leak (Explosion) Good point

THANKS, Xtreme is for me I like the 40deg to 55deg better than the 45deg to 55deg on the Boatsafe.

http://www.bakesonli...il.aspx?ID=1769

What did you think of the plug I had never seen anything like that.

I don't think there is much point in the plug. It will only heat a very small area around it. Where the bilge heater will heat an entire engine bay.

As for the heater, I setup the hoses so I can drain the core in a few seconds, whether it's on the trailer or in the boat slip. There is a how-to on this site on how to add quick release garden hose fittings. Or I used Prestone flush Ts. Just reach in, remove the caps & gravity does it. Done.

Of the 2 brands of bilge heaters, the Xtreme is much smaller & a bit more expensive. The Boatsafe was considerably less expensive for me. I think I paid about $100 for it. I have it installed in the boat 24/7.

So the routine I follow in the spring:

- pull the boat out of the lake

- at the ramp I remove the hull drain plugs, the engine knock sensor, the 2 flush T caps from the heater lines, and separate the exhaust hoses (all hand tight, no tools required).

- bring the boat home & park it

- plug in the bilge heater & on board charger

- cover it.

Done. Takes me about 5 min. And it's ready to go back to the lake in about the same time frame.

Either heater will do the job around here (an hour from Canada, temps in the 30s & 20s in the fall & spring). I doubt they would do the job in the brutal winters we have so no reason to think it would do it anywhere else. We use them to extend the season a month or two in the spring or fall.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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  • 1 month later...

I am in Dallas (ie mild winters) and we keep our boat on a lift year round. We have a 23 lsv without a heater or a shower. Could I get away with just using a bilge heater and not draining anything all winter? Obviously if heater or power fail I'm screwed I can accept those risks. My concern is having an issue even with the heater. Also should I get the 300w or 600w xtreme heater? Thanks!

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2

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I'm in the same boat if you know what I mean I say look at the wind chill. Does the wind get to your boat real bad if not I think you and me will be OK. In my case this is what I bought. I also took out the seat hoping with the cover on it will keep the rest of the boat warm to. Just my 2 cents.

http://www.bakesonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=1769

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How big of a chance am I taking? If I can extend my season and not deal with the winterization it seems like a chance worth taking. Obviously if we are expecting historic weather I could always go out to the boat and drain the block. Is your concern power failure or heater failure or extreme cold that the heater can't keep up with?

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2

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How big of a chance am I taking? If I can extend my season and not deal with the winterization it seems like a chance worth taking. Obviously if we are expecting historic weather I could always go out to the boat and drain the block. Is your concern power failure or heater failure or extreme cold that the heater can't keep up with?

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2

Your original post asked if skipping the winterization and relying on a heater is a bad idea. If you are comfortable with the risk of freezing weather combined with a power outage, tripped breaker, or a someone unplugging your heater resulting in a cracked block, then skip the winterization. Good luck, but if you are wondering why the majority here winterize religiously......I would suggest the risk of a busted block maybe higher than you measure it.

Look for some posts from Bill Air Junky, he lives somewhere cold and likes to ride year round, I have read posts where he has the drain method of winterization down to a few minutes work.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Like a few of you mentioned above, i live where winters are mild. My thought for this year was to use one of those miracle grow sprayers with antifreeze in it, hook it up to the through the hull flush and let the boat run for a few minutes. Think this would be sufficient?

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