Do I need anti-freeze?

[response LX]

My boat will be stored in a heated garage all winter, do I still need to fill everything up with anti-freeze or should I just drain everything? Or is the anti-freeze used for anti corrosion? To further complicate things, i have a shower....

thanks,

Doug

[Sunset_Bob]

I usually put RV antifreeze in mine just to keep the corrosion down and to keep the water pump seal wet. It's not a must, but not a bad idea.

Plus I know a guy who kept his boat in a heated garage and the heat quit.....He ended up with cracked manifolds.

Edited September 22, 2006 by Sunset_Bob

[jgouveia3]

that would be my concern too, what if the heater quit for some lenght of time. for the little time and money it takes, why not be safe.

[WakeGirl]

Our garage is heated & I never worry about the antifreeze. But....I have regular access to it since it's at my house. I park my car in the garage & go in & out of it every day, so I have the ability to monitor things & make sure that we don't have a problem. I wouldn't feel comfortable with having it stored in such a way somewhere that I couldn't keep an eye on it.

[Malibudude]

No need to winterize here:) Mine is also in the garage.

[response LX]

Our garage is heated & I never worry about the antifreeze. But....I have regular access to it since it's at my house. I park my car in the garage & go in & out of it every day, so I have the ability to monitor things & make sure that we don't have a problem. I wouldn't feel comfortable with having it stored in such a way somewhere that I couldn't keep an eye on it.

My situation is the same, my truck is parked in the same garage as the boat, so i'm in & out daily. I guess you just drain all of the water & let her rest until spring?

[WakeGirl]

Honestly, I don't even bother with that. But then again we usually manage to get out at least 1 time per month, just to say that we did. That's one reason that I don't worry about winterizing - I want the boat ready to go if we get a nice day, which we'll usually get at least 1 of each month during the winter. If that weren't the case then I probably would drop all of the water out of the engine. Truth be told, it's easy enough to drain an engine that I probably ought to start doing that this year.

[VinRLX]

RLX, if you're going to drain it, including shower, then don't worry about AF. Where are you located, BTW? You can add that info under 'my controls, profile info.'

[vette-ski]

So do you guys with heated garages ever get away on a long weekend and think "crap, I hope I closed the garage door". My neighbors have gotten many calls from me to check the garage door.

[response LX]

So do you guys with heated garages ever get away on a long weekend and think "crap, I hope I closed the garage door". My neighbors have gotten many calls from me to check the garage door.

It's always closed & locked when we leave for long weekend's. My only fear is my Father in-law breaking in and borrowing my tools when I'm gone....

[WakeGirl]

Yeah, in all of our years of doing this the garage door has only been left open when we've left for a weekend once & that was during the summer. Since then, we've been very careful to make sure it's actually shut before pulling out of the driveway.