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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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What should I do this winter??????????

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Kennyge
1st Mate

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USA
76 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/10/2013 : 17:01:51

Although I hate to think about the season coming to a close, I know I need to start thinking about what to do with AHOY VEY! this winter. This is our 1st winter together and I know most of my sailing friends pull their boat and shrink wrap them but one friend recommends leaving her in the water because Global Warming is here. My marina in Bayside, Queens, NY on the Long Island Sound closes on October 31 and I will need to move her. There are a few marinas in Manhasset Bay that will let you leave them in the water but I have heard stories about freezing water and I really don't understand the "bubbles" thing. Please give me your thoughts!

Kennyg
1985 C25 TR/FK
AHOY VEY! - Hull # 4952
Out of Bayside, Queens,NY

Edited by - on

DavidCrosby
Navigator

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USA
240 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2013 : 20:12:34

I had a Morgan 30 for several years and kept in the water for four straight years. The boat was in the St. Louis, MO area on the Mississippi River. We have some definite periods of long freezes in late January and February. I did not want my boat to become frozen into a block of ice. The biggest concern being the freezing of thru-hull fittings and especially the hoses.

My concerns were validated the first winter when a neighboring boat did no winterization to the point of not even closing thru-hull valves. As a result the boat sunk at the dock when the water thawed. Apparently the ice split a thru-hull hose.

I purchased a Kasco De-Icer and accompanying Time/Thermostat Control box. The purpose of the de-icer is to bring warmer water up from the bottom and keep the surface water circulating. My boat was always floating in an open section of water. The closest ice typically was never any closer than a couple feet from the boat at any point.

I feel that as long as the water that the boat is floating in is not frozen, there is probably no danger with the thru-hulls. However, I did not take any chances. I filled all thru-hull hoses with potable antifreeze as well.

When I sold the boat, the new owner bought the De-Icer from me and has continued to keep the boat in the water for multiple years at a time.

A De-Icer is not cheap. But if your marina, like mine, charges for the slip for an entire year, whether you use it or not, plus hauling fees, plus winter shore storage. The purchase will quickly make sense. My marina owner did not charge extra for electricity since I had the time/thermostat control unit. With this, the De-Icer was scheduled to run at certain times of the day, but only if the thermostat indicated that the air temperature was below freezing. Again, it cost a bit more, but saved a lot in the long run.

Today, I own a C250 WK that lives on its trailer year round. I do not have to worry about these kinds of things anymore.

Hope this helps.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2013 : 21:58:12

First, your insurance (assuming you have it) probably stipulates that you pull the boat out by some date. So if your gamble fails and your boat sinks, you're out.

Second, there's a reason insurance companies want boats on land during the winter: They tend to sink if they're left in. Snow and ice can literally capsize some boats, thru-hulls can freeze and break (even if the sea-cocks are closed), and marinas are generally unattended. Circulators (like the one shown) help protect docks from ice damage, but ice flows moving with the tide or wind can still get you. Bubblers are just another method of moving water up from the bottom (with the bubbles), where it's warmer, and are easier than circulators to rig under a boat, but they run off a compressor.

As for "global warming", that does not translate to a mild winter--it could make it more severe.

The short list: Pull the boat, empty the water tank, put in some non-toxic marine/RV antifreeze, pump it through your water lines, remove the batteries (unless they're gell or AGM), and store the outboard and rudder where they won't freeze.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 09/11/2013 22:04:46

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5369 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2013 : 22:19:01

So that was in fresh water. Long Island Sound and the bays are salt water (technically brackish because the Sound is an estuary). For the past 15-20 years, LI Sound has not frozen, however I can recall a few years in the 80s and 90s when the bays froze up and large amounts of ice floes moved around the Sound. I saw them while commuting on the Port Jeff ferry from CT to LI for work.
Bubblers are fine.
You can chance it. Well prior to ice forming you can move your boat to a marina for haul out, but you have to watch water temps and trends and hope you can catch it in time. Depending on salinity salt water freezes around 28-29F. But just because the water temp at the buoys is 30 doesn't mean the bay's not freezing.
I always haul out since it costs me ~$850 and I get to work on the boat over the winter on land. I can check thru hulls and apply bottom paint. I can clean the waterline and get rid of the moss and algae. Lots of reasons I haul although some local boaters I know in CT do not - like one guy who has a buoy near the outflow of the electric power company.

Your call obviously - if I were in MD, VA or NC I would probably not haul every year.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5369 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2013 : 22:27:50

Dave you make a good point - the rudder can freeze up, expand and crack - very expensive proposition. And you don't want your outboard to freeze with residual water in it. Could get expensive. Last Feb we got 30" of snow in 24 hours with 40 mph wind gusts. That would definitely have capsized my boat if it were in the water. I get an insurance discount because I haul for 3+ months.
In my case, Halloween out, May 1 back in.

Edited by - Voyager on 09/11/2013 22:31:34

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2013 : 06:08:36

The Mystic River, on which I live and dock my boat, is actually a tidal estuary--not a river. A few years back, it froze over in my area--about 3" thick. Then it started to thaw and, with help from tide action, break up into flows an acre and larger in size. By my math, an acre of ice 3" thick weighs approximately 325 tons (650,000 lbs). I watched one night as the tidal current pushed one of these flows into our dock. It was violent and scary--I ran off the dock to make sure I didn't end up on a section floating down the river!

I would not have been happy if my boat had been on the dock at the time!

Edited by - on

mrapkins
Navigator

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USA
124 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2013 : 06:33:37

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 First, your insurance (assuming you have it) probably stipulates that you pull the boat out by some date. So if your gamble fails and your boat sinks, you're out.

Second, there's a reason insurance companies want boats on land during the winter: They tend to sink if they're left in. Snow and ice can literally capsize some boats, thru-hulls can freeze and break (even if the sea-cocks are closed), and marinas are generally unattended. Circulators (like the one shown) help protect docks from ice damage, but ice flows moving with the tide or wind can still get you. Bubblers are just another method of moving water up from the bottom (with the bubbles), where it's warmer, and are easier than circulators to rig under a boat, but they run off a compressor.

As for "global warming", that does not translate to a mild winter--it could make it more severe.

The short list: Pull the boat, empty the water tank, put in some non-toxic marine/RV antifreeze, pump it through your water lines, remove the batteries (unless they're gell or AGM), and store the outboard and rudder where they won't freeze.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I spoke with BoatUS Insurance and they stated that I had ice and freezing coverage and consequently there was no problem with leaving my boat in the water (I'm on the Chesapeake)

Edited by - on

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.