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Uncle Winter & Antifreeze...how much?

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seastream
Navigator

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USA
242 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/23/2004 : 22:48:25

Winterizing...a foul topic because it signals the end of season but I must address it. I pumped out my fresh water, waste water tank & bilge. I put 2.5 gallons of antifreeze in the fresh tank and pumped at the sink until it came out. Put the same amount in the head and 'dry pumped' it into the tank, leaving about a pint in the head. Put one gallon in the bilge, pumped until I saw it come out the stern. Should that be enough antifreeze or should I have put more in each location, given that you can never get ALL the water out of each?

I gave instruction that Illusion would be ready to haul as of Nov 1. I may sail once more over Halloween weekend. The NH daily highs are already below 60 and continue to drop.

Seastream

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 09:28:35

Bob,
Sounds to me like you've been thorough. I do the same and have not had a problem in 15 years here in the UP of Michigan. It gets coooooold up here.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 10:43:21

You folks put regular automotive anti-freeze in your domestic water tank?

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oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 10:59:32

You dont't have to get all the water out since a 50% mixture can protect down to -30 deg. F. I hope you didn't use standard anti freeze in your water tank. It's poisonous.

By the way, you didn't mention whether or not you're going to throw some down your icebox drain and sink drains as well. You need to do that while leaving your through hulls open so you can tell if you've purged untreated fresh water from those lines.

It's best to leave all your through hulls open as well.

I've stopped using anti freeze in my fresh water tank since I've found simply pumping the system dry hasn't presented any problems.

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Dave Bristle
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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 18:20:20

Hey guys--give the guy some credit! Where did he say he used automotive antifreeze?

Clam: Up north, they sell marine/RV antifreeze that's totally nonpoisonous. Most of it is pink stuff that comes in plastic gallon jugs. But we can't expect you to know about those kinds of things...

Mark is right about the drains, including the "icebox"... Before I pour antifreeze in mine, I lift the hoses down below with the seacocks open to drain water from the low spots. That way, the antifreeze is just extra insurance, in case I left any water in there. If you leave the seacocks open, close them in the Spring before the muddaubers start building their condos.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 10/24/2004 18:25:07

aeckhart
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Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 08:26:08

I must say I've never used automotive antifreeze, only the pink RV antifreeze. As mentioned, I've never had a problem. This year I've completely removed the water tank for a good cleaning and will replace the water lines in the spring. They've become mildewed this year.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

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JoergK
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USA
140 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 17:15:18

Don't know about putting anti-freeze in the fresh water tank. I'd think it tastes foul and would require a lot of flushing in the spring. I put in a bottle of cheap vodka.

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seastream
Navigator

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USA
242 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 18:00:49

Didn't use automotive antifreeze. Know about that. I kept pumping the sink faucet awhile after seeing the antifreeze come out so as to get some down the drain. Forgot about the icebox drain though...will do that this coming weekend. BTW, is there another way of draining the freshwater tank...short of pumping it out into the sink, as I do?

How about those RED SOX!!!

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 18:44:09

Bob, there are two ways of draining your tank: pump it out using your sink faucet or remove an outlet hose and let it drain into the bilge. Your bilge pump does the rest.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

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seastream
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USA
242 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 19:23:38

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 21:44:45

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by seastream
 ...BTW, is there another way of draining the freshwater tank...short of pumping it out into the sink, as I do?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I emptied my tank out this afternoon by syphoning it out with a garden hose. To get the water flowing, I prefilled the garden hose with water, placed one end in the tank, then tossed the rest of the hose overboard.

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Dave Bristle
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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 23:38:06

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JoergK
 Don't know about putting anti-freeze in the fresh water tank. I'd think it tastes foul and would require a lot of flushing in the spring. I put in a bottle of cheap vodka.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That's a joke, right?

First, do you actually DRINK from the tank? (I carry water frozen in jugs for drinking, and wash hands and other things with the faucets.) Second, the alcohol in vodka, which is only 50% or less to begin with, will evaporate out of it, leaving just the water in the tank--although maybe less so inside the hoses. Around my place, your martini will be frozen before January.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 10/26/2004 : 08:22:58

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 First, do you actually DRINK from the tank? (I carry water frozen in jugs for drinking, and wash hands and other things with the faucets.)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Same here. I never drink water from any RV or boat water tank, having had too many camping/boating trips ruined by a weekend-long bout of diarrhea. I only use tank water for washing hands, and for washing dishes after the water has been boiled for 5 minutes or more.

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 10/26/2004 : 08:43:07

We usually use RV pink antifreeze (the 20 maybe 40 below stuff) This year we are going to try the 60 below purple stuff.

Remember to put the outboard in the basement and take all of your valuables off the boat. A container of "Damp Rid" can also help with the moisture in the cabin over the winter.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 10/26/2004 : 09:25:34

Heh heh... that idea about cheap vodka sounds good to me. The first couple voyages in the spring would probably turn into rather "jolly" events.

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JoergK
Navigator

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USA
140 Posts

Response Posted - 10/26/2004 : 09:46:50

DaveB. - no joke. That's what I actually do and it works (NJ gets cold, too).
Clam, for my voyages I have a spare bottle, not filtered through the tank.

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seastream
Navigator

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USA
242 Posts

Response Posted - 10/26/2004 : 16:44:49

We don't drink from the tank. Hand washing and the odd dish is about all. My opinion, the sink on the C25 and most boats below 30 feet is a joke...more useful as a spittoon than for washing dishes, etc.

Heck, most plates won't even fit in them. When eating on board, we generally find that grilling above decks and using disposable plates & utensils below works best. The Admiral would like more counter space in the galley, which is one of the reasons driving us toward a larger boat. We just need to decide which will be enough...the Catalina 32 or 36.

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2004 : 13:37:00

I second that seastream. We fill our tank just enough so that the boat sits level in the water with the motor on the port side. The sink is where keys, phones, instrument covers and the occasional empty pepsi can go.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2004 : 13:56:06

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Duane Wolff
 I second that seastream. We fill our tank just enough so that the boat sits level in the water with the motor on the port side. The sink is where keys, phones, instrument covers and the occasional empty pepsi can go.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ditto for North Star except for the Pepsi can (We are Coke addicts!

)

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Charlie Vick
Captain

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USA
423 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2004 : 14:09:55

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Duane Wolff
 I second that seastream. We fill our tank just enough so that the boat sits level in the water with the motor on the port side. The sink is where keys, phones, instrument covers and the occasional empty pepsi can go.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Me too! It's worse than a junk drawer but I know the stuffs not going anywhere!

CVick

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2004 : 15:24:23

Don - pepsi was just a euphemism

Edited by - Champipple on 10/27/2004 15:30:57

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2004 : 15:39:06

Winter must be just about here...

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