Wrapped for winter

[beach]

So my has been winterized for all of 2 days now, and I am already anxious to unwrap it again this spring and pop it back in the water!
This will be my first winter with the boat, and to say I am a tad bit paranoid about the whole winterizing process is a fair statement.

I have emptied the boat, of cushions, carpets, sails, electronics, I have removed batteries fuel tanks, porta pottie, I have ran the engine with fuel stabilizer and sprayed fogging oil into the air intake as stated by my suzuki DF50 owners manual,

I have tarped the boat with more bungee cords than I can count, and I can't imagine myself spending the next 6 months worrying about something that could or might go wrong! haha.

Any advice to folks here on this board that have extensive experience in winterizing their Macs? and by winterizing, I don't mean sailing with a long sleeved shirt for our southern states members! haha

[pokerrick1]

If I were you - - - I would move to a warmer climate

Rick

[Russ]

I get through these times living vicariously via our southern friends and the folks down under.


--Russ

[mackatt68]

Depending on where you're at, snowloading could be an issue. Here in northern Illinois, I was concerned about snow loads on the mast when I used to store my X with the mast down so I wouldn't cover it with a tarp. Now that I leave it at the marina with the mast up, I still won't tarp it as I've heard horror stories about snow loads bending or even breaking the life line stanchions out.

[iredrider1177]

well i just happen to have a large heated, concrete and drywalled shop at my house i keep mine in.

[Love MACs]

We plan to take our boat to the Keys for the winter (our idea of winterizing) I realize a lot of people don't have this option Taking her out of the Marina and bringing her home next week for some scrubbing and cleaning, so she can be admired as we roll south down the interstate.

Allan

[Québec 1]

So my has been winterized for all of 2 days now, and I am already anxious to unwrap it again this spring and pop it back in the water!
This will be my first winter with the boat, and to say I am a tad bit paranoid about the whole winterizing process is a fair statement.

I have emptied the boat, of cushions, carpets, sails, electronics, I have removed batteries fuel tanks, porta pottie, I have ran the engine with fuel stabilizer and sprayed fogging oil into the air intake as stated by my suzuki DF50 owners manual,

I have tarped the boat with more bungee cords than I can count, and I can't imagine myself spending the next 6 months worrying about something that could or might go wrong! haha.

Any advice to folks here on this board that have extensive experience in winterizing their Macs? and by winterizing, I don't mean sailing with a long sleeved shirt for our southern states members! haha

I just parked mine beside the house tarped it and plugged it in to the house power. I now have a well heated bachelor den where I watch hockey, drink scotch and fiddle around in the winter. There is nothing like being in your boat during a blizzard.
Q1

[fishheadbarandgrill]

Winterizing? What's that?

Bob in Charleston, SC

[NiceAft]

I have emptied the boat, of cushions, carpets, sails, electronics, I have removed batteries fuel tanks

I realize that sailors are not supposed to speak like this, but that's a bit overboard, don't you think

Except for the porta pottie, I lave everything on board. We do get snow, and it can get rather cold here in Philly. Not as bad as Quebec though This will be our sixth winter, and Nice Aft has survived quite well. By leaving her in me driveway over the Winter, I have less to shovel when the snow comes.



Ray

[hoaglandr]

I too have parked my Mac next to the house for the winter and plan on getting her covered up this weekend. I unloaded everything that I could but only because I intend to add shorepower and new AC and DC distribution panels over the winter. Got to make sure I leave myself easy access when I put the cover on. The boat may turn into a "mancave" over the winter as I hide from the admiral and putter around with the wiring !

[Highlander]

Well I've been busy doing outside house maint. that I have been puting off for three yrs now !
http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010133.jpg
from this to this
http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010018.jpg

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010017.jpg

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010019.jpg

Anyway Beene showed up @ my place & gave me a hand on Sat to get the boat ready & put away for winter so on Sun when I got up & made a nice T/H Coffee and this crapp started coming coming down so I thought that was a smart move !
http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010014.jpg


http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010015.jpg
http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010016.jpg
Yep I was a happy camper so when I get finnished the rest of my outside chores , get the vehicles ready for winter then I too can start my winter mods inside my heated boat

J

[Russ]

I have emptied the boat, of cushions, carpets, sails, electronics, I have removed batteries fuel tanks

I realize that sailors are not supposed to speak like this, but that's a bit overboard, don't you think

Ray

Yea, I take off the GPS (leave everything else, VHF, stereo), sails and batteries, porta potti and run some RV pink juice through the fresh water pump. Put some Seafoam in the tanks, that's about it.

--Russ

[beach]

I have emptied the boat, of cushions, carpets, sails, electronics, I have removed batteries fuel tanks

I realize that sailors are not supposed to speak like this, but that's a bit overboard, don't you think

Except for the porta pottie, I lave everything on board. We do get snow, and it can get rather cold here in Philly. Not as bad as Quebec though This will be our sixth winter, and Nice Aft has survived quite well. By leaving her in me driveway over the Winter, I have less to shovel when the snow comes.



Ray

haha overboard? perhaps! honestly, I had been looking around the forum as to best practices for winterizing, and didn't find enough to help form my opinion, so I felt that I would better off safe than sorry. I did actually see many boats on their trailer still rigged, and a local shop employee told me that it is common practice to leave the boats rigged on their trailer and that snow wouldn't be a problem, as long as sails were off.

so now I am second guessing my tarp, as snow load does worry me. I am not storing it at my house and only plan on visiting it once a month. I am also worried about the engine, we get extreme cold here, -40 C (thats close to -40 F) on rare occasions, and I just don't want any suprises next spring like a cracked lower unit or something of the sort.

[Russ]

so now I am second guessing my tarp, as snow load does worry me. I am not storing it at my house and only plan on visiting it once a month. I am also worried about the engine, we get extreme cold here, -40 C (thats close to -40 F) on rare occasions, and I just don't want any suprises next spring like a cracked lower unit or something of the sort.

Here in Montana we get some snow loads and -40c temps. I wouldn't stress over that too much. I have a tarp over my boat and it fares well. In the Spring it gets pretty icy and heavy but it all holds up well. We had a virtual bathtub of water in a pocket and it was fine.

My Suzuki manual says to store the motor in the down position and let it drain out. That's all they say to do. In addition, I run some RV antifreeze through it as well. I figure it will dilute any possible water but honestly I believe almost all drains out.
I also run some through my fresh water system. The first year, I took almost everything off the boat. Now, I leave more onboard. I also opened up all the compartments to get air in there.

Sounds like you did a fine job winterizing. Now wait for winter to be over.


--Russ

[iredrider1177]

hey ALLAN

we will be staying in islamorada all of jan and part of feb. we will have our jet boat tho., wouldnt mind checken out one of them es while were down there