Winterizing in TN.

larglo · Post by **larglo** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:13 am

Hi all,

I hope I hear from those who live in my area on this question. I have a F25 Trojon and live close to Nashville. We generally have a mild winter compared to the northern states. I have my boat in a 30' covered slip. I understand there is a person at the marina who will winterize my boat for $150.00 bucks. But after I do that I won't be able to use the boat, even on days that are mild here in TN. But have to wait till spring.

Now to my question,,, I had a plan of placing two, one on each side of the engine, clipon lights, those that will clamp on most anything, that will point to the engine, using a 40 to 60 watt bulb. It is my thinking that the heat put out by these lights will keep the temp in the engine area, from falling below the freezing point.
Then on those nice days that come along, I'll be able to use take the boat out.

I don't think in the 26 yrs I've lived here, have I ever seen it get to "0" deg. and only get down in teen's at night
Hoping to hear from those living in similar areas, and how they winter there boats.
I was going to put a small heater in the engine area, but was afraid it would go out on me and allow the area to get cold. I only live 2 miles from the marina, and it takes less than 3 minutes to get to the boat to check on it.

Perhaps some of you have a better way to do it, other than winterizing the engine.

Thanks for any ideas or suggestion.

Larry

MTP · Post by **MTP** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 11:11 am

the risk of fire is greatly increased with heating methods. Talk to the guys at the marina and get a feel from them what you should do for the winter

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 11:29 am

How cold does it really get? Will a pint container of water freeze solid or will it just go chunky? If the latter I wouldn't worry about doing anything (other than maybe draining the oil coolers)... if you get a cold spell then you can always go there to heat things up.

If there would be long spells where it would be farly cool and you are concerned you could always buy several gallons of pink, warm engines, drain the engines, then detach the water pickups (close thru hulls first

) stuff the hose into a bucket of pink and run the pink thru' the engines to allow them to be left standing thru' any cold spell.

Water has to freeze hard enough to cause expansion to do any real damage.... biggest area of concern is the oil cooler.

Another alternative would be to just drain everything..... get a mechanic to free up all the drain plugs, apply never seize, so they are easy to remove and you can then drain all the water for those cold spells during the winter.

It really depends on how long the temps are below freezing...... does the water get a skin of ice? Remember that the water temp is often higher than the air temp and as the boat is sitting in that warmer water and with closed hatches the engine compartment is often kept warmer than outside air by doing nothing.

larglo · Post by **larglo** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:59 pm

I may have solved my problem? I found a product called "Power Blanket" It's a 4' x 5' heating blanket designed to lay over any type of engine to keep it warm in the winter. See it at http://www.gordosales.com/motorwarmer.htm

It can be linked to as many as 8 blankets, which would be great for duel engines in boats.

Using this will give the chance to remove it when days are nice enough to go on a cruise, then replace it on return.

Most places it sells for $249.00, but the web site above, sells it for $215.00.

This will also save me the expense of paying to have it winterized each year.

Thanks for your suggestions and hope to hear some more, as I will wait a few days before I decide to order this.

Larry

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 5:28 pm

As you are no doubt aware one of the major hazards of boating in a vessel with gas engines is explosion and fire. Gasoline fumes are heavier than air and can collect in the lowest part of the boat.

Electrical appliances that are exposed or work [especially] in the bilge or engine area need to be "ignition protected". That means there is little chance of a spark causing an explosion.[ In your case being plugged in or unplugged.]

Personally I would consider a dedicated Marine engine room heater, rather than something that appears to be designed mainly for automotive use. [The engine area of a car is much better ventilated with no bilge to collect gasoline fumes].

Certainly you'll get more feedback on this, but this is a major consideration. I'm sure your local marina personnel will also have some helpful advice given that there are likely other local boaters in your situation.

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 9:01 pm

Also that non marine blanket might make his Insurance invalid were the worst to happen.
I still would like some read to how cold (water freezing) it does get in TN in the winter.
My retirement plan of living aboard all year did include moving south for the winter.... I had hoped TN would be OK.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:08 pm

Very good point both on safety and insurance points . I seen people put reg heater in the engine room scares the hell out of me .

Here is a safe /aproved heater

http://www.boatsafeheaters.com/

and

http://www.xtremeheaters.com/index

larglo · Post by **larglo** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 2:44 pm

Hi all,

I did follow your advise on this matter even though it was costly. But was afraid to do otherwise.
I just ordered the BoatSafe bilge heater from this site, which was $40.00 cheaper than all other sites, and with free shipping.

http://www.boatownersworld.com/boatsafe/250.htm

Have a great day,

Larry

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 2:49 pm

Larry,

How about an answer to my question of how cold it gets in TN in winter. Does it freeze the top of the lake and if so how thick?

I understand the safety factor of having a heater.

Thx...

wowzer52 · Post by **wowzer52** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 3:55 pm

I use a clamp-on heat lamp in the engine room to keep it just above freezing and a small heater in the cabin with the cupboards open, and have been doing it this way in all of my boats for 35 years with no problems as do thousands of other boats here including the fish fleets which fish all year. The temps here usually only reach the teens and allow us to keep the boat ready to go in a moments notice because so many of the boaters hear fish and cruise year round as I do.

wowzer52 · Post by **wowzer52** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 4:02 pm

Ready123, if you go to http://www.weather.msn.com and put in the city you want and scroll down to the chart that gives all the yearly info and put your curser on any month it will give you all the yearly info in detail including temps for that particular month.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 4:17 pm

The heater will do a better job cover the engine room vents , just remeber to un cover before running the boat.

larglo · Post by **larglo** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 4:18 pm

This is the first year I've paid any attention to the lake now that we have a boat.
I did talk to fellow today when I went to the boat. and he told me out of thirty some years being here, he only remembers twice having ice around the boats.

What I can tell you is, having moved to TN, from Middle Illinois, is the winters are generally mild here. I only remember it snowing enough to cover the ground for over a day or two,,,3 times.
But I talked to a fellow the other day at the marina, there are some that winterize just to be safe.

It will get into the teens at night, but will warm up just as fast the day. I have seen things in the yard, flower pots etc, that will have a thin sheet of ice on top that can be broken with very little effort with a finger. I have also seen it get much colder farther south than it does here, for some reason.

If this heater works as advertised, is more than enough to keep our boat from being winterized and able to be used year round. I also see people fishing all year round. We live just a stones throw from the Percy Priest Lake and about 3 minutes from our marina, Fate Sanders.
They leave the golf course open year round also, and I see golfers playing most every time I drive by it, during all winter.

Hope I have been some help.

Larry

g36 · Post by **g36** » Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:34 am

i too live in tn and i use a bilge heater from boat safe have not had a problem. i made snap on covers for my vents. however i do check my boat everyday when it is below freezing maybe anal but i am not going to let the power go off on my dock and just let my baby freeze. i do keep my seacocks closed and i do run a small heater that is new that has a way to mount it to a wall so that it cant tip over. i keep it on the lowest settings and have had no issues with any pipes or freezing issues inside the boat. i do boat year round and i dont want to cut off my usage by winterizing

Tuck · Post by **Tuck** » Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:39 pm

hiyas largomiester, chattanooga here.

just got my f32 this last february. it has three bilge heaters, which i believe are original to the boat. i turn 'em on and let them work. i also have small heaters in the cabin which i leave on to keep the water from freezing up in the galley and head, as like g3, i use the boat year round. (if i didn't have the boat to use as a clubhouse and floating sanctuary to get away from the wife and father in law, i'd go nuts)

always use marine products, as others have basically said, due to the fire hazards, insurance, etc. look at the bilge heater as an investment to the boat rather than an expense.

as far as icing goes...here in chattanooga, at least...last year, it was cold enough where we had ice in the marina for a couple of weeks. the boat i had at the time (this was in january, just before i bought my trojan), on a couple of instances, was iced in. i could have gotten out if i had wanted, but it was just too freaking cold.

anyhoos...slap in your heater and be thankful we can use our boats all year, unlike those unlucky bastages up north.