Boat winterization questions

[fishinfreak]

Looking to winterize my new boat. I've never had a washdown system on my boat before. How do I keep everything from freezing also do I need to do anything to my live well

 

Sent from my SM-J327V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

 

[PD Buoy]

You need to pump pink antifreeze into your washdown and certainly completely drain your livewell. I place a quart of Pink antifreeze into a fairly shallow container, place the hose into the antifreze container and turn on the washdown until pink liquid comes out the nozzle. Good Luck with your winterization.

[fishinfreak]

I know that I need to drain a live well but what about the live well pump. I didn't know if it drained by itself

Sent from my SM-J327V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[rolmops]

What can freeze will freeze. In case of doubt just pump the pink antifreeze into the live well. If it drains by itself it will drain out  and you will be fine.

Edited October 20, 2018 by rolmops

[spoonfed-1]

1 hour ago, fishinfreak said:

I know that I need to drain a live well but what about the live well pump. I didn't know if it drained by itself

Sent from my SM-J327V using Lake Ontario United mobile app
 

 I've never had any problems with the live well pump in my alumicraft, and I run that right until the ponds ice up. Perhaps you could blow it out with air through the inflow in the tank if you have any concerns.

Edited October 20, 2018 by spoonfed-1

[Alumacraft205]

 I've never had any problems with the live well pump in my alumicraft, and I run that right until the ponds ice up. Perhaps you could blow it out with air through the inflow in the tank if you have any concerns.

I always blow air thru liewell system. Turn down pressure and put blowgun where water comes in and I jam a cloth to contain air and gently blows water out the transom pickup. If u have more than one livewell do farthest one first. C'mon spring

Sent from my Moto E (4) Plus using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Lewis863]

As said earlier... and I have multiple pumps on my boat make sure you run pink antifreeze through any pump and all water lines, if you have an outboard engine winterization is easier if you have an I/o and you haven’t done it before get some help before you ruin the engine


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[dry net]

I 've had a problem with non-tox antifreeze pin holing my wash down hose. Happened the first year when I did it and the second when the dealer did it. Was able to get free replacements from the dealer but they are a pain to change on my boat. Last year the dealer winterized and there was no problem. Recently asked what they did differently and they said that there were no notes to let me know. Kinda frustrating, shouldn't be a trade secret. Good luck with the wintererzation.

[fishinfreak]

Thanks to all I will be doing it next weekend

Sent from my SM-J327V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Lewis863]

The only ingredients are propylene glycol and water nothing in that causes pin holes or reactions it is basically a double alcohol


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[fishinfreak]

Here is the problem that I face with pumping glycol in. These screens on my new boat are on there very nice and secure and I don't want to mess with them. One is for my wash down the other is for my Livewell. I'm assuming the open one is the drain for the live well. I don't truly know as I've only had this out for a few hours and it is barely broken in. Any recommendations would be great thank you

Sent from my SM-J327V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Lewis863]

On inside of boat there will be a hose from the through hull fitting disconnect it and feed it into a gallon jug or plate full of antifreeze 

[Lewis863]

Or take a pvc pipe large enough to cover that screen put a 90 degree elbow in it cover the screen with it fill it and run pump 

[Bozeman Bob]

All my wash down pumps have a quick release for the connecting hoses on them. Unhook them,take the washdown hose off and store inside. Never had a problem , air doesn't freeze.

[dry net]

The screens unscrew. Buy a piece of rubber tubing just large enough to fit over the threads and then use the pumps to pull antifreeze thru. As far as glycol not causing pin holes in my washdown hose, I do not have another explanation. Once is a fluke twice is a trend. The hoses are Lund factory.

[UNREEL]

 My livewell and washdown pumps have screens on them under a plastic cap that unscrew for cleaning. I have quick disconnects on hoses also. With everything removed, I bump both switches to clear any residual water. Everything else gravity drains. 

[fisherdude]

New question on winterizing the boat. I've always taken my batteries out put them inside and forget about them till spring . Last winter left the batteries in boat with out doing a thing to them ( reason was in a divorce didn't know I get to keep the boat) . Come spring they were fine . Today I put in a 2 bank charger and going leave the batteries again this winter. I noticed when installing the charger and maintenance the batteries they were manufactured in 2013 I was surprised the batteries are that old. Does anybody else leave their batteries in the boat and plug them in on a charger????

 

Sent from my XT1609 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lewis863]

Yes as long as they are plugged in they will be fine that many years on marine batteries is unusual 

[fisherdude]

Yes as long as they are plugged in they will be fine that many years on marine batteries is unusual 

Yeah I agree, watch next spring the batteries will be dead as a doornail LOL

Sent from my XT1609 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Lewis863]

Two years unless they are agm even bringing damn things inside then my rv battery stays on charge outside lasts 10 years ....less vibration yes but still 

[Sk8man]

I probably shouldn't jinx myself but my deep cycle is from Feb 2010 and I always have brought both batteries in for the winter.

[fisherdude]

I probably shouldn't jinx myself but my deep cycle is from Feb 2010[emoji38] and I always have brought both batteries in for the winter.

I always took mine into the house too Les . This charger thing is new to me. And I find taking the back panel apart and pulling the batteries out isn't an easy job to do for me anymore

 

Sent from my XT1609 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

 

 

[Alumacraft205]

Two years unless they are agm even bringing damn things inside then my rv battery stays on charge outside lasts 10 years ....less vibration yes but still 

My three year old onboard chargercooks my batteries dry. Be careful. They are supposed to know when to come on and go off mines going back to Cabela's in spring

Sent from my Moto E (4) Plus using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

Some regular 110v chargers for autos aren't supposed to be used with marine batteries either for some reason.

[Surfer]

I always brought my batteries inside, held up well ! Always had them on trickle charger, and was told NOT to store directly on concrete floor!