Winterizing Your Boat
Winterizing Tips
Always use Antifreeze that will cover the temperature range for your particular area.
Antifreeze comes in several formulas for diffent purposes.
Propylene Glycol is non-toxic and can be used in fresh water systems. Some "PG" based antifreeze can be used in engines as well. For best performance, the antifreeze should have lubricants to protect the rubber impellers as well as corrision inhibitors for the metal parts in your cooling system.
Some antifreeze comes as a concentrate that gets diluted with water. We do not recommend this type for the do it yourself user. Unless the mixing water is warm and care is taken when mixing, the fluids may not fuse, and you can have pockets of low protection that can freeze. Make sure the antifreeze you are using is non-toxic and can be drained overboard without harming the enviornment.
We always drain the engine and other systems before flushing antifreeze through. This keeps us from diluting the antifreeze beyond it's intended temperature range. We also bypass the water heater, as it would hold a lot of antifreeze. Some report water heaters that have had antifreeze in them retain a bad taste for months afterward.
If you winterize toilet and other systems while the boat is still in the water, you must remember to open the thru hull fittings after haul out. Some raw water may still be in the intake. We leave these thru-hull valves open for the winter.
Ethylene Glycol is toxic and should only be used in Closed Circuit cooling systems (heat exchangers and radiators). In many states, using this type of antifreeze for the raw water side of your engine is illegal.
Dickerson Harbor
3831 Trappe Landing Road
Trappe, MD 21673
410-822-8556
dickerson@oya.com