Winterize boat fresh water system

Unfortunately I see this type of product all too often. Turn on the house water pump and go to each faucet and shower head and run the spigot until antifreeze comes out.

Next empty your holding tank of its contents at a pumpout facility flushing it with fresh water once or twice before hanging up the pumpout hose.

Winterize boat fresh water system. When temps turn cold you need to winterize your boats freshwater system. BoatUS Magazines Mark Corke shows you how using nontoxic antifreeze. Winterizing your boats freshwater system is a simple process which can be broken down into three steps.

If your boat has a water heater we suggest installation of a water heater bypass winterization kit which isolates the water heater so you can drain it separately and forego the cost of filling it with antifreeze. How to winterize your boat fresh water system with antifreeze - YouTube. For winterizing your fresh water system you will need a few items.

The number one item to have is RV type propylene glycol antifreeze that is safe for domestic plumbing systems. Unfortunately I see this type of alcohol based RV type product all too often. The pictured bottle is not a propylene glycol product it is an alcohol based antifreeze.

There are four different kinds of water systems on a boat that need to be addressed for winterization. Fresh water water coming into the boat from water hook-up or tank filling for sinks showers and heads. Raw water water systems that take water into the boat from lake river etc like engines generator or AC.

Gray water water systems like the drains and shower sumps. Black water head tank. In part 1 of our boat winterization prep for winter storage well show how we winterize our fresh water systems with marine antifreeze and explain why the f.

Winterizing is one of those things and while everyone remembers to drain the engine and change the lube oil the fresh water system head tanks and related equipment are also important. Ignoring this area can result in a huge mess and just as big a bill as ignoring an engine. Whats more boat hulls and anything in a boat below the the waterline take their temperature from the water or air in which theyre sitting.

So if you keep your boat in the water for the winter and the water never freezes hard the fresh water system shouldnt need any freeze protection beyond just draining the plumbing. Run the compressor now attached to the fresh water inlet fitting and open up each faucet both hot and cold and allow the compressed air to blow out all the water in your lines. Now you are ready for winter and you havent used any antifreeze.

An important first step is running lots of fresh water through all of your heads to rid the system of smelly residue. Next empty your holding tank of its contents at a pumpout facility flushing it with fresh water once or twice before hanging up the pumpout hose. Much has been written about the importance of winterizing the cooling systems in marine engines but depending on the boat water might lurk elsewhere.

For example many boats have potable water stored in a tank below deck and delivered via pumps to faucets showers heads and freshwater washdown spigots. The best way to totally winterize the water system is to remove the feed hose from the water tank and insert it straight into a bucket of non-toxic antifreeze. Turn on the house water pump and go to each faucet and shower head and run the spigot until antifreeze comes out.

This will also leave antifreeze in the hoses. Raw-Water Systems If you have a saltwater washdown or anchor washdown this should be winterized as well. Disconnect the intake at the seacock close the seacock if in the water.

Next jam the now loose end of the intake into a jug or container of antifreeze. Turn on the pump open the valve and leave it open until red antifreeze runs out. Step 3 Freshwater Waste Systems - YouTube.

Fresh water systems. Most Formulas have a pretty extensive fresh water system and not winterizing it could wreak havoc from stem to stern. Its easy to protect.

Simply pour five to ten gallons of non-toxic RV antifreeze into your fresh water tank. Check the antifreeze label but usually you can add water up to a 5050 ratio. Seawater and freshwater have two different freezing points though they arent that far apart.

The freezing point for fresh water is about 32 degrees F and the freezing point for saltwater is about 284 degrees F. This is more or less negligible when it comes to storing your boat in water over the winter but when it comes to storing your boat in saltwater or freshwater for an extended period of. To winterize your sanitation system start by making sure the holding tank is pumped out.

To start with a clean slate in the spring now is the time to give it a through flushing with fresh water. Remove the raw water intake hose from the seacock and place it in a small bucket with antifreeze. If you suspect contamination in the tank or water lines you can sanitize the system with ordinary household bleach the no-fragrance type.

Use an eighth of a cup of bleach for each 10 gallons in the system. Add the bleach to a gallon of fresh water and mix the solution. If the boat has aluminum water tanks you may choose a non-chlorine.

What Not To Use. For winterizing your fresh water system you will need a few items. The number one item to have is RV type antifreeze that is safe for domestic plumbing systems.

Unfortunately I see this type of product all too often. The pictured bottle is NOT a.