Winterizing... Are These Steps Critical

[Black Diamond]

All of the advice given is good. I would add my thoughts on a few areas:

1. Blowing out water lines is good but not a substitute for forcing antifreeze thru the system. A good example is the shower mixing valve (if you have one). Not running antifreeze thru both hot and cold sides can leave normal water in the valve and it can freeze and leak badly in the spring. Run antifreeZe thru every fixture, hot and cold sides Especially the swim platform shower and any interior devices

2. Use only pure proplyne glycol. If it’s mixed with alcohol it can damage marine plumbing over time

3. Deploy dehumidifier baskets around the boat. It really helps and you’d be surprised how much they collect, preventing mildew

4. Run it thru the engine as stated Again, you cannot use alcohol containing antifreeze on engine or gen. Just pure glycol. Get the strainer cap to come off. Then lub it for the next time. You don’t want to be struggling with it at the wrong time, say when you really need the engine and it’s sucked in some eel grass. Usually just a matter of leverage. If you do damage the cap you have all winter to get it’s replacement :-)

5. Don’t forget the bilges and their pumps. I pour a gallon or two in the bilge, run it thru until I see pink out the discharge

6. Since you said “generator” I assume you have AC as well. Make sure you run punk thru those as well.

[scarlet]

Thanks everyone! we are heading back out in a couple of weeks, and will follow your recommendations.. Better safe than sorry..