Quick and dirty winterization technique?

[wrwakefield]

Practical Sailor recently posted a blog entry about which antifreeze to use for winterizing a boat's potable water supply, etc., and added a couple of paragraphs regarding engines:

[Link to Original PS Blog Post]

...Protecting engines presents different challenges. [...from potable water system winterizing...] As I graphically illustrated in an earlier blog on this topic, propylene glycol—the non-toxic antifreeze commonly sold to RV and boat owners—is not our first choice for protecting an engine’s cooling system. In our testing, ethylene glycol, the highly toxic (when ingested) anti-freeze that propylene glycol replaced, is far less harmful to certain plastic, rubber, and nylon components in engine and plumbing lines.

Propylene glycol can harm components in freshwater and wastewater plumbing systems as well, but because ethylene glycol is not a safe choice for potable systems, there are no other antifreeze choices, other than draining the system. If your toilet's plumbing system cannot be fully purged and requires winterizing AND it is entirely isolated from your drinking supply, winterizing with ethylene glycol will be preferable, since it is less harmful to hoses, and plastic components.

Some sailors have suggested using Vodka as an antifreeze for potable water systems, but this turns out to be an expensive myth, and our tests have thoroughly debunked it. Not only will it burn holes in your pocket, it will turn your tanks and hoses into a fecund biome.

For those concerned about marine toxicity, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study of chemicals used in airline de-icing operations found in its tests that neither glycol formula was particularly toxic to aquatic life. However, the EPA also cited several ways in which glycol can indirectly harm aquatic life by raising oxygen levels, etc. In our view, both formulas need to be used with care on land and near the water, and disposed of properly. Ideally, all glycols should be flushed and purged so that they can be captured for recycling...

Cheers!

Bill

[Cheechako]

There was an industrial spill of Ethylene Glycol AF near where I used to work. The whole wetland was bright green. When the E P A looked at it they didn't seem too concerned.... surprisingly.

[Ukeluthier]

Many of you seem to be overlooking the fact that the OP says he lives aboard. One would assume that means he keeps the boat heated in the winter.

I lived aboard in Annapolis, MD, for 9 years in the '80s, during which we had several winters where the harbor froze over. Never once did I feel a need to winterize my engine.

Of course, if you were leaving the boat unattended for any significant period of time, that would certainly be grounds for reconsidering.

[pickpaul]

Yes, living aboard. So don't blow out the water because of impeller damage is consensus. I plan on as much winter sailing as possible and avoiding those heavy bottles is a plus.

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[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Ukeluthier

Many of you seem to be overlooking the fact that the OP says he lives aboard. One would assume that means he keeps the boat heated in the winter.

I lived aboard in Annapolis, MD, for 9 years in the '80s, during which we had several winters where the harbor froze over. Never once did I feel a need to winterize my engine.

Of course, if you were leaving the boat unattended for any significant period of time, that would certainly be grounds for reconsidering.

A local was spending the winter aboard (in the water) here in Kingston (44 degrees north). He was called away unexpectedly in the dead of winter for some kind of emergency, and asked friends to keep an eye on the boat. The friends went to look at the boat a few days later, and saw nothing but the mast...the boat had sunk at his slip. Fortunately, there was a crane onsite, and the boat was close enough that they were able to lift it up and out of the water. Made a good story for the local news. Personally, my goal is stay out of the evening news.

[jason902]

Originally Posted by hamburking

Personally, my goal is stay out of the evening news.

Staying out of the evening news is ALWAYS a good goal.

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[Halifax Sailor]

the easiest i have done, and i found the answer on this forum, i disconnect the raw water feed, longer hose into bucket in cockpit, run fresh water hose in bucket, after 10 minutes (engine warmed up and flushed) all salt water out, replace hose water with pink stuff, when you see it out the exhaust, shut engine off. i also pull the engine zinc and check for color of fluid and make sure engine filled up all the way. have also added pink thru the zinc hole if needed.

[Boatyarddog]

Just shut off the intake valve, open the strainer cap or plumb into it.
Then pour in the pink stuff and run it till it comes out the exhaust.
It definitely non toxic.
Food grade glycol.


Sent from SV Cloud Duster

[nicholson31]

as Boatyarddog said, been doing it that way for 6 years, although on the hard, still will work the same in the water. For the trickle of antifreeze overboard, have someone catch it in a bucket when the colour starts to pump through.
We call it "plumbers" antifreeze up here for the pink stuff, use that in the fresh water tank/taps, but use regular engine antifreeze for the raw water as it can get minus 20-30 cel, for couple months at a time here on the Rock.
plumbers AF can freeze up at these temps but won't expand.