I am looking for a complete standard operating procedure for winterizing my Larson 330 with twin I/O Mercury engines. I also have a generator, A/C and outside ice maker to contend with. Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Winterizing my Larson 330!
- Thread starter jasrri
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2002
- RO Number
- 10265
- Messages
- 9,958
Following is a procedure for my boat, yours may vary.
Plumbing
Water Heater
The hot water heater is nothing more than a big tank with an electric element in it to heat the water. There is a drain, a cold-water INPUT and a hot water OUTPUT. Cruisers Yachts uses ¡§Quick Connects¡¨ to attach the hoses.
Most RV places sell Water Heater By-Pass kits. Get one. This basically ties the cold and hot system tubes together and by-passes the whole hot-water heater. The by-pass installs at the inlet/outlet of the heater and uses diverters to ¡§cross-over¡¨. You want to drain every drop from the heater, but it is recommended that you NOT waste 6 gallons of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ to fill the heater.
1. Obtain/Install a Water Heater By-Pass Kit (RV places have them)
Note: These kits allow you to by-pass the water heater to keep pressure in the system. They are about $30 and well worth it. Buy it, install it, and forget it. If you don¡¦t, you should fill your water heater with 6+ gallons of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨. You¡¦ll never get all the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ out. Don¡¦t do it.
2. Turn off the power to the water heater. Mark it, so you don¡¦t turn it on when the heater is empty, and zap the heating element.
3. Drain the water heater in to the bilge and leave the drain valve open
Fresh Water System (Pump and Fixtures)
1. Drain all the water from your fresh-water tank and shut the pump off (fresh water breaker)
2. Pull the seat cushions from the aft cabin (access, ya know)
3. Disassemble the feed from the water tank to the pump (under port-side seat)
4. Clean out the water filter there, and make sure it's dry
5. Attach a length of hose to the intake of the pump
6. Stick the hose in to a jug of "Pink Stuff"
7. Get First Mate to watch and have a few of extra gallons opened and ready. I¡¦ve done this myself with a big bucket with 3 gallons of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ in it.
8. Turn on the pump.
Note: When you do, the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ gets sucked up in to the pump and is ready to be dispersed through the system
9. Start with the shower (furthest away from pump) and run each fixture until ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ comes out.
Note: First Mate will be swapping bottle of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ at a high rate of speed!
10. Don't forget fresh-water wash-downs (we don¡¦t do fresh-water washdowns here in Colorado, but we do do RAW water ¡V see below). Cockpit wet-bar, and anything that is fed from the fresh-water system.
11. Once you¡¦ve run every fresh-water fixture in the boat, the system is loaded with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨, and won¡¦t freeze.
12. Almost done! Leave the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ connected!
Head
1. Visit the pump out and empty your holding tank. Rinse it out several times with a garden hose and get as much goop out as possible. Suck it dry!
2. With the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ still hooked up, flush the head a few times until ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ flows. It¡¦s actually GOOD to flush the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ ¡V it lubricates the duck valves, vacuum pump, macerator and all other internal components. And of course, keeps things from freezing.
3. My head has a ball valve for the water intake. I wouldn¡¦t bother closing it, but I don¡¦t see harm in doing so.
4. Leave some ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ in the bowl
Note: In the winter, you can (in a pinch) use the head. Just pour in the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨, do your business, and flush. Do NOT turn on the fresh water system. Emergencies only!
Genny
A generator is just an engine that has a mag attached to it¡K.but it¡¦s water cooled (raw-water in most cases). You want to change the oil and flush the cooling system with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨.
Since you¡¦ve disconnected the raw-water Sea Cock , the cooling for the genny is not there... You¡¦re going to replace it (temporarily, of course) with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨. You don¡¦t want to run the genny for more than a few seconds¡Kbut the water pump will suck up ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ and shoot it over the side.
1. Clean out your sea strainer
2. Fill the sea-strainer with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨
3. Attach a temporary hose to the inlet side of the strainer
4. Stick it in a bottle of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨.
5. Start the genny, and have First Mate watch the thru hull
6. When ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ comes out, you¡¦re done. You should fog engine while pink stuff is going in.
7. Don¡¦t forget to change the oil, filter, etc.
8. Done!
Engines, Raw-Water Cooling, Power Steering
Four main tasks here ¡V drain the blocks, manifolds and power-steering cooler/raw-water pump, and ¡§Fog¡¨. Each engine type (Merc, Volvo, ??) will be slightly different, but they all work the same. Check your manuals and adapt as needed.
Fogging is the process where you introduce fogging oil in to the engine by removing your spark/flame arrestors and spraying this oil in to your motor.
1. ¡§Fog¡¨ each motor with your favorite stuff¡KI use ¡§Merc¡¦s Fogging Oil¡¨. While the engine is running, and the pink stuff is flowing in, spray this gunk in, and pinch off your fuel-line so that the engine gets the oil and not fuel. When it dies, you¡¦re done.
2. Change your motor oil, filters and water-seps. My Volvo¡¦s have screw-fittings on the dip-sticks that I hook my Jabsco oil-sucker ($150 from BoatUS/Wests).
3. Drain your blocks and exhaust manifolds My Volvo¡¦s have all the drains connected to one hose. Late-model Mercs have blue plugs. Pull ¡¥em all.
4. Disconnect your raw-water pump inlet hose. Volvo¡¦s are mounted on the crank. Like the water heater, there is a water INLET and a water OUTLET. Volvo¡¦s also have ¡§riser¡¨ bumps that keep the ocean from rushing in.
5. Hook up to a tank of pink stuff and run engines.
6. When pink stuff is flowing steadily out, fog engine and shut off engines.
7. Done!
Consider removing the outdrives for the winter.
Air Conditioning/Heating
Your AC/Heat is a raw-water pump too. Since you¡¦ve already blown your cock, you¡¦re going to follow a similar procedure to pump ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ thru the AC unit until it goes overboard. AC equipment (Sea Cock, Raw-Water Pump, etc) is under the floor at the bottom of the Companion Way ladder.
1. Clean out your sea strainer
2. Fill the sea-strainer with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨
3. Attach a temporary hose to the inlet side of the strainer
4. Stick it in a bottle of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨.
5. Turn on the AC and have First Mate watch the thru hull.
6. You¡¦ll hear the water pump turn on ¡V it¡¦s right there.
7. When ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ comes out, you¡¦re done.
Miscellaneous
1. While you were working on your AC, did you clean out your shower sump pump? It¡¦s a nasty job, but you gotta do it. Fill it up with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ and trigger the pump until ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ squirts of the side.
2. Pour ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ in your drains
3. Clean your bilge(s) and dry them completely. I could lick my bilge - can you? ļ
4. Wash-n-wax the whole boat.
5. Remove anything that might collect mold, mildew, or other stinky stuff
6. Did you tag circuit breakers for things like Fresh Water, Head, Macerator and things that you might turn on that are now loaded with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨?
Plumbing
Water Heater
The hot water heater is nothing more than a big tank with an electric element in it to heat the water. There is a drain, a cold-water INPUT and a hot water OUTPUT. Cruisers Yachts uses ¡§Quick Connects¡¨ to attach the hoses.
Most RV places sell Water Heater By-Pass kits. Get one. This basically ties the cold and hot system tubes together and by-passes the whole hot-water heater. The by-pass installs at the inlet/outlet of the heater and uses diverters to ¡§cross-over¡¨. You want to drain every drop from the heater, but it is recommended that you NOT waste 6 gallons of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ to fill the heater.
1. Obtain/Install a Water Heater By-Pass Kit (RV places have them)
Note: These kits allow you to by-pass the water heater to keep pressure in the system. They are about $30 and well worth it. Buy it, install it, and forget it. If you don¡¦t, you should fill your water heater with 6+ gallons of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨. You¡¦ll never get all the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ out. Don¡¦t do it.
2. Turn off the power to the water heater. Mark it, so you don¡¦t turn it on when the heater is empty, and zap the heating element.
3. Drain the water heater in to the bilge and leave the drain valve open
Fresh Water System (Pump and Fixtures)
1. Drain all the water from your fresh-water tank and shut the pump off (fresh water breaker)
2. Pull the seat cushions from the aft cabin (access, ya know)
3. Disassemble the feed from the water tank to the pump (under port-side seat)
4. Clean out the water filter there, and make sure it's dry
5. Attach a length of hose to the intake of the pump
6. Stick the hose in to a jug of "Pink Stuff"
7. Get First Mate to watch and have a few of extra gallons opened and ready. I¡¦ve done this myself with a big bucket with 3 gallons of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ in it.
8. Turn on the pump.
Note: When you do, the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ gets sucked up in to the pump and is ready to be dispersed through the system
9. Start with the shower (furthest away from pump) and run each fixture until ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ comes out.
Note: First Mate will be swapping bottle of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ at a high rate of speed!
10. Don't forget fresh-water wash-downs (we don¡¦t do fresh-water washdowns here in Colorado, but we do do RAW water ¡V see below). Cockpit wet-bar, and anything that is fed from the fresh-water system.
11. Once you¡¦ve run every fresh-water fixture in the boat, the system is loaded with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨, and won¡¦t freeze.
12. Almost done! Leave the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ connected!
Head
1. Visit the pump out and empty your holding tank. Rinse it out several times with a garden hose and get as much goop out as possible. Suck it dry!
2. With the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ still hooked up, flush the head a few times until ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ flows. It¡¦s actually GOOD to flush the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ ¡V it lubricates the duck valves, vacuum pump, macerator and all other internal components. And of course, keeps things from freezing.
3. My head has a ball valve for the water intake. I wouldn¡¦t bother closing it, but I don¡¦t see harm in doing so.
4. Leave some ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ in the bowl
Note: In the winter, you can (in a pinch) use the head. Just pour in the ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨, do your business, and flush. Do NOT turn on the fresh water system. Emergencies only!
Genny
A generator is just an engine that has a mag attached to it¡K.but it¡¦s water cooled (raw-water in most cases). You want to change the oil and flush the cooling system with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨.
Since you¡¦ve disconnected the raw-water Sea Cock , the cooling for the genny is not there... You¡¦re going to replace it (temporarily, of course) with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨. You don¡¦t want to run the genny for more than a few seconds¡Kbut the water pump will suck up ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ and shoot it over the side.
1. Clean out your sea strainer
2. Fill the sea-strainer with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨
3. Attach a temporary hose to the inlet side of the strainer
4. Stick it in a bottle of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨.
5. Start the genny, and have First Mate watch the thru hull
6. When ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ comes out, you¡¦re done. You should fog engine while pink stuff is going in.
7. Don¡¦t forget to change the oil, filter, etc.
8. Done!
Engines, Raw-Water Cooling, Power Steering
Four main tasks here ¡V drain the blocks, manifolds and power-steering cooler/raw-water pump, and ¡§Fog¡¨. Each engine type (Merc, Volvo, ??) will be slightly different, but they all work the same. Check your manuals and adapt as needed.
Fogging is the process where you introduce fogging oil in to the engine by removing your spark/flame arrestors and spraying this oil in to your motor.
1. ¡§Fog¡¨ each motor with your favorite stuff¡KI use ¡§Merc¡¦s Fogging Oil¡¨. While the engine is running, and the pink stuff is flowing in, spray this gunk in, and pinch off your fuel-line so that the engine gets the oil and not fuel. When it dies, you¡¦re done.
2. Change your motor oil, filters and water-seps. My Volvo¡¦s have screw-fittings on the dip-sticks that I hook my Jabsco oil-sucker ($150 from BoatUS/Wests).
3. Drain your blocks and exhaust manifolds My Volvo¡¦s have all the drains connected to one hose. Late-model Mercs have blue plugs. Pull ¡¥em all.
4. Disconnect your raw-water pump inlet hose. Volvo¡¦s are mounted on the crank. Like the water heater, there is a water INLET and a water OUTLET. Volvo¡¦s also have ¡§riser¡¨ bumps that keep the ocean from rushing in.
5. Hook up to a tank of pink stuff and run engines.
6. When pink stuff is flowing steadily out, fog engine and shut off engines.
7. Done!
Consider removing the outdrives for the winter.
Air Conditioning/Heating
Your AC/Heat is a raw-water pump too. Since you¡¦ve already blown your cock, you¡¦re going to follow a similar procedure to pump ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ thru the AC unit until it goes overboard. AC equipment (Sea Cock, Raw-Water Pump, etc) is under the floor at the bottom of the Companion Way ladder.
1. Clean out your sea strainer
2. Fill the sea-strainer with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨
3. Attach a temporary hose to the inlet side of the strainer
4. Stick it in a bottle of ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨.
5. Turn on the AC and have First Mate watch the thru hull.
6. You¡¦ll hear the water pump turn on ¡V it¡¦s right there.
7. When ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ comes out, you¡¦re done.
Miscellaneous
1. While you were working on your AC, did you clean out your shower sump pump? It¡¦s a nasty job, but you gotta do it. Fill it up with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ and trigger the pump until ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ squirts of the side.
2. Pour ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨ in your drains
3. Clean your bilge(s) and dry them completely. I could lick my bilge - can you? ļ
4. Wash-n-wax the whole boat.
5. Remove anything that might collect mold, mildew, or other stinky stuff
6. Did you tag circuit breakers for things like Fresh Water, Head, Macerator and things that you might turn on that are now loaded with ¡§Pink Stuff¡¨?
I would like to add a couple things...
1. You can just pour the pink stuff into your fresh water tank (after it's drained of course) and just pump it through the system that way. It's usually easier than crawling into some obscure spot in the bilge to disconnect another hose.
2. The AC system can also be back flushed because you may find you have a hard time getting the pump to prime. If so, hook a funnel to a hose and shove the hose into the AC overboard. Pour the pink stuff in. Once it comes out the water pickup under the hull, you're good to go.
Hope this helps.
Doug
1. You can just pour the pink stuff into your fresh water tank (after it's drained of course) and just pump it through the system that way. It's usually easier than crawling into some obscure spot in the bilge to disconnect another hose.
2. The AC system can also be back flushed because you may find you have a hard time getting the pump to prime. If so, hook a funnel to a hose and shove the hose into the AC overboard. Pour the pink stuff in. Once it comes out the water pickup under the hull, you're good to go.
Hope this helps.
Doug
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2002
- RO Number
- 10265
- Messages
- 9,958
I would like to add that I would look at other procedures and adapt for your boat.
Every boat can be slightly different.
The fresh water tank idea that Doug suggests is actually how I do my system.
I copied and paste a document that someone else supplied me that I adjusted as I did it.
As for the AC system, I actually have a fitting that fits over my sea strainer.
Thoroflush makes one, I have a homemade one.
It basically allows you to feed the stuff using gravity from the large winterizing bottle.
You can pick up one of these bottle/kit at any boating store or online here.
The trick is to get water out of every possible place and replace with pink stuff.
The ice maker is something I would not let pink stuff get into.
Here I would consider either draining it or removing it for the winter.
There is also some other good boatfix articles that usually get posted around now.
I can email them to you but you don't have a anchor so that may not work.
Write your email here but do it with out the AT sign and dot com cuase the website does not like addresses.
Every boat can be slightly different.
The fresh water tank idea that Doug suggests is actually how I do my system.
I copied and paste a document that someone else supplied me that I adjusted as I did it.
As for the AC system, I actually have a fitting that fits over my sea strainer.
Thoroflush makes one, I have a homemade one.
It basically allows you to feed the stuff using gravity from the large winterizing bottle.
You can pick up one of these bottle/kit at any boating store or online here.
The trick is to get water out of every possible place and replace with pink stuff.
The ice maker is something I would not let pink stuff get into.
Here I would consider either draining it or removing it for the winter.
There is also some other good boatfix articles that usually get posted around now.
I can email them to you but you don't have a anchor so that may not work.
Write your email here but do it with out the AT sign and dot com cuase the website does not like addresses.
Excellent response. I use the other method for my AC as the pump won't suck up the antifreeze. I just push it thru the hull discharge on the side with a portable 12 volt bilge pump in a bucket of pink stuff. When it runs out the bottom of the hull at the raw water pickup, I'm done. No need to run the AC pump to do this.
Nice job Currentsea. One comment on the ice maker. I winterize the ice maker first. I have a shut off valve just before the ice maker, so I shut the water off, disconnect water line just below the selenoid to the ice maker, then let the ice maker cycle through one cycle and kick out the cubes. When I winterize the rest of the system, I crack open the shut off valve till the pink stuff comes out.
And "YES" I can eat off my bilge.
And "YES" I can eat off my bilge.
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2002
- RO Number
- 10265
- Messages
- 9,958
The only issue with doing the AC unit the way your saying is you don't clean it out with any fresh water first.
I like to run through a container of fresh water before running in the pink stuff.
If anyone wants to try to make a fitting, basically take off your cover to your sea strainer. Measure this on starboard. Cut out the shape, drill holes for the bolts, add a fitting in the middile to stick a hose on, make a gasket to match and your done.
Scre this down on your sea strainer, attach your winterizing tank, add pink stuff, turn on system and it will suck the pink stuff right up!
On the ice maker, does the pink stuff make the ice taste bad? You must flush it well in the spring?
I like to run through a container of fresh water before running in the pink stuff.
If anyone wants to try to make a fitting, basically take off your cover to your sea strainer. Measure this on starboard. Cut out the shape, drill holes for the bolts, add a fitting in the middile to stick a hose on, make a gasket to match and your done.
Scre this down on your sea strainer, attach your winterizing tank, add pink stuff, turn on system and it will suck the pink stuff right up!
On the ice maker, does the pink stuff make the ice taste bad? You must flush it well in the spring?
You don't really need to run the antireeze thru the ice maker. If you remove the water intake line (hose size) and then the small plastic water line and blow thru it, it will flush all the water out of the system. Leave the lines off over the winter.
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2002
- RO Number
- 10265
- Messages
- 9,958
My next boat is gonna have a ice maker.
I would like to use a big 5 gallon jug of poland spring for my ice water.
Do Ice makers pump water or they work under the pressure from the fresh water pump?
I don't mind using the city water, but don't want to use the fresh water tank as that water usually gets nasty.
Just good for shower and dishes.
I would like to use a big 5 gallon jug of poland spring for my ice water.
Do Ice makers pump water or they work under the pressure from the fresh water pump?
I don't mind using the city water, but don't want to use the fresh water tank as that water usually gets nasty.
Just good for shower and dishes.
I don't have a compressor either. I have a small 12 volt bilge pump that I attatch a short length of garden hose to with a ring clamp. I put the pump in a bucket with pink antifreeze and pump it thru the city water lines. There is also a hand pump you can buy that will do the same thing.