How to winterize Avenger, Vyper??
 

How do boat owners that have air/ heat units, sinks,fresh water systems, heads with showers, transom showers etc winterize their boats and store them for the cold winter months without fear of freezing?
What products do you use?

Thanks in advance,

mike

It is a matter of removing all the water in these systems and replacing it with pink anti-freeze. Depending on your systems, you will either drain, blow out, suck out, or displace the water (using pink). Once all the water is removed you introduce the pink into the systems by suction, the system's own pumps via strainers, etc., or by force through an external pump. There may be more than one way to tackle each of your systems so you have to find the way that works best for you. Some also like to drain all the pink out instead of leaving it sit all winter.

Thanks Knot.

Sounds like a long and tedious journey is in order!
Getting ready to store the boat and looking for guidance.
Much appreciated.
Mike

What we do is drain the holding tank, then fill with antifreeze, then run the sinks, showers, toilets, till all the water is gone. the ac units, I leave to the marina.

Is there a prefered antifreeze for the fresh water system that won't leave a foul smell after it's been flushed a couple of times in the spring?

I get no smell from the pink in my freshwater system after flushing it out in the spring. The AC unit will be the toughest to tackle. We've done it a couple of different ways on different boats. On one boat we rigged up a new, Jabsco oil change pump with a fitting that would seal up against the water intake in the hull and forced pink up through the intake while running the system. On another we took the lid off the strainer and dumped pink in while on the discharge thru-hull fitting we stuck a wet/dry vac hose up against it and sucked the pink through the system. Sinks and showers are easy enough as you just drain the freshwater tank and then fill with pink and run the systems until they flow a nice, solid pink color. Remember to also drain or suck out any grey or black water holding tanks or shower traps.

Everything they said. Dump in the pink stuff and flush out the water. AC isn't hardware to do either.

Thanks for the help guys.
I have not had a boat with ac before and thought it was a challenge, thanks for the ideas.
Drain, drain, drain and lots of antifreze I guess.

in the spring I generally run a bit of bleach through the freshwater system diluted with water to get the antifreeze smell out. There is also this powder that I pour into the freshwater tank by Captain Phab, and it is supposed to clean freshwater tanks. We have a 200 gallon tank so it usually takes an entire day of filling and draining to get all the pink and smell out.

the pink rv antifreeze is suppost to be biodegradable, so it shouldn't harm if you drink it in the spring...now, having said that make sure you still flush the system with plenty of fresh water..

I back flush the A/C unit with 100 below anti freeze until it runs out the inlet on the bottom of the boat. Then I test the anti freeze to see what the temp reading is. I have been using the purple 100 below for the last two years in everything including engines.

Thanks for all the input, much appreciated!
To those that store their boats in a heated garage, to what extent do you prepare your boats for the long winter months??

When I did store warm( before the price went out of sight ) I always drained the water system and put a light dose of anti freeze through it. Drained the blocks, ran antifreeze through just to lubricate. Backed flushed the A/C just to be safe. always changed oil before storing.

sorry to jump in, but since we are on the winterize topic, why start a new thread. After you guys run anti freeze through the motors, do you drain the blocks? My first year I did, second year I didn't. Both years no damage, yet am I ok to leave just anti freeze in the blocks without draining? Thanks

I have always left the anti freeze in, I have done this with my past boat for 8 winters and this boat for 6 winters with no issues, I figured leaving it in would prevent rusting internaly

Thanks for all the input guys!!

Thanks, and sorry for the Hijack verbi!:drink:

No, no need for appologies!! It is all related and good info!!

It's way too early for winterizing!! I prefer to ignore the fact the calendar is creeping towards the cooler WTX

I hear ya!
I wish I could go south for the winter!!

I never bothered with pumping antifreeze into the AC unit. Too much work. I simply blow all the water out with my automotive tire pump. It has several tips for various uses such as this and one fits perfectly into the through hull fitting next to the unit. Just back blow the water out through the water pick up in the bilge. Make sure you open it first. :)

Done this for the last ten years and two boats with no issues. Should be all you need to do since you store in a heated garage.

Good idea on blowing out the a/c unit!
The garage (airplane hanger) is heated to a point where you can work with a t-shirt on.
Thanks for all the good idea guys!

Also a great way to flush the AC for those who boat in the salt. Just hold the hose up to the through hull next to the unit, open the sea cock in the bilge and let her rip. Way easier than tring to hook up a 'fake a lake'. OMG!

I do the same thing but use a jabsco pump to pump the pink through it versus air. Takes less than a gallon of pink and about 10-15 seconds. That and the generator take the least amount of time to do.

Great idea! I have one of those, but mine always has oil residue in it. Verbie, you want mine? Makes oil changes a breeze. Jabsco 5 gallon kit.

I'm going back to clip ons. :)

That's why I bought two jabsco pump kits, one for oil and one for pink. For the gen I just disconnect the hose from the output of the strainer and pump the pink down it to the gen, turn the gen on for 20-30 seconds and done.

Uh huh...you still deal with all that? :grinser010:

Retired - I have nothing else to worry about these days.:drink:

Thanks for the offer but I don't need one for this unit.
I have the little oil hose that is attached to the oil pan drain plug, I pull the hose through the hull drain plug, straight into a 5 gallon pail, and go have a beer. :drink: