winterisation

[Bob Chamberlain]

This will be my first winter with my boat so please forgive the following somewhat stupid question!  Do you empty the water tank just by turning the taps on and pumping it all into the cut? I filled the tank in the summer and have not used very much at all - maybe as much as five gallons that's all.  I was just thinking that running the pump for a long time might damage it or something.  Thanks!

[BEngo]

Just pump it into the cut.  It is harmless.  If it has been there since the summer it ought to go anyway.   The water pump should be rated for continuous operation, but if you are worried, empty the tank  in short bursts  say 5 min, and allow the pump to cool off between sessions.

 

N

Just pump it into the cut.  It is harmless.  If it has been there since the summer it ought to go anyway.   The water pump should be rated for continuous operation, but if you are worried, empty the tank  in short bursts  say 5 min, and allow the pump to cool off between sessions.

 

N

[Bob Chamberlain]

Smashing!  Thanks for the quick reply!

[Arthur Marshall]

I never empty mine, though I tend to run water out on the way to the tap in Spring. I have always reckoned it's too cold down there for any bugs to grow. I just switch the pump off, drain the gas water heater and leave all the taps open.

The only real prevention I do is take the stove door off - when it gets down to freezing the metal contracts and cracks the glass.

[ditchcrawler]

12 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

 

The only real prevention I do is take the stove door off - when it gets down to freezing the metal contracts and cracks the glass.

Never heard that before. I leave the water tank half empty and isolated, drain as much of the pipework including the calorifier as possible not forgetting pump and strainer.

If you have a thermostatic show they tend to be susceptible to frost damage as they sit high on a wall. just like instantaneous gas heaters  

[Tonka]

The manual for my boat states that to leave the tank 1/2 to 3/4 full of water. 

[Arthur Marshall]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Never heard that before. I leave the water tank half empty and isolated, drain as much of the pipework including the calorifier as possible not forgetting pump and strainer.

If you have a thermostatic show they tend to be susceptible to frost damage as they sit high on a wall. just like instantaneous gas heaters  

The stove glass is a real pain, if you'll pardon the pun. It's an old Puffin, and I've tried a variety of glass fixing gizmos, and every winter I don't get it off in time it's new glass. This year's safe - it's sitting by the saxophone in the music room, looking smug.

The water tanks about half empty - it's the pointy bit of the hull, well below the waterline. It's only frozen up once.

[GUMPY]

I leave the water tank with whatevers in it, turn stop cock off run pump with all taps open until no more water comes out then turn the pump off and leave all taps open.

Only thing is if you have a gas instant water heater these must be drained down completely as if they freeze they are broken.

[Momac]

I always drain the domestic fresh water as this is where the greatest risk of frost damage occurs.

Running the pump should not cause it any ham

The calorified will remain full if not drained .

I use a frost protection heaters on thermostats as I have shore power. 

 

 

[Tonka]

I also find that after turning the water off and draining the calrofier hot part, I also put the shower head in the bottom of the bath otherwise it can freeze and break

[aread2]

I drain the plumbing to the taps and shower as I have had both the shower valve and the basin mixer cracked by freezing in the past.

[cuthound]

6 hours ago, MartynG said:

I always drain the domestic fresh water as this is where the greatest risk of frost damage occurs.

Running the pump should not cause it any ham

The calorified will remain full if not drained .

I use a frost protection heaters on thermostats as I have shore power. 

 

 

 

I leave the water tank 3/4 full or less, drain the pipework by isolating the tank and running the pump and the use oil filled electric radiators on a thermostat set to 5°C at strategic points to prevent freezing 

 

I also block the vents, close the windows and use a dehumidifier. This prevents dampness (which causes doors & drawers to aweill and stick) and mould on curtains etc.

 

No issues over the last 9 years doing this, but obviously it requires shore power.

Edited November 1, 2022 by cuthound
To unmangle the effects of autocorrect.

[StephenA]

We turn off the tank, disconnect the water pump and run it to get the water out, then open the hot and cold taps having put a container under the pipe tail at the water pump to catch any escaping water.. We also isolate the calorifier and drain it. We leave the main water tank at what ever level it's at.

[Momac]

1 hour ago, cuthound said:

 

I also block the vents, close the windows and use a dehumidifier. 

I use  a dehumidifier also . The dehumidifier is  on the boat but I haven't  felt a need to switch it on yet . The bohat felt dry enough at the weekend.

 

 

 

[Arthur Marshall]

Everything gets damp in mine, mould in the fridge and on the worktops. I just give it a good clean out in Spring and a wipe over whenever I get down there over winter. All bedding, clothes and books get taken off. I reckon boats can take a bit of damp.

[Proper Charlie]

We leave the water tank about half full, drain the pipes, leave the taps and the fridge door open, remove the shower head and put a couple of rads on a frost setting (on shoreline). We also remove all bedding, towels etc. The last couple of years, we've also taken down our blinds and taken them home because the last lot went mouldy. Tempting fate here but this has worked for us for the last 11 years.

[Tonka]

7 hours ago, Proper Charlie said:

We leave the water tank about half full, drain the pipes, leave the taps and the fridge door open, remove the shower head and put a couple of rads on a frost setting (on shoreline). We also remove all bedding, towels etc. The last couple of years, we've also taken down our blinds and taken them home because the last lot went mouldy. Tempting fate here but this has worked for us for the last 11 years.

Assume you mean oil radiators otherwise you would have to leave the boiler on as well.

[mrsmelly]

Turn the stop cock off in your house and leave the heating on at about 10 degrees. The house will be safe and not freeze up. Leave a couple of lights on timers at sporadic times. Stay on the boat, its a far better life than living in a house. 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

23 hours ago, cuthound said:

 

I leave the water tank 3/4 full or less, drain the pipework by isolating the tank and running the pump and the use oil filled electric radiators on a thermostat set to 5°C at strategic points to prevent freezing 

 

I also block the vents, close the windows and use a dehumidifier. This prevents dampness (which causes doors & drawers to aweill and stick) and mould on curtains etc.

 

No issues over the last 9 years doing this, but obviously it requires shore power.

Don’t you go out at all over the winter?

I’d have thought with your boat being at the bottom of the garden it’d be hard to resist doing a bit of boating. 

 

 

[cuthound]

46 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Don’t you go out at all over the winter?

I’d have thought with your boat being at the bottom of the garden it’d be hard to resist doing a bit of boating. 

 

 

 

Yes I do go out boating over winter 

 

It takes me no more than 10 minutes to unplug the shoreline, remove the heaters and dehumidifier, unblock the vents and turn the water on before setting off.

 

It takes a similar time to re-winterise at the end of each cruise.

[ditchcrawler]

23 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

Yes I do go out boating over winter 

 

It takes me no more than 10 minutes to unplug the shoreline, remove the heaters and dehumidifier, unblock the vents and turn the water on before setting off.

 

It takes a similar time to re-winterise at the end of each cruise.

Same with us.

[Crewcut]

If you are going to use a dehumidifier it should be a good quality, dessicant type (e.g. Meaco or EcoAir). Compressor dehumidifiers do not work at all well in low temperatures...

[ditchcrawler]

48 minutes ago, Crewcut said:

If you are going to use a dehumidifier it should be a good quality, dessicant type (e.g. Meaco or EcoAir). Compressor dehumidifiers do not work at all well in low temperatures...

Trouble is with the level of ventilation required by the BSS you are trying to dehumidify the whole world

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Does a small portable oil radiator at either end of the boat keep out the damp?

 

 

[Rob-M]

We've not had a damp issue on our boat, I put one small oil radiator each end of the boat.  I don't cover any vents and don't take any bedding, cushions or clothing off the boat.  Over the winter we tend to use the boat probably around 5 days a month during November, December and January.