Winterisation
Preparing your boat for any period of standing or floating idle shouldn’t cost the earth, but it’s well worth the effort. Here are some top tips for effective winterisation:
The main things to think about are:
Fuel Additive, Antifreeze, Battery Chargers, Engine & Gearbox Oil, Drive Belts, Oil Filters.
Fill your diesel tank, doing this reduces condensation in the tank over winter. You must ensure that water does not enter the fuel tank as the interference between water and fuel is where the diesel bug will thrive. If you suspect signs of the diesel bug, add a fuel additive to keep it under control. Change the engine oil Changing the engine oil insures any corrosive acids formed as a product of the combustion process does not remain in the engine over winter. You can do this with an electric or manual oil change pump.
Change the oil filter Carbon, swarf and other combustion products build up in the filter and start to restrict the flow, so changing once a year is a minimum requirement but should be done as per the manufacturers recommendations. This is a messy job and if access is tricky you may need a lot of rags or oil clean up pads. Check and top up the fresh water cooling level It is important that you have the right ratio of water to antifreeze.
If you have been topping up with just water all season you should drain the system and top up with the correct mixture. Antifreeze or coolant doesn’t just protect your engine from the cold but more importantly acts as a corrosion inhibitor that protects the internal water ways within the engine. Remove the pump impeller If the impeller remains in one position for too long then it might become de-formed, less effective and even fail. You should always change your impeller annually at least!. It’s also handy to carry an impeller on board as a spare. Relax or remove the drive belts Leaving them in one position for several months may cause them to deform and crack. I strongly recommend that you replace them if there are any signs of wear and tear, The sign to look out for is black belt dust on the engine and engine bearers as this means the belt is slipping.
Batteries Where possible, keep batteries warm and dry over the winter, fully charged or topped up at least every four to six weeks. Batteries left uncharged for long periods may need to be replaced completely. If you’re unable to remove batteries, the best advice is to leave them fully topped up and regularly recharged, as full batteries are less likely to freeze. Disconnect the batteries from the rest of the electrical system and clean and grease the terminals.
Drain down the water system (including drinking water and cistern) and leave taps in the open position. Most water heaters have a screw plug at their base and most can accommodate an old-fashioned cycle pump which makes the emptying of water that much quicker.
Taps should be left open because if any water is left in the system and it freezes, the pressure on the pipes will be less due to air coming out of the taps.
The main things to think about are:
Fuel Additive, Antifreeze, Battery Chargers, Engine & Gearbox Oil, Drive Belts, Oil Filters.
Fill your diesel tank, doing this reduces condensation in the tank over winter. You must ensure that water does not enter the fuel tank as the interference between water and fuel is where the diesel bug will thrive. If you suspect signs of the diesel bug, add a fuel additive to keep it under control. Change the engine oil Changing the engine oil insures any corrosive acids formed as a product of the combustion process does not remain in the engine over winter. You can do this with an electric or manual oil change pump.
Change the oil filter Carbon, swarf and other combustion products build up in the filter and start to restrict the flow, so changing once a year is a minimum requirement but should be done as per the manufacturers recommendations. This is a messy job and if access is tricky you may need a lot of rags or oil clean up pads. Check and top up the fresh water cooling level It is important that you have the right ratio of water to antifreeze.
If you have been topping up with just water all season you should drain the system and top up with the correct mixture. Antifreeze or coolant doesn’t just protect your engine from the cold but more importantly acts as a corrosion inhibitor that protects the internal water ways within the engine. Remove the pump impeller If the impeller remains in one position for too long then it might become de-formed, less effective and even fail. You should always change your impeller annually at least!. It’s also handy to carry an impeller on board as a spare. Relax or remove the drive belts Leaving them in one position for several months may cause them to deform and crack. I strongly recommend that you replace them if there are any signs of wear and tear, The sign to look out for is black belt dust on the engine and engine bearers as this means the belt is slipping.
Batteries Where possible, keep batteries warm and dry over the winter, fully charged or topped up at least every four to six weeks. Batteries left uncharged for long periods may need to be replaced completely. If you’re unable to remove batteries, the best advice is to leave them fully topped up and regularly recharged, as full batteries are less likely to freeze. Disconnect the batteries from the rest of the electrical system and clean and grease the terminals.
Drain down the water system (including drinking water and cistern) and leave taps in the open position. Most water heaters have a screw plug at their base and most can accommodate an old-fashioned cycle pump which makes the emptying of water that much quicker.
Taps should be left open because if any water is left in the system and it freezes, the pressure on the pipes will be less due to air coming out of the taps.
It goes without saying that make sure your boat is secure from thieves and vandals, and make sure you remove your valuables before leaving.
