winterising

MarkM · 15 November 2007, 17:15

Have searched many threads on winterising, without an answer.
My question:
Say a RIB stays in fresh water all winter (inland harbour) should the engine be trimmed down are up, regarding frost damage?

Top banana · 15 November 2007, 17:46

Allways store the engine down in winter to allow the water to naturally drain out. and a good idea to add fuel stabiliser to the tank and run the engine for five minutes so the added mixture gets through the system. Allso depends on weather the harbour dries out or not.

Poly · 16 November 2007, 18:02

Quote:

RIB stays in fresh water all winter (inland harbour)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top banana

Allso depends on weather the harbour dries out or not.

tidal fresh water?

MarkM · 16 November 2007, 18:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

tidal fresh water?

There is a tide of 30 cm. It's about 100 km inland.

Chris · 16 November 2007, 18:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top banana

Allways store the engine down in winter to allow the water to naturally drain out.

Erm, I think you may find that the boat is afloat not on dry land

Nos4r2 · 16 November 2007, 21:22

Does the harbour freeze?

Matt · 16 November 2007, 21:40

Knowing how cold NL gets, I wouldn't want my motor sitting in freshwater over the winter - I'd have it in my garage, or failing that, the living room with a blanket round it and the electric fire on.

Top banana · 17 November 2007, 06:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

tidal fresh water?

How about answering his question then

Poly · 17 November 2007, 08:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top banana

How about answering his question then

I thought it was obvious that it wasn't a drying harbour - which was my point.

Having never stored a boat in fresh water over winter I chose not to comment... but would be concerned that your advice will not drain the water completely out of the leg (as per chris' comment) and with it being fresh water it will be liable to freeze at relatively normal temp - which is the point Nos and Matt are getting at.

MarkM · 17 November 2007, 08:30

It takes 5,5 hours for the tide to get in from the coast.

The harbour does freeze, normaly 3 up to 5 cm of ice.

The point is, I do keep my RIB on a trailer with the engine all the way down. As I use her all winter.
This question is for a friend in the same harbour who keeps his boat in the water with a 50 hp Mercury bigfoot. He asked: leg in the water or trimmed up?

And you guys keep your boats in the water most of the time so you would know the answer.

Poly · 17 November 2007, 08:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkM

The harbour does freeze, normaly 3 up to 5 cm of ice.

And you guys keep your boats in the water most of the time so you would know the answer.

Mark - I think the majority of people here don't keep their boats afloat over winter, and most of those that do will be in salt water - so freezing is much less likely (certainly not 5 cm of ice).

MarkM · 17 November 2007, 08:39

Thanks that's a clear answer.

Chris · 21 November 2007, 12:56

I would say keep it down makes more sense as there is less chance of water getting left in the powerhead which is more likely to cause damage if it freezes.

As for the ice forming around the leg if you had a couple of plastic barrels in the water either side of the leg they would probably absorb some of the pressure exerted on the leg by the ice expanding.

Finally and a rather contravertial option is when the engine is idling at the end of a run in the boat trim it up out of the water for a few seconds until the water stops coming out of the teltale then switch off and lower it back down again. I have a freind in Cornwall who swear that doing this in seawater has worked for him for years.

Please note--- I dont do this myself as I never have my boat on the water for more than a few days at a time so am always able to flush it out on the trailer. However if I did want to keep the boat on the water for a whole winter in the conditions you are describing I would have to weigh up the risk of damage to the impellor agains the risk of damage to the power head.

Chris

Nos4r2 · 21 November 2007, 14:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

Finally and a rather contravertial option is when the engine is idling at the end of a run in the boat trim it up out of the water for a few seconds until the water stops coming out of the teltale then switch off and lower it back down again. I have a freind in Cornwall who swear that doing this in seawater has worked for him for years.

Please note--- I dont do this myself as I never have my boat on the water for more than a few days at a time so am always able to flush it out on the trailer. However if I did want to keep the boat on the water for a whole winter in the conditions you are describing I would have to weigh up the risk of damage to the impellor agains the risk of damage to the power head.

Chris

All the water will drain out if you lower the leg anyway...

Is your mate assuming that because it didn't blow up he's doing the right thing?

Chris · 21 November 2007, 16:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

All the water will drain out if you lower the leg anyway...

Is your mate assuming that because it didn't blow up he's doing the right thing?

As I said not something I would advocate and your probably right anyway with regards the water draining out whilst lowered into the water.

Chris