Winterizing?

[edithcollins]

Another newbie question..
I live on Lake Lanier, GA.  That is about 50 or so miles north of Atlanta.  The arctic for you folks in FL, the tropics for you folks up north!
Our lake does not typically freeze.  The air temps do get below freezing.
Do I need to do anything to winterize the boat?  We have the fresh water cooling system. Do we need to do anything with the raw water side?  Anything with the holding tank or water tanks?
We will be pulling the boat sometime in teh next months to do a bottom job.  Will that make a difference in what we do to the systems?
Thanks in advance.
Edith

 

[Rusty Pelican]

I would err on the side of caution and winterize, what is the down side?
Run out and buy a case of -50 RV/Boat antifreeze. Walmart, Home Depot sell it. Do not get the automobile antifreeze.
Drain your water tanks then add a gallon to each tank, run it through the fresh water system till it comes out very pink. May need more than 3 gallons. Up here in Boston I run about 6 gallons, it can get as low as -25. Antifreeze is cheaper than fixing a leak. Nothing is easy to fix on a boat it seems.
The engine raw side;  grab a 5gl bucket. Disconnect your raw water inlet hose, and put it in the 5gl bucket.
You may need a hose extension to do this.
Pour a gallon or two of the antifreeze in the bucket, run engine.
Done

[rnebergall]

I agree with Rusty.  Better to be safe than sorry.  I would second the ideas in Rusty's note. 

Additionally, I have always drained my water heater.  In order to be sure you get full strength antifreeze throughout the hot water side of things you can rig a bypass line, cutting out the water heater.  That way, you don't have to run enough antifreeze to fill the water heater in order to get full strength antifreeze in the lines that deliver hot water to the various fixtures.

Finally, I pull the raw water intake for the head and pump antifreeze through the head as well.

Roger

[Derrick]

Morning,
if you run a diesel add sea foam to the fuel and top off. if Atomic Moyer marine has a comprehensive lay up procedure.
Good luck

[edithcollins]

Thanks!
No hot water heater so we are safe there.  We will want to use the boat during the winter, so she will not be "laid up". I am assuming that you would just do the antifreeze again?