Wife and I will be running antifreeze into the MD17C this afternoon

[NickScheuer]

Other layup chores such as removing the composting head, gear with batteries(fans, torches, boom box), the new Garmin and the veteran St's Horizon radio, fire extinguishers, inflatable PFD's, etc will follow through the coming week.

[Dieselram94]

Getting ready for winter is always depressing to me. Spring seems as if it will never get here every year.

[DesertAlbin736]

I was reminded once again this morning why "I don't do winters". Fall such as it is arrived with a bang overnight last night when it dropped from a high of 87 yesterday to 49 this morning. We "only" got up to 65 today (I know, stop whining), and expected to drop to 43 tonight. Heretofore over the past couple weeks we've been up to 91 or so with overnight lows in mid 60s. We're still a month away from any chance of a hard freeze below 32. Last year it never did dip below 32, not once. But it's a relief that this summer from hell is finally over. It's the summers that are depressing around here, day after day of relentless 110 to 116, & lows brushing 90, barely a drop of rain since April. The record for this summer was 118 degrees. I spent Sunday afternoon using a chain saw to take down & cut up two rather expensive 20 year old Queen palm trees that died from excessive heat this summer of mega drought & do a dump run soon. Expected to warm back up to 89 by Sunday. Guess that's better than getting pummeled by yet another hurricane on the Gulf Coast.

[dkirsop]

Here is why I don't do winters.

sunk.jpg

Last Saturday a sudden squall sunk 3 boats at the dock - sail boat, 30' aluminum commercial boat and an "unsinkable" fishing boat with new outboard motor. This was on the east side of our island. Two had been removed by the time I took this picture. Here on the west side the Saturday racing crowd were out. Docks and decks were treacherous with ice and a friend lost his rudder and had to be rescued. No weather forecast predicted this event - typical for winter when weather turns on a dime.

I prefer to have my boat on land, tented and accessible for maintenance. I found the day quite pleasant.

[motthediesel]

That is sad to see. We still have a couple little tinnies in here in NNY, but we pulled our last fiberglass boat on Friday. It was a beautiful day for a last boat ride then, 75F and sunny. Yesterday, just 4 days later, we got an inch of snow -- boo!

[Burton]

I am new to these inboards and putting them up for winter. Our outboards were much simpler! I read in one maintenance book that to do the raw water side, disconnect the hose at the strainer and put the hose in a bucket of marine and RV antifreeze. Run the engine till it’s coming out the exhaust. However, I talked to a friend who runs a boat yard. I’m sure everyone knows this trick, just not me. Anyway just in case— I will relate it. He said that they just remove the strainer basket cap and pour in the antifreeze while the engine is running. It works slick and is a lot easier than disconnecting the hose, finding a bucket, etc.

[Dieselram94]

I am new to these inboards and putting them up for winter. Our outboards were much simpler! I read in one maintenance book that to do the raw water side, disconnect the hose at the strainer and put the hose in a bucket of marine and RV antifreeze. Run the engine till it’s coming out the exhaust. However, I talked to a friend who runs a boat yard. I’m sure everyone knows this trick, just not me. Anyway just in case— I will relate it. He said that they just remove the strainer basket cap and pour in the antifreeze while the engine is running. It works slick and is a lot easier than disconnecting the hose, finding a bucket, etc.

That’s how I do mine. I just remove the hose and after running the motor for awhile I stop it, pour out the water and refill with rv antifreeze. I run four to five gallons through. Way more than needed but it’s cheap insurance. I always catch what I can from the exhaust and freeze some to check that it’s strong enough.

Yup, that inch of snow the other day was irritating, caused me to have to go to work early that morning!

[WillieC]

Got the dkirsop winter cover on today, dehumidifier tempering the engine compartment, temp light hung, impeller out, batts charged, cushions moved inside. Oil was changed and raw water side flushed at take out. I will check the batts every few weeks and spin the engine by hand.

Ready for the weekend icy winds. Milkhouse heater standing back and standing by.

IMG_3130.JPG

[dkirsop]

Next time you winterize your boat run a salt scale remover (like Salt Away) through the raw water system before flushing with anti-freeze. This helps to prevent scale buildup in the heat exchanger and other parts that come in contact with salt water.

[DesertAlbin736]

Next time you winterize your boat run a salt scale remover (like Salt Away) through the raw water system before flushing with anti-freeze. This helps to prevent scale buildup in the heat exchanger and other parts that come in contact with salt water.
Hull No. 1013, 1971

I wonder also if using a scale remover chemical formulated for swimming pools would do? Our boat is still out of commission waiting for a back ordered replacement Blue Sea Systems master battery switch after the first one failed. Problems with materials supply chain due to COVID. Boat is on the trailer but unless I jerry rig jumpers I can't run the engine until I get the new switch. Luckily we're no where near freezing. Our lows are in the upper 40s F (8 C), highs near 70 F (21 C). Up until yesterday we've been near 90 every day, still in shorts & t-shirt mode. We were able to use our unheated swimming pool almost to the end of October.

You would think with Hope Bay facing the channel between Mayne & Saturna would be fairly sheltered except for a nor'easter. Not a whole lot of fetch, but if a storm is bad enough could cause havoc. Like what happened to those derelict boats washed up on the beach at Port Browning.

[WillieC]

The Sendure aftermarket HX on the MD17C in the WillieC is easily removed for cleaning. Only one end comes off, but that provides access to the seawater tubes which I just poke some stiff plastic tubing down into and then flush copiously. Since I tear the engine down every season, this ain't no thang. HA!

I have run Salt-Away through the system which may have loosened some of the crud, hard to say definitively. I am more concerned about the build-up in the seawater cooled transmission. I can see that hunk of cast iron occluding completely. It is the first thing in the seawater circuit after the strainer. I am pondering some kind of pump and bucket re-circulation set-up using some mix of depleted uranium, asbestos talcum powder, and coca cola to polish the innards of the transmission. (Any REAL suggestions for attempting this would be appreciated. The trick is removing the METRIC bronze hose barbs which could deteriorate with a proper acid solution. Anyone, anyone, Buehler?)

[Burton]

Next time you winterize your boat run a salt scale remover (like Salt Away) through the raw water system before flushing with anti-freeze. This helps to prevent scale buildup in the heat exchanger and other parts that come in contact with salt water.

Yes! Did it twice this year. We always used it on the outboards, too. I’m still building a cover with a door so I can get in this winter, warm it up and work on it a bit. I was a builder and this is “quick and dirty” sort of work—not very pretty.