PNW Winterization

[FlyMeAway]

We're about to take delivery of a new-to-us Ranger Tug and I'm interested in winterization experiences in Puget Sound (Elliott Bay Marina, specifically).

We will use the boat from time to time in the winter, and so don't want to go for full winterization. I previously had a sailboat at EBM, and went three winters without winterizing anything. I did run the diesel heat and two electric vornado heaters on shore power to keep the cabin above 55 degrees, but I'm also becoming more and more aware that a sailboat (where everything is below the waterline) is very different from a tug.

What are thoughts on the best balance of caution, monitoring, and pain-in-the-***? What do others in the South Sound do with their boats in the water?

Thanks!

 

[BradOwens]

I keep my Ranger Tug 29 Classic in Anacortes and use it year round.

I keep one cabin heater in the main cabin and a golden rod heater in the engine compartment. I leave all cabinet doors and the head door open to allow good circulation of the warm air.

I pour pink RV/marine potable water system antifreeze into the toilet and flush to protect the associated pumps and valves.

I pour the same antifreeze into the shower sump.

Lastly, I pour some into the bilge to protect the bilge pump.

I have a remote monitoring system to alert me if the power goes out, bilge water level gets high, or temperature falls below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

I keep the raw water through hull valve closed because a burst hose would flood the boat and most likely sink it before I could get there.

 

[j&lgray]

Brad Owens is giving good advice because it is thorough and the strategy is conservative. I have had 9 boats in Puget Sound over 30 years, both in the marina and on a trailer. I have not had damage due to freezing in Puget Sound because the water temperature does not fluctuate much below 48 degrees. Having a boat in the water takes less precautions than boats kept on a trailer because the Salish Sea is frequently warmer than the air temperature. When the boat is In the water, I only put heat in the boat, about 55 degrees and open the hatch to the engine compartment. I keep the water tank over half full.

When the boat is on the trailer, I am more concerned about very cold weather and take more measures that includes some of those that Brad has listed. When we trucked our Ranger 29 to Florida in January to do the Great Loop, we winterized the boat with a lot of RV solution. But when the trucker was stuck in Atlanta for a freak snow and ice storm, the fresh water connection to the water heater froze and split, there was a ball of ice in the water muffler and the shower sump box had ice in it. Another experience: I kept a Ranger 27 boat in Mobile, AL for a winter and did not winterize - mistake. Below freezing for a week fractured the fresh water pump. Lesson: If you are worried about it, take the appropriate measures.

 

[Haifisch]

For the past two years keeping my R31 in the water in the Puget Sound:

-Close valves and drain the taps for the cockpit sink as it is well above the waterline and external to the cabin.
-I have a 110 V Pali engine room heater that kicks on when temps are < 40 degrees. This rarely happens.
-Run a countertop household dehumidifier that drains into galley sink.
-Small Calframo dehumidifier in the V birth. No drain needed.
-Small Calframo cabin heater on the floor under the dinette if it looks like temps will be < 40 degrees. Otherwise I leave it unplugged.
-Open all cabinets & head door.
-Run the engine and let it warm up to at least 120 degrees once a week.
-Take it out for a cruise and full warm up at least every other week. I also make sure to run the Webasto furnace at this time.

So far this has worked well for me.

 

[FlyMeAway]

Thanks everybody for these suggestions; they are extremely helpful.

Does the R-31 come stock with a 110V outlet in the engine compartment or is this something that must be wired separtely?

 

[Bruce Moore]

There should be at least one on the inverter.

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[Haifisch]

My Promariner inverter is not in the engine compartment. It is in the port lazarette. Not sure about other model years, but there is no 110 V outlet anywhere on it. I ran the Pali power cord forward with other wiring and hoses and came up through the hatch just inside the door. I plug it in to the outlet that is in the cave. I do plan to wire it to the AC panel (there are several aux breakers open) at some point.

 

[Whidbey Cruiser]

We had a 110 outlet installed in our Cutwater by the dealer prior to delivery. This is super convenient and we use the Pali heater which I screwed to the plywood floor in the engine compartment. You might ask to see if Ranger can install an outlet for you before you take delivery.

 

[Beardco]

I will take delivery of an R-31 in February. The is no 110v outlet in the cockpit, or Ranger would probably have told me.

I added a 110V GFI outlet at the back of the cockpit, as an extra. Now I can plug in a laptop or run holiday lights. Oh yeah, that heater thing.

 

[SJI Sailor]

We used an almost identical plan as @haifisch last year for C30 at Elliott Bay and it worked almost perfectly. I say almost because I neglected to get all the water out of the transom shower, which is rather unprotected. That froze and cracked the mixing part after the valve (no leaking unless it is in use).

This year I installed shut off & drain valves on the lines to the transom shower to isolate and drain it. We'll see!

As for heat sources, we love the heaters from https://www.boatbilgeheaters.com/. It is overkill for the PNW but I have one in the bilge, one in galley cabinet, and one in the head. I figure that doesn't hurt except in the wallet, and is backup. Also a 19L dehumidifier with a tube to drain to the bilge.

 

[FlyMeAway]

Thanks all. Based on your feedback I had Bellingham Yachts install an outlet and Pali heater in the engine compartment before we take delivery this weekend.

Question: is freezing in the drainage lines for the cabin sink ever an issue in the PNW? I'm used to sinks draining into below-waterline thru-hulls not side drains...

I lived aboard a sailboat at EBM for two years several years ago, but was traveling often (including three months overseas one winter) so the boat was frequently unattended. I had a similar system for keeping the cabin warm (electrical heaters with diesel heat set low as backup, peltier dehumidifier though mine drained into the sink not the bilge). I'm going to try the same with the tug and modify as needed, as I know a lot more is above the waterline.

 

[BradOwens]

Not a problem. All the water from the sink runs quickly out of the lines so they are mostly dry.