Seacock open or closed for the winter - opinion

[SassyRed]

We leave our C28 in the water at Everett over the winter. We drain the fresh water and the black water tank, and we put a portable engine heater in the engine compartment along with a couple of small warmers in the cabin.

Soliciting your opinions on the following: Normally we close the seacocks when the boat is at the dock. We figure doing this is probably not real necessary, but why not. For wintering though we have had some tell us to keep the seacocks open in case the raw water in the raw water part of the cooling system freezes (maybe the marina loses power over night on a really cold night). Leaving the seacocks open could give ice room to expand and prevent damage. Conversely if something freezes and say splits a hose or cracks the heat exchanger, having left the seacocks closed could save the boat. And if ice formed in the raw water system, it could freeze the seacock open... So, we can see the arguments in both directions and have generally come down on the side of closing the seacocks. But, we would like your thoughts please. Do you close the seacocks over the winter or leave them open?

I know, sounds like worrying about a pretty low probability event. The water is like 50 degrees year round, etc. But thanks for your input anyway.

Kevin

 

[Gin]

Kevin, I'm no expert. But one of my fellow boaters where we moor our boat is one of the most highly regarded boat surveyors in the area. Three years ago, before my first winter, I asked her the same question. No hesitation -- seacocks closed. She does a lot of survey work for insurance claims. Single biggest cause of boats sinking in winter, she says, is an open seacock. She is also a fan of doing as you do -- closing the seacock even in good weather whenever you leave the boat for any length of time. A good preventative generally, plus using the seacock regularly keeps the valve in good working shape.

FWIW.

- Gini

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

I'm with Gini and would suggest closing the seacock. You could go out and buy a "Golden Rod" to place in the engine compartment to keep the engine room warm, if concerned about cold weather and freezing. Obviously this does not help if the power goes out. You could also winterize the engine to eliminate having water concerns inside of your exhaust elbow, etc.

Jim F

 

[scross]

Our Journey is on it's trailer for the winter. Part of the winterizing process requires the seacock to be closed to get anti-freeze through the various sea water systems - toilet, cockpit washdown and heat exchanger. When done I leave the seacock closed so anti-freeze remaining in the strainer won't run out.
As a matter of habit, we close the seacock any time the engine is off. Opening and closing it is listed twice on our shut down and start up checklists along with the thruster switch.

 

[knotflying]

Leave it closed.

 

[CAPTCRUNCH]

Gadget spends winters in water that sometimes freezes 12 inches thick except where the dock is protected by a deicer. SOP is to close the seacock and run a few gallons of RV antifreeze through the systems it supplies. Same protocol has served my aux sloop for 40 years.

 

[Scuffy]

I always like to leave a message for myself to open seacocks on the steering wheel anytime I leave the seacocks closed. If I leave the boat in the water unattended for more than a day I close them. :mrgreen:

 

[BradOwens]

I also pour a little pink RV/marine water system antifreeze into the bilges to protect the bilge pumps.

 

[R Baker]

Sorry to disagree, but I leave all seacocks open over the winter. The boat is on the hard. If any cool aid drains off, that is just fine. It then can't freeze if the temperature becomes extreme or if the cool aid has been somehow diluted when put thru a system or engine. The only time I've ever had an issue is when the antifreeze (cool aid) froze due to extreme winter temps.
Ciao.

 

[BradOwens]

R Baker's case is different because he keeps his boat out of the water. If kept in the water, I would never leave the boat unattended for more than a day with the seacocks open.

 

[SassyRed]

What a great group! Thanks all,for your thoughts and suggestions. I like the idea of dumping a little pink antifreeze into the bilge. I think we will do that. We also put a little in the black tank.

Stay warm gang.

 

[rt11002003]

When I leave the boat, the seacock is closed. Any leak past an open seacock can result in the boat sinking. As can a leaking seacock. The whole raw water system is a potential leak. Closing the seacock eliminates all potential leaks past it.

 

[R Baker]

Leaks from freezing lines is one thing, but damage to fittings, seacocks, and burst lines is another. I've had a seacock split due to freezing. If you plan to winter your boat in the water, and there is a chance the water surface might freeze then the interior plumbing and seacocks need to be protected. Antifreeze must be added to the lines so it sits on the interior side of the seacocks. This is not a simple procedure as the line needs to be disconnected at both ends then drained and antifreeze poured in at the higher end and then reconnected. The seacock remains closed.

 

[daviduphoff]

If I can find the pictures of a R21 under water up to the search light I will post them. The seacock was left open. The cause of the sinking was not the seacock but a frozen sea water strainer that cracked as the water expanded when it froze. When the weather warmed the river water rushed in. Now, if the seaock was closed the water would not have rushed in.

Closed for sure. Don't forget the RV antifreeze as others have mentioned.

One more thing for 21 owners to remember is that the discharge for the bilge pump is very exposed to cold air and will freeze. A short length of water pipe heat tape on the pump side will stop the water from freezing. I can bear witness to the fact that this water does freeze.