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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Proper winterizing

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gosenbach
1st Mate

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USA
30 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/15/2015 : 15:06:49

Hi everyone.
Specifically for a c250, what specific things do I need to do to winterize for Northwest winter conditions?

Aside from the outboard, which I am sure has its own instructions, what do I need to do? There is not a lot of onboard systems here so am I only needing to:

Drain the fresh water tank
Empty water resivour in the porta potty
Make sure my boom tent is on to protech the cockpit and companionway
Check on it every other week

She is staying in the water in her slip.

Thanks! This is my first winter with a boat of my own :)

Gregory
(Catalina 250 MkII WK #971)

zebra50
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 11/21/2015 : 10:12:24

is it a water ballast version? If it is you would need to either drain (blow out) the water ballast, or put enough antifreeze in the tank to keep it from freezing

Jay
Papa's Boat II
250WB #370
Blog:http://zebra50-boilingpoint.blogspot.com

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9017 Posts

Response Posted - 11/21/2015 : 15:34:57

I'm guessing the temperature of water in the ballast tank will probably be about the same as that around the bottom of the hull... But this is an example of the usefulness of a "signature" in your Profile, describing the model you have so responses can be more specific and useful.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2270 Posts

Response Posted - 11/21/2015 : 15:49:51

I always put a couple gallons of marine antifreeze (propylene glycol based) in the freshwater tank, then use it to chase the clear water out of all the lines. Without that you could have water in a low spot that causes some problems.

I also put some in my holding tank and toilet, but most don't have a marine head.

Not sure if this is necessary in PNW. Do you ever get hard freezes there?

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9017 Posts

Response Posted - 11/22/2015 : 11:31:41

There you go... a wing keel model.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9017 Posts

Response Posted - 11/23/2015 : 10:37:22

As Rick says, you should make sure you don't have water in the lines from the tank. Ice inside a manual pump faucet will likely break the faucet. I empty my tank, put in a gallon of pink antifreeze, pump it through each line until empty, and repeat. In the spring, I put a few gallons of water in, pump it empty, repeat until the water is clear of pink stuff, and then fill the tank.

Likewise, ice in a bilge pump can rupture the diaphram or break the pump. At a minimum, pump it until you're pretty sure there's nothing in the pump itself--better yet, draw some antifreeze through it.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

gosenbach
1st Mate

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USA
30 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2015 : 15:10:36

The water generally get below 45F and yes, it is a Wing Keel :) Air temp is usually in the 30's in the winter. What qualifies as a "Hard Freeze"?

I pumped out as much as I could out of the tank today. I did not see a way to drain it completely though. is there a way/method to do that? since it does not drain (or appear to) how can you flush all the antifreeze out in the spring?

Thanks for the replies!

Gregory
(Catalina 250 MkII WK #971)

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9017 Posts

Response Posted - 11/24/2015 : 15:46:12

quote:
Originally posted by gosenbach

What qualifies as a "Hard Freeze"?

It doesn't take much to freeze the water in a small tube or metal faucet. The expansion damage is done as the water goes from liquid to solid--after that the ice contracts.

quote:
Since it does not drain (or appear to) how can you flush all the antifreeze out in the spring?

I don't know the access to a C-250 water tank, but the pink antifreeze is non-toxic, so if you dilute it and pump out as much as you can several times, until you don't see pink, you're OK. But I never use the water tank for drinking--just clean-up, wash-down, and flushing the head, so I don't worry about some traces.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

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