I am trying to do some long range planning/dreaming about my next boat. I have always kept my boat in dry storage, so I have had to winterize early and dewinterize late to be safe from freezing weather. This causes me to miss a lot of fine boating days. With the next boat I would love to keep it in a slip with a bilge heater, and not winterize the engines until the weather is really cold. Of course I would winterize the other systems such as toilet, a/c, etc. early like I do now.
I am usually over-cautious, and worry about the freak early or late snow storm that knocks out power and keeps me from getting to the boat. I am thinking that if I get fresh water cooled engines, keep antifreeze in the engine cooling loop, and close the seacocks when I leave the boat then the most I could lose is the raw water pumps, heat exchangers, manifolds and some hoses. The engines themselves would be safe.
Is this a workable plan?
I am usually over-cautious, and worry about the freak early or late snow storm that knocks out power and keeps me from getting to the boat. I am thinking that if I get fresh water cooled engines, keep antifreeze in the engine cooling loop, and close the seacocks when I leave the boat then the most I could lose is the raw water pumps, heat exchangers, manifolds and some hoses. The engines themselves would be safe.
Is this a workable plan?