Winterizing Water System

Riverratt, good idea, opposite of what I do but same result.
 
There are some who do not use pink. They use air and blow out all the water and feel safe over winter. If that's the case, then why not blow out the lines and then add some pink ; then blow out all the pink. There should be no pink left in the fresh water system; hence no pink to deal with in the spring. My guess is that blowing out the lines with air will remove most of the water. If there is a low spot in the water lines, then there is a chance that water could settle there and freeze. I'd rather spend a few more minutes in spring recommisioning the water system after using antifreeze then to spend hours/days finding and replacing a ruptured water line.
 
quote:
Originally posted by bobalong

Would never put pink in anything that was fresh water. If you feel you need to add antifreeze use some cheap vodka instead.

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I also never put pink in my fresh water tank. You never get that smell or taste out of the tank. I drain my tank and what little water is left, even if it freezes, won't be enough to damage the tank.
 
quote:
Originally posted by rawidman

quote:
Originally posted by bobalong

Would never put pink in anything that was fresh water. If you feel you need to add antifreeze use some cheap vodka instead.

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It doesn't matter what color the antifreeze is, what's important is that it's nontoxic and safe for potable water systems.

Using vodka for antifreeze is one of the "stupid boating tricks" perpetuated by web forums.

To answer the OP's question, when I lived in MD (and had a trailered boat) I used air pressure to get the water out of the potable water lines. I drained the water heater and potable water tank and pumped the holding tank. I used a turkey baster toi empty the shower sump.

I flushed non toxic antifreeze through the head and put some in the shower sump and bilge to protect the bilge pump.

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I don't think it is stupid! Alcohol won't freeze and it helps kill any bacteria that might be in the tank. I know how my boat is blocked, the little water the might collect towards the back of the tank will get mix with the alcohol.
 
The bypassing of the water heater is more so to reduce the amount of product required for winterization. Of course, it also helps with reducing the smell associated with the products. The good news if you use vodka, the drinking water will be much more enjoyable come spring time. :) Keep in mind that alchol evaporates much quicker then water. Obviously in a closed line, the rate will be fairly slow but I would not trust it for a long term solution.
 
I use both pink and vodka. The pink is for my boat's water lines. The vodka is for MY water lines.
 
quote:
Originally posted by easttnboater

Move south where you do not have to winterize.

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To put this in the words of one of our Power Squadron members:

Tie a snow shovel to your bow rail. Head south. At some point, someone will ask, "What's that thing tied to your bow rail?"

You are winterized.
 
I live in an area where the temperature in winter hovers around the freezing point, sometimes dipping below for a few days, mosting staying above. My boat stays in the water during the winter. Some people boat all year round here, but not me; I like warm weather when I boat. ;-)

I drain my boat's fresh water tanks and blow out the lines with compressed air regulated to around 15 psi. No pink, no vodka. Three winters now and no real problems. It really depends on where you live and how cold it gets.

My boat still has grey polybutyl fresh water lines. I'm slowly replacing them with white ipex as they fail. Every spring when I recommission the fresh water system one of the lines around a fitting fails. I could blame it on freezing, or on compressed air, but everything points simply to old plastic becoming brittle over time. My boat is 30 years old after all! It's a bit of a pain replacing sections of hose and fittings, but the boat is improved a little each time.

I don't seem to improve at all from the contortions of installing marine plumbing, but at least the boat does!
 
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