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First Winter as a Florida boat owner, Do I need to prep

luckydogluckydog Member Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
in General Boating Questions archive
This is my first Winter as a Florida boat owner, I've been reading all the posts about winterizing for winter up north. I do realize that you can count on one hand the amount of times it gets below freezing during the winter season here in Florida, But I have to ask, Is there something I need to do to prepare for The days it will get below freezing? 
I do plan on using the boat this winter, The boat is Kept high and dry with Merc 5.0 bravo three Raw water cooled (salt water) And flushed with freshwater every time. I know this may be a really stupid question but I had to ask
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  • NavyCTRCNavyCTRC Member Posts: 303 ✭✭✭
    I lived in Pensacola for five years with a similar boat.  Put one (maybe two) 100 watt drop lights in the bilge, keep the bilge sealed as best you can with blankets etc. and call it good.
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  • luckydogluckydog Member Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    MC, I didn't know if we do anything to prep for our florida freezes LOL. But I have had my irrigation water lines freeze in the past just trying to be Cautious.

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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have the same concerns here in the Orlando area....my boat came from Pensacola and we had some real hard freezes up there and I'm sure he did nothing to prevent damage. The fresh water pump was done but not sure if that is related. I have two plugs on my water pump but that will only drain what is in the pump- not sure how you can drain and get everything out of the motor or if it matters if that water freezes...will be researching the same myself!
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  • StodgeStodge Member Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2014
    Up here in the great white North, the process is to run the water tank as dry as possible, then dump a few (2-3) gallons of pink stuff (antifreeze) into the tank and run all the faucets (sinks, showers) as well as the ice maker until they run pink.  A gallon or more goes down the shower drain as well to prep the sump.  They dump some amount into the bilge to get the bilge pump treated.  Of course some goes down the head.  Not sure how they get the A/C unit to suck up some pink stuff but it gets a shot as well.  

    2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX

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  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2014

    X

    Post edited by Michael T on
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  • TikiHut2TikiHut2 Member Posts: 1,431 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2014
    Hey LD, Ruskin is right up the road. We haven't had a really hard freeze for a few years but this season seems to be starting out with a bang so be ready for a few nights when you might be concerned inland (I can imagine the yanks rolling their eyes at our suffering). :D

    Rather than mothball the boat I'll just try to keep the engine room temp above freezing for the few coldest hours of the night with a modest effort. The size of the engine block is a huge heat sink so it shouldn't be too hard to suffer through 48hrs or so of frightfully frigid weather that might hurtle Fl into complete and total pandemonium. :D

    I won't use a space heater, but a well secured flood bulb placed low in the bilge in an appropriately sized socket with a suitable cord carefully avoiding contact with anything should be enough for a temporary fix. Maybe even put it on an appliance rated timer to come on about midnight and off a dawn when the crisis stage has passed. (I can only imagine the suffering our lifestyle will experience with temps in the 20's for an hr or two)

    BoatUS frowns on this for obvious reasons so you'll want to get that cord out of the boat if it all comes unglued...... Just sayin'. If the power goes out don't check the bilge temp with a candle either. :P

    Anonymously yours....




    2004 FV270, 300hp 5.7 350mag MPI Merc 305hrs, 2:20 Bravo3 OD w.22p props, 12v Lenco tabs, Kohler 5kw genset, A/C, etc.etc...
    Regular weekender, Trailer stored indoors, M/V TikiHut, Sarasota, Fl
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  • luckydogluckydog Member Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    Yeah I'm not sure I want to go as far as the Northerners On winterizing my boat, Last year we only had I think three To four days that were in the low 30s And I would still like to use my boat this Winter, its only 1 hour to the marina, I like the adea of the heater on a timer, may be 1 in engine compartment and 1 in the cabin. I'd have to make sure to buy safe ones, I know thy sell ones  for the engine compartment will look for the cabin, this should be enuf.

    TikiHut, Rasbury, You don't think the yanks feel our suffering LOL
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  • JC290JC290 Member Posts: 706 ✭✭✭
    Such suffering lol to keep mine from freezing I would hve to set the marina on fire lol
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  • luckydogluckydog Member Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    JC290, It's good to see that someone notices our winter pain and horror that we go through here in florida. LOL 
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  • StodgeStodge Member Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭✭
    Not that we have ANYWHERE as much snow as Buffalo, but I had to use my snowblower already this season.  So no sympathy for you guys down South.  

    BTW I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale and chose to move away.  Nice place to visit but I didn't like living there.

    2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX

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  • Jw_TampaJw_Tampa Member Posts: 16 ✭✭
    To winterize mine (kept high and dry in Tarpon Springs) I am driving it more on the weekends. To, uh, keep the fluids rotated!

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  • TikiHut2TikiHut2 Member Posts: 1,431 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Jw, don't forget to shake the sunscreen bottle and ice up the cooler to keep those beverages chilly in this horrible weather. 80* predicted on Saturday is just too much to bear. I'll be mowing the frikken grass. :D

    Stodge, I certainly don't blame you for leaving Ft lauderdale. People relocate outta there all the time, often to SW Fl.
    2004 FV270, 300hp 5.7 350mag MPI Merc 305hrs, 2:20 Bravo3 OD w.22p props, 12v Lenco tabs, Kohler 5kw genset, A/C, etc.etc...
    Regular weekender, Trailer stored indoors, M/V TikiHut, Sarasota, Fl
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  • JC290JC290 Member Posts: 706 ✭✭✭
    If you guys need ice let me know got plenty up here lol
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  • StodgeStodge Member Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭✭
    Tiki, before I came to GM I was working up here for Raymond James and had to go to St. Pete now and again.  I do like that side of the state MUCH better than the East side.

    2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX

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  • luckydogluckydog Member Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    Okay okay okay so what you're saying is I need to break out the sunscreen and And use the boat on weekends to Keep the fluids rotated Also keep the boat high and dry, 
    Gosh I just hate this time year when only being able to use it on weekends (By choice) and having to buy ice, I do feel the pain Of winterizing. LOL
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  • luckydogluckydog Member Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    Honestly I do feel sorry for you guys (Northerners) as much as you guys love boating, having to put it away for months. 
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  • luckydogluckydog Member Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    JC290, We do appreciate the offer for the ice but I'm sure we all have it Budgeted as part Of our winterizing Cost
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  • JC290JC290 Member Posts: 706 ✭✭✭
    We have free snowmen too all though some assembly is required 
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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Lucky- if your boat is in the water at the marina, even if it goes below freezing since it is sitting in water that is probably 65 degrees at the worst of winter, I wonder what the temperature of the engine compartment would even get down to?
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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
    opps, never mind, see that it is stored dry....
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  • luckydogluckydog Member Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    Rasbury, Sorry I should have mentioned that, But you did bring up a good point and question 
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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
    where mine is stored, there is no way to get power to it to put a light in there to keep things warm...I guess if we have any hard freezes I will bring the boat home and put some heat down there...I assume the bravo will drain so would just be the engine compartment to worry about....and then the next day put the sun block on and back to margaritas! 
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  • luckydogluckydog Member Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    Ras, You have to love Florida
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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
    lucky- yes I do! If I had lived up north I'd invest my fun money in snowmobiles and an RV. But, on the otherhand, have to hand it to the guys up north for the short boating season and money spent to winterize, well, those are the "real" boat lovers!
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  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I looked on your profile, looks like a pretty sweet set up you have with the boat out back in a canal... sweet for sure!
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  • luckydogluckydog Member Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    Ras, No boat is high and dry at a marina, I took that picture the day I bought it. 
    As Far as the northerners I agree
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