Winterizing
How to winterize the R27-OB
I've winterized Channel Surfing two different ways for sub-freezing temperatures.
The cabin heater, bilge heater and dehumidifier we use can can be ordered at our Amazon Affiliate site.
On the Trailer
(The entire boat will freeze).
Fresh Water System
Empty the entire water tank.
Open all sinks (hot and cold side).
Galley SInk
Head Sink
Transom Sink
Transom Shower
Protect the water pump and water heater from being accidentally turned on.
Place RED electrical tape over the hot water heater AC breaker in the OFF position.
Plase RED electrical tape over the water pump switch in the galley in the OFF position.
Disconnect the hot and cold side of the hot water heater.
Let all the water drain to the bilge.
Take the transom shower (valves open for hot and cold) and hold it up as high as I can to let the water in the hose drain.
Reconnect the hot and cold side of the hot water heater.
The piping is all PEX. It can withstand freezing temperatures.
I do not use RV Antifreeze in my freshwater system.
SAN/Holding Tank
Pump out the SAN tank completely.
Fill it full with water, pump it out again.
I flush 3 gallons of RV antifreeze down the toilet.
RAW Water System
Close the seacock. Leave closed for winterization.
Remove the sea strainer.
Take a 1 gallon ziplock bag and 2 zip ties to secure it where the sea strainer would go.
Fill the 1 gallon bag with RV antifreeze.
While you hold the ziplock bag full of RV antifreeze, have someone flush the toilet until they see pink flush.
You will need to squeeze the ziplock bag to feed the RV antifreeze up into the piping.
Repeat for the raw water wash down.
Bilge Pumps
Using a 1 gallon ziplock bag, place each bilge pump inside the bag, fill with RV antifreeze.
Have someone turn on the bilge pump and pump until pink is seen going overboard.
Repeat for all bilge pumps
Shower Sump
Pour RV antifreeze onto the floor in the head, let drain to the shower sump.
Continue pouring RV anti-freeze until you see pink being pumped overboard.
Bilge
Completely dry the bilge. Use a sponge and a bucket.
Batteries
Shut off the engine battery switch.
Shut off the house battery switch.
Rely on solar power to keep batteries topped off.
Moored on the water
(Covered moorage).
In the Pacific Northwest, the Puget Sound doesn't freeze.
Being moored in salt water, anything that's below the waterline shouldn't freeze.
Fresh Water System
Empty the entire water tank.
Open all sinks (hot and cold side).
Galley SInk
Head Sink
Transom Sink
Transom Shower
Protect the water pump and water heater from being accidentally turned on.
Place RED electrical tape over the hot water heater AC breaker in the OFF position.
Plase RED electrical tape over the water pump switch in the galley in the OFF position.
Disconnect the hot and cold side of the hot water heater.
Let all the water drain to the bilge.
Take the transom shower (valves open for hot and cold) and hold it up as high as I can to let the water in the hose drain.
Reconnect the hot and cold side of the hot water heater.
The piping is all PEX. It can withstand freezing temperatures.
I do not use RV Antifreeze in my freshwater system.
I do this as a safety precaution. We boat year round, but we do not need water during the off-season. Should a storm come in and power was lost to the marina, having the fresh water system winterized gives me peace of mind..
SAN/Holding Tank
Pump out the SAN tank completely.
Fill it full with water, pump it out again.
Leave it empty. The SAN tank is below the water line and shouldn't freeze.
RAW Water System
Close the seacock. Leave closed for winterization.
Clean and empty of water the sea strainer.
Bilge
Completely dry the bilge. Use a sponge and a bucket.
Batteries
Shut off the engine battery switch.
Shut off the house battery switch.
Plug the boat in to keep the battery charger running.
Being in a covered slip makes solar power useless.
Heaters
Cockpit Lazarette
Camframo PALI engine room and bilge heater.
I run a PALI 400 watt heater in the center cockpit. I plug it into the outlet in the transom that's used primarily for the electric BBQ grill. To use this outlet, I have to override the safety switch next to the transom sink. This safety switch, when depressed, kills power to the outlet. Think what would happen if you left the BBQ grill on and shut the transom lid and accidentally. That's what this switch was designed to prevent. During the winter season, we remove the BBQ grill from the boat and store it at home. The PALI heater should keep enough heat in the cockpit/bilge area to prevent the transom shower, transom sink, and raw water wash down lines from freezing.
The PALI 400 has a fixed thermostat meant to keep the temp above freezing.
Cabin
Camframo True North Electric heater.
Set it for 900 watts and and use the anti-freeze setting (heater comes on at 38 degrees).
Prop the door to the head open, as well as the cabinet under the sink needs to be open.
Prop open several of the galley cabinet doors to allow warm in and around the sink.
Keep all the curtains closed to help hold in heat.
Dehumidifier
I run a small electric dehumidifier in the cabin.
Outboard
I keep the outboard kicked up, out of the water most of the time.
When a cold front with sub-freezing temperatures comes through, I drop the outboard into the water, so it's vertical. This lets all the water in the outboard fall out.
As an alternative, if I lived further away and couldn't do this, I'd then have to run anti-freeze through the engine so I could keep the outboard kicked up, full of antifreeze (via the flushing port).
Last updated: 9/18/2023
