Winterising 495
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Forum Name: 495
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Topic: Winterising 495
Posted By: David 495
Subject: Winterising 495
Date Posted: 28 November 2011 at 13:57
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Any tips on Winterising (we get -20'C regularly) ? Frost: Raw water cooling system/ aft shower/ how to empty tanks fully/ using the new 'drinkable' anti-freezes in the hot & cold pipework & pumps .......
Batteries: charge & forget, or leave on trickle charging ?
Condensation: Background heaters/ run a permamnent dehumidifier or leave the interior to freeze down ?
Any experiences/tips welcome !
------------- David 495. |
Replies:
Posted By: kweetje
Date Posted: 29 November 2011 at 22:31
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Hi David, last year i left the interior freeze down without problems, but !!!!! - empty the water tank - empty black water tanks - you should open all water tap points - unscrew the external shower and empty the hose (keep shower piece in a locker) furthermore our ship was out of the water for the winter and they proposed me a winter preparation for the motor which i accepted, but... i don't know what they did for the money. ------------- First 4000 miles, no substantial problems |
Posted By: kweetje
Date Posted: 29 November 2011 at 22:34
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oh and one more thing: fill up your diesel tank to avoid condensation in the tank.
------------- First 4000 miles, no substantial problems |
Posted By: CharlesP
Date Posted: 29 November 2011 at 23:34
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Have a look at a current topic in Chit Chat for some tips on winterising the water system. A warm temperature is good for batteries which should also be charged each month. A dehumidifier is excellent if you can run it at least for a day every few weeks, but check the specification as a minimum temperature is required. Charles ------------- 'MERIDIAN LADY' 320 Nr 536 2010 Medway |
Posted By: kweetje
Date Posted: 30 November 2011 at 20:30
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Hi Charles, could you explain min. temp. ? with regard to dheumidifier or with regard to the ship ? ------------- First 4000 miles, no substantial problems |
Posted By: CharlesP
Date Posted: 30 November 2011 at 21:18
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The specification for the dehumidifier should state the minimum room temperature for it to operate, which is the temperature inside the boat in your case. So for the dehumidifier to work you may have to also put a heater on. One boat chandler in uk last year was selling a dehumidifier which actually required a room temperature of 15 deg C, so clearly this was not suitable for boat use in our English winter. Other more expensive dehumidifiers required a room temperature of 5 deg C. In the specification, room temperature is often referred to as 'operating temperature'. Charles ------------- 'MERIDIAN LADY' 320 Nr 536 2010 Medway |
Posted By: kweetje
Date Posted: 01 December 2011 at 16:16
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Charles, Thxs for explanation ! Mine is 5°C, but the heating stays on minimum. Another aspect is that some of our heaters, when no need for heating, will continue to blow (cold) air since the ventilation blower of the heater will reamain in function. A colleague in our harbour told me this, but i can't believe this info. Have you got any information on this subject ? ------------- First 4000 miles, no substantial problems |
Posted By: CharlesP
Date Posted: 01 December 2011 at 17:06
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I believe your colleague is correct. I had a fan heater which worked in this way 20 years ago. It had a dial which was turned to choose the temperature setting so when room temperature was high, a thermostat inside the heater turned the heating element off, but the fan kept going. However, most thermostat controlled heaters switch off and on completely, so you may have to search around. You will also need to check the wattage to ensure your electric supply is adequate. Charles ------------- 'MERIDIAN LADY' 320 Nr 536 2010 Medway |
Posted By: panos
Date Posted: 01 December 2011 at 18:39
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Hi, IMHO at 5 C the water vapor content per cub.meter of air is so low (1 gr/m3) that a passive chemical air dehumidifier would be very successful and work without electricity. The humidity problem is in hot climates, where the vapor content of air is 25-30 gr/m3 and the dehumidifier will straggle to keep the boat dry. ------------- Panos Hanse 630e - selling her - |
Posted By: CharlesP
Date Posted: 01 December 2011 at 19:48
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It's good to read your science Panos. It confirms my unscientific thoughts. I am using passive chemical crystals for the first time this year so I will be able to report on them next year. Didn't use anything last year and found condensation most visits. Charles ------------- 'MERIDIAN LADY' 320 Nr 536 2010 Medway |
Posted By: superliga
Date Posted: 08 April 2012 at 20:43
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You also need to empty the boiler, it will NOT empty by just running the tap. ------------- PEARL - S/Y SUPERLIGA - HANSE 470 e - Hull #168 - hanse470.com |
Posted By: CharlesP
Date Posted: 08 April 2012 at 21:33
Just an update. My passive chemical crystal worked very well during our winter and I will do the same next winter. Charles ------------- 'MERIDIAN LADY' 320 Nr 536 2010 Medway |
CharlesP wrote:Posted By: samuel
Date Posted: 09 April 2012 at 08:02
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Charles P
Being at Bradwell I am not that far from you & yet I have never had a real condensation problem.
I do, however, leave the hatches open in vent position.
I always bring all the contents home for cleaning & sorting. I do not think that would be so easy in a larger boat.
It is amazing how stuff builds up in a cruising boat
Everything is handy even if you never need it !!! so it is worth getting it all out & sorting Another thing I do to prevent mould is get a plastic tub of paper towels & add some detergent & a little water.I then shake it & leave for a while to soak in.
When I do my end of season clean up I wipe all round the boat especially the corners where mould might grow & effectively leave a film of detergent behind.
I haven't a clue if this actually works, but I always clean out at the end of the season so it is no extra labour
But I can say that I have never had mould in any part of the boat.
I have spoken to some owners who have been plagued by it
------------- Daydream Believer- Hanse 311- No GBR9917T- Bradwell Essex |
Posted By: superliga
Date Posted: 09 April 2012 at 09:34
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I also use chemical crystal and keep the boat on land under a cover (NOA system) all extras is kept home in storage so a minimum of material in the boat to collect moist. It works fine. I have decided to keep the boat in water next winter - i am planning to use chemical crystal for moist and get a fibertex cover to protect the boat ------------- PEARL - S/Y SUPERLIGA - HANSE 470 e - Hull #168 - hanse470.com |
Posted By: CharlesP
Date Posted: 09 April 2012 at 10:20
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Samuel - ventilation is the key, I am sure. I have always been nervous about leaving the hatches in vent position. Does rain stay out, or do you have an external "tent" or cover? We certainly do the thorough cleaning bit and empty out, except for the cushions which we put on edge for air circulation. We also visit regularly and put a fan heater on from time to time. Charles ------------- 'MERIDIAN LADY' 320 Nr 536 2010 Medway |
Posted By: samuel
Date Posted: 09 April 2012 at 11:35
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Charles P
I am not sure that putting a fan heater on & then turning off & leaving a warm boat to cool is a good thing.
I suspect that could attract condensation. As panos correctly pointed out warm air holds more moisture than cold & as it cools it drops it as dew at the coldest spots first. (years since I went to school but I seem to recall that there is a cold point where the process is reversed around about 1 degree C, I think!!!!)
Re ventillation - I some times get a minimal amount of water in if the wind blows from the wrong direction but I just mop up regularly, as living 4 miles from the marina I visit most weekends
I do not cover the boat as years ago I had a wooden boat that I painted fresh from the factory at the end of the season. I covered it for the winter & when I uncovered at the start of the season I found that the cover had worn large patches of paint & the hull had to be repainted. I, therefore, suspect that a cover flapping in the wind will damage the gel coat, or possibly put minute scratches in it. ------------- Daydream Believer- Hanse 311- No GBR9917T- Bradwell Essex |
Posted By: CharlesP
Date Posted: 09 April 2012 at 11:58
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My reason for the fan heater is to increase the temperature to dry surfaces and cushions if necessary and then remove this humidity with the dehumidifier which is then turned off and the cool interior left for the crystals when I then leave the boat. Sounds complicated, but did seem to work a treat this winter. (of course, the fan heater also keeps me warm and probably leads to sweating which increases humidity!!?) Charles ------------- 'MERIDIAN LADY' 320 Nr 536 2010 Medway |
Posted By: Sailingjack
Date Posted: 10 April 2012 at 07:48
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I have a slightly different approach in fighting against mold during winterization. This is a method I've successfully used already for decades ... well since late 1980's. I open all cabinet doors and all lids, so that air can circulate. Then I pour about a kilo of calcium cloride in a regular plastic bucket and put these buckets everywhere in the boat. This winter I have seven buckets inside my 400. Calcium cloride is used for melting ice on roads and sidewalks, it is very hygroscopic. You can buy a 25kg bag of CaCl in a hardware store with a few euros.
This salt bucket is actually just a heavy-duty version of these dehum-balls you can buy in boat shops. This is important: I then close all ventilation on deck, I even tape over deck vents and close toilet sink valves. I put plastic wrap over the companionway hatch. The idea is not trying to dehumidify the atmosphere, just inside the boat. No mold, the boat smells fresh ... or smells plastic boat and buckets to be honest. ------------- Hanse 400#803 s/y Saara |
