Hi all. I need your opinions on a little problem. I was planning on winterizing my speedster next weekend but it appears mother nature is being a little premature with the cold weather and they are calling for overnight lows of -5C ( 22F). I was away all this past weekend and had very little time when I got home last night and didn't have any of the supplies needed to winterize. I charged to cooling systems of both engines with low pressure compressed air and managed to get a substantial amount of water out of both. Do you think this will be sufficient to get me to the weekend? The boat is stored in the garage (unheated).
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Freezing!
- Thread starter gener8s
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BorderPatrol
New Member
If it's in the garage, you'll probably still be safe from a hard freeze but get it done asap!
seadoomichael
New Member
What's the rule of thumb if you store in an unheated garage? I was debating whether to winterize at all. We *occasionally* get overnight lows in the 20's during the winter but it's rare. Plus I plan to use my boat over the winter. What's a guy to do? (sorry for the thread hijack but I thought you'd think it's relavent)
Michael
Michael
bigJake
Well-Known Member
well there is the old trick of keeping a light bulb burning next to the engine to generate heat. if your garage is attached to your house, I've never seen anything freeze in my attached garage, but if you get sub zero temps I'd hang a thermometer in the garage and monitor it.
Yes, you should winterize if there is a chance of the seadoo being in a colder than 32* for longer then 3 hours at a time. If you leave a light bulb in the seadoo engine area, it will work to keep it warmer then freezing. Be sure no fumes exists and you should be ok. Remember safety first.
Yes, you can use RV anti-freeze and I recommend it. Just be sure it is for aluminum engines. It is safer for the environment come spring time to, so it won't pollute.
The light bulb trick is a good thing and I know other members that do it. You should use a "shop, rough duty bulb". Keep it away from the fuel tank vent and keep an eye on it. You need to be safe so it won't cause a fire. Keep the bilge clean and free of oil or fuel that could cause a safety problem.
Karl
bigJake
Well-Known Member
Are there 2 different types of RV antifreeze or just different labeling?
What I see is
1) RV antifreeze at Walmart used for RV waterlines. Label says nothing about engine use or having anti corrosives.
2) RV/MARINE antifreeze that I can only find at boat shops that states it can be used in aluminum engines and contains anti corrosives.
Roundtracker
New Member
The ol' pump house method! The only problem with the light bulb is if you lose power. I'm just paranoid.
tarheelracer
New Member
I'm located in La Conner, WA and I keep mine in a heated garage. I wouldn't leave it open to the elements all winter but I understand you wanting to get some use out of it during the winter. I would just be afraid of a hard freeze.
Roundtracker
New Member
Being from North Carolina, the Tarheel state, how did you get your tag Tarheelracer?
tarheelracer
New Member
I am from NC. But I've had to move around a lot because I'm in the the USMC.
tresvatos1
Active Member
I Agree
Yeah I agree.. I winterized AND use a shoplight in engine comp., and box fan on a timer. These turn on in the evening and go off around 10:00 a.m in the morning.. I live in the south, but can't hurt. The fan is for air circulation under the poppy cover.
My 16ft. speedster is under a carport with a loose fitting universal cover over a poppy cover, so it is well protected I hope..
Oh, and since my speedster is poppy (tight) covered , I also put a collinder with Rock Salt over a bucket in the middle of the speedster, and about every other weekend it has the bottom of the bucket about a half inch full of water. The hardware, and boat stores sell a product to absorb moisture, but they are too small too be effective in a 16ft. boat., and don't last. The ultimate would be to have an electric dehumidifier with a drain hose piped out of the drain hole, but that might be going overboard.. The bucket works good as long as you can monitor it about every other week, or so.
Yeah I agree.. I winterized AND use a shoplight in engine comp., and box fan on a timer. These turn on in the evening and go off around 10:00 a.m in the morning.. I live in the south, but can't hurt. The fan is for air circulation under the poppy cover.
My 16ft. speedster is under a carport with a loose fitting universal cover over a poppy cover, so it is well protected I hope..
Oh, and since my speedster is poppy (tight) covered , I also put a collinder with Rock Salt over a bucket in the middle of the speedster, and about every other weekend it has the bottom of the bucket about a half inch full of water. The hardware, and boat stores sell a product to absorb moisture, but they are too small too be effective in a 16ft. boat., and don't last. The ultimate would be to have an electric dehumidifier with a drain hose piped out of the drain hole, but that might be going overboard.. The bucket works good as long as you can monitor it about every other week, or so.
Roundtracker
New Member
Ahhhh, I'm from Fayetteville (Ft. Bragg) and have raced all across the state so your tag caught my eye.
tresvatos1
Active Member
You ever been to Camp Mackall ? That's a fun place at Bragg.
Last edited by a moderator:
Roundtracker
New Member
Absolutely, rode the Harley through that beautiful area plenty of times as well.
tresvatos1
Active Member
Not trying to get off seadoo winterization, but are we taliking about the same
place? The Camp McCall i'm refering to is where SF has SERE ( prisoner of war) training..
place? The Camp McCall i'm refering to is where SF has SERE ( prisoner of war) training..
Roundtracker
New Member
You are correct, Camp McCall, the other side of Hoke County from me. Not many folks are familiar with it.
tresvatos1
Active Member
gotcha. we will keep it that way. thanks man
Humidity.....
Most of that water, humidity, comes from the water in your bilge. When I'm shutting down, I tilt the boat upwards so all the water drains to the back. Then, I use a shop vac to remove the water.
I also use a small ceramic heater in my engine bay. It has a two speed blower on it. I have taken special precautions to make sure I do not accumulate fuel vapor inside the compartment. It also has a thermostatic control on it.
I know everyone has seen the water droplets form over your exhaust or metal parts of the motor. I have eleminated this problem with my little ceramic heater.
I don't need a fan or do I use any salts. My wife buys something like your talking about, to keep the closets dry. It's a bag on a hanger with some type chemical in it. When it dissolves, it traps water. If the salt in a bucket works, that's probably cheaper though.
But, make sure you look for and remove any water you can find holding up in your boat. This will cut down on humidity.
Most of that water, humidity, comes from the water in your bilge. When I'm shutting down, I tilt the boat upwards so all the water drains to the back. Then, I use a shop vac to remove the water.
I also use a small ceramic heater in my engine bay. It has a two speed blower on it. I have taken special precautions to make sure I do not accumulate fuel vapor inside the compartment. It also has a thermostatic control on it.
I know everyone has seen the water droplets form over your exhaust or metal parts of the motor. I have eleminated this problem with my little ceramic heater.
I don't need a fan or do I use any salts. My wife buys something like your talking about, to keep the closets dry. It's a bag on a hanger with some type chemical in it. When it dissolves, it traps water. If the salt in a bucket works, that's probably cheaper though.
But, make sure you look for and remove any water you can find holding up in your boat. This will cut down on humidity.
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