winterizing livewell/ salt water washdown

[bayrat]

On my last boat I used to run nontoxic antifreeze into the pumps for salt water washdown and the livewell and close the seacocks when I stored the boat for the winter. In the Grady manual it says to close the seacocks and run the pumps to get all the water out...nothing about antifreeze. The pumps seem a little tough to get to so if doing what the manual says works (no antifreeze) I'm good with that. I would imagine that I would store the boat with the seacock's open being no anti freeze will be in there. How about the macerator..any special procedure there ? Any experiences you can share are appreciated.

 

[1st grady]

I pour about 1/2 gallon (safe antifreeze)into the fresh water tank and run all the faucets until pink. The rest I pour into the head and then pump it into the holding tank which has been previously emptied. I disconnect the hose running to the wash down and livewell pumps and allow the water to drain as much as possible. I leave seacocks open.

 

[Stonewall]

I don't add anti-freeze to the live well or raw water wash-down. After pulling the boat for the winter, I run both for a few seconds and open open the sea-cock and leave them open. I disconnect the hose on the RW wash-down and leave it off. That's it. Never had a problem.

I don't do anything with the macerator but I do empty the holding tank and rinse it out and dump again. Then I pour about a gallon of pink stuff down the head. That's it for the head too.

 

[bayrat]

Thanks for the tips...john

 

[Lainie J]

What do you guys do with the fresh water system, specifically the hot water heater? I bypass the hot water connection at the heater and reroute to the cold then run antifreeze through the system.