Attempting to Continue Fishing into the cold Months

[Hockey8812]

I bought a new to me 2005 Grady White Journey 258 earlier this year. I have never had a boat with a head or fresh water system. It is on a boat lift and I want to be able to continue using it until early December. My question is how do I accomplish this. The fresh water system seems pretty easy. Put some antifreeze in the tank and run it through the spray hose and the sink.

What is the easiest way to do the raw water system and the head. It has a fixed head with the hand pump. I saw people talking about a plunger in a bottle of antifreeze, but that's not going to be easy on the lift. Is there an easy location I can get to the hoses for the raw water wash down and the head? Thanks for any help

 

[RussGW270]

oh lord.. do NOT add antifreeze into the freshwater system.... that also can be drinking water.. and .. yea.. just don't.

 

[Hockey8812]

oh lord.. do NOT add antifreeze into the freshwater system.... that also can be drinking water.. and .. yea.. just don't.

How would you winterize your fresh water system then? I will never use it as drinking water, but that's beside the point.

 

[RussGW270]

lol.. move to Texas!

Just kidding. I assume just drain it. I mean, while you may never use it... can you imagine the next person, if you ever sell it, doing that? Granted, they would never freeze to death.. lol

I think draining it would suffice, and make sure the water is out of the lines by letting it run till the faucets no longer have water in them, albeit you do not want the pump running dry...just run it down and when it sputters, you should be fine.

R

 

[Ky Grady]

Are you using your freshwater system, or are you trying to leave it full till December?

If not using, drain it the best you can, remove hoses off the pump, open outlets and blow out the lines with compressed air, turn pump on for a minute to drain any residual water, leave hoses disconnected till spring. If still using it you're still going to have to drain some water and add antifreeze to keep from freezing. If you get a hard freeze between now and then, it will still possibly freeze anyway into a slush.

 

[RussGW270]

Are you using your freshwater system, or are you trying to leave it full till December?

If not using, drain it the best you can, remove hoses off the pump, open outlets and blow out the lines with compressed air, turn pump on for a minute to drain any residual water, leave hoses disconnected till spring. If still using it you're still going to have to drain some water and add antifreeze to keep from freezing. If you get a hard freeze between now and then, it will still possibly freeze anyway into a slush.

Remind me never to drink water on your boats lol (I am teasing)

I think, a little extra time and draining it, blowing out the hoses like you said, would be preferred

R

 

[Ky Grady]

I'm good. I don't use antifreeze. Drain and blow out lines. If I drink water on my boat, it's bottled anyway. I use my freshwater to rinse rods and reels and people after swimming in the saltwater.

 

[Hockey8812]

I'm good. I don't use antifreeze. Drain and blow out lines. If I drink water on my boat, it's bottled anyway. I use my freshwater to rinse rods and reels and people after swimming in the saltwater.

This is the type of stuff I'm using the water for too. Its more just to spray stuff off when fishing, or wash hands or something. The tank will be stored empty. I usually just fill it up the day were going out, then drain when I get home.

Any suggestions for the raw water washdown and head? We try to avoid using the head unless really needed.

 

[Ky Grady]

Washdown,,, after I pull the boat, I'll turn pump on and clear lines, leave seacock open, unhook lines, unscrew filter screen and leave till spring. Head, I can't help ya. Don't have one so don't know best way to winterize. Some others should come along and answer that question.

 

[seasick]

First of all, you shouldn't drink from the fresh water system.
You use RV anti-freeze. It is not toxic like auto antifreeze. Drain the system by running the fixtures till most of the water is drained out. Then add the antifreeze. The amount depends on the complexity of the system. A gallon is good for smaller apps, more for bigger ones. Run the pump and each outlet until you see the pink fluid. Shut the system off and leave the faucets open. If you have a water heater, that will require an additional treatment process. In the spring, fill, flush, fill, flush as needed to clear the water tank and plumbing.
For the head, if the boat is in the water, close the raw water seacock. Run the toilet to drain the standing water. Either pump out the holding tank off shore (3 miles) or have the tank pumped out. Pour antifreeze into the bowl and flush. Repeat till you have added a gallon or two of antilfreeze. Leave liquid (antifreeze) in the bowl.
Note that with the raw water seacock closed, there will still be water in the plumbing from that seacock to the pump. That can be drained when the boat is on land or if still in the water during a freeze, I would remove the inlet hose to the pump and pour some antifreeze into the hose to try to displace the standing water. Pen any raw water hose fittings and run the pump a bit to flush out the water. On my boats, if I can unscrew the pump inlet and outlet, I do so. If they are clamped fittings, I try to get antifreeze into the hoses and pump. That can be a challenge in some cases.

For my small boat I get a gallon of antifreeze. For my larger vessel, I figure on 4 gallons which includes some to treat the midge bilge, sink trap, fresh water holding tank, raw water tank and plumbing, fish box drains (what a pain) and a little in the livewell drain. I also add some to the mid bilge pump area.

On land, I open all seacocks.

 

[Fishtales]

anti freeze is fine. never drink from the FW system.....

 

[Hockey8812]

Thanks for all of the responses

 

[RussGW270]

Lol.. I used to make water in the Navy, so I am picky about water so I never would drink from it, I take bottled water, but I would assume you could rinse off something you may find your hands on or something so putting anti-freeze in water that is supposed to be potable seems like something "I" would not want to do, but to each their own.
Call me crazy, heh.. many do, but in the Navy, we had "potable water" and non-potable and, well. I will make sure to keep mine potable

BUT.. again, to each their own

R

 

[wahoo33417]

Hockey: By the way, congrats on the 258 and welcome to the Forum. Great boat. Had mine for 14 years. Many great family memories on that boat. Good luck with her.

Rob

 

[Legend]

If you have a hot water tank you also have to drain that. some people develop a by pass to flush the anti freeze through the hot water pipes or once you drain the tank you can add 6 gallons of pink anti freeze to the fresh water tank and run the hot water lines until they flow pink.