Did a dumb thing last fall.

[seasick]

When winterizing my 'other' boat last fall, i poured anti-freeze in the mid bilge pump area since that space tends to accumulate rain water. I haven't figured exactly how the water gets in but that is another story. In addition the location of the boat and trailer on land doesn't really allow a steep enough angle to help drain the mid bilge aft.
The error I made was not disconnecting the fuse for the mid bilge pump. So as water accumulated, the pump would cycle and that flushed the anti-freeze out.Boat is stored on shore power with charger running. Each pump out cycle the concentration got more diluted and eventually the water froze. It froze with the pump float switch activated keeping the pump running continuously. I did realize during a mid winter check that the bilge water froze but couldn't do anything about it till now. So new pump installed and lesson learned.

 

[DennisG01]

I had always heard that it's good to exercise your charger... yours got a work out!

Side question... is there no way to jack up the tongue and put some blocks under the tongue jack wheel/foot?

The water could be getting into the aft bilge and traveling forward due to the downward angle?

 

[seasick]

That is a possibility about the water rushing forward. The spot assigned to me has rise a rise at the rear that makes matters worse. I am afraid to raise the tongue more than it is( and it is all the way cranked up plus cement blocs and lumber) because the boat might actually tip up at the tongue. I am going to see about possibly storing the trailer a few feet farther back past the rise to help lower the rear. One issue for now is that the trailer which I only use for storage is a bit shortl for the boat but it was free and beats blocking the hull.. I haven't decide if I am going to keep this boat so I am trying not to go crazy with expenses except for all the ridiculously expensive maintenance items and fittings here and there. This boat sat for a couple of seasons, shrink wrapped and got basically baked to death

 

[Willy-C]

Might be a good time to look for a set of used stands to use in winter

 

[DennisG01]

Blocking trailer... tipping up... Ah, gotcha. Just to throw out an idea - a wood block placed under the center of the rear cross member will keep it from going too far. And maybe build more of a "cradle" setup for under the tongue so it's more stable. But, I think I'm pickin' up what 'yer puttin' down that it's just one of those strange situations.

 

[seasick]

Might be a good time to look for a set of used stands to use in winter

I have aft stands and a keel stand in addition to the trailer.
I am going to check out the site to see if I can back up past the rise. That would give a foot drop off.
Otherwise, I guess I could block the keel up higher and basically off of the trailer. It's a fall thing..

 

[Fishtales]

I'd disconnect the batteries for layup and cover/wrap the boat to keep water out.