De-icer

[tgebler]

I left the boat in the Allegheny River this winter. Several neighbors at the dock have de-cers and I am thinking about getting one before the freeze. Any suggestions and should it be left in the water the entire winter? I have received conflicting response to that particular question.

Also, I have been looking for a used de-icer with no luck. Any thoughts in that regard?

Thanks.

[Phrancus]

A noob question: what is a de-icer? (yeah, I know from the words what it does, just curious what devices you use on your side of the big pond to keep a boat frost-free)

Over here (Europe) there is a shift going on from lifting and storing ashore towards leaving in the water over winter. However, our energy prices are much higher over here then on your side so it takes something clever to get the job done as economical as can be...

[km1125]

Most of them are just submersible electric motors with propellers on them. You drop them into the water below the boat and turn them on. They pull deeper (warmer) water from the bottom and push it towards the boat, which prevents water from freezing around the boat.

Some also use bubblers for the same purpose. Just air hoses run around the boat laying on the bottom that bubble air up to the surface continuously, bringing that warmer water with it too.

[uchu]

QR_BBPOST A noob question: what is a de-icer? (yeah, I know from the words what it does, just curious what devices you use on your side of the big pond to keep a boat frost-free)

Over here (Europe) there is a shift going on from lifting and storing ashore towards leaving in the water over winter. However, our energy prices are much higher over here then on your side so it takes something clever to get the job done as economical as can be...

It's basically a motorised propelling device that allows fast water recirculation, thus preventing ice formation at low temperatures.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b7RGD8GVjg

[waybomb]

And then there is an ice storm that takes out electric for a week. Oops.
Will insurance cover it, have you declared it will be stored in water?

[tomschauer]

Where we are there are several people that keep their boats in the water all winter. They all stay under covered sheds. The marinas provide deicers or "bubblers"
I never have left mine in the water. I could never see the benefit. It costs about the same to leave in as it does to haul out and relaunch in this area.
You still have to winterize everything, so you cant actually use the boat. and then you have to worry about water freezing into your inlet through hulls.
I would be worried about it all winter.

[Phrancus]

Aha, thank you for that information! I did have a different thought, all we worry about here is the water IN the boat that causes damage when freezing/thawing (engine, drinking water, toilet).