Carver Owners Forum

Carver Club? CC, Canadian Club, Coincidence? https://www.canadianclub.com

I live in tennessee I use bilge heaters . Works great just make sure it still works and you will still need to check on your boat during the winter often if it gets below freezing in case of power loss or heater malfunction. I might make some better covers out of something besides our tape on t h e engine vents seems that would be hard on the finish year after year .

Again, you need freezing temps, day and night for a couple of days before you need to worry. Your bilge is basically below the water line, sitting in 35-45 degree water. It keeps your bilge warm enough that nothing freezes.
I'm not saying you shouldn't be concerned, but if you have a bilge heater, just big enough to raise the temp in the bilge 10-15 degrees, you are more than covered.

Buster53, that’s just something I’ve never thought about. I’ve always gone through the whole 9 yards winterizing, but it’s always been trailerable stuff that’s stayed out of the water. Makes complete sense!!! What about plumbing? Just pour everything antifreeze in the drains for the traps and heads?

VicB wrote:Buster53, that’s just something I’ve never thought about. I’ve always gone through the whole 9 yards winterizing, but it’s always been trailerable stuff that’s stayed out of the water. Makes complete sense!!! What about plumbing? Just pour everything antifreeze in the drains for the traps and heads?

There's a big difference between a boat spending the winter out of water vs in water. I'm in VA. I have to be way more concerned about winterizing my boat when I haul for the winter. In water, I don't worry quite as much when we have a really cold snap for several days when the temps don't get above 20-25. The water will keep my bilge at least 10-15-20 degrees warmer than air temps.

VicB wrote:Qr Bbpost Wow, this is exactly what I need! Great advice. What about winterizing? There is a permanently mounted engine compartment heater. Previous owner said he just uses it and closes all seacocks, covers the outer vent louvres with foil tape and puts a small heater in the center of the cabin on a low setting. It does get cold in north Alabama, and on rare occasions we might have teens or twenties at night. To get the boat closer to home, I will be moving to a new marina soon where it will probably spend the winter in an uncovered slip while I am waiting on a covered spot. Would love to know about anything specific about it being out uncovered as well. Thanks in advance, Vic.

Just up the Tennessee from me a fellow left his boat with city water on. The boat sank when a water line blew. So the advice above about disconnecting it is really important.

I live just north of you above Chattanooga and winterize every year. I waited last year until December. My cockpit shower was damaged and I had to replace the faucets. I have a Tempstick that measures the temperature in the bilge. My generator is in the back of the boat just in front of the rudder controls. It got down to 25 degrees twice last year at the generator. That temperature occurred even though I had a bilge heater running in the boat between the engines.

Two issues with it being uncovered. Check to make sure all of your drains are clean and operable in the cockpit and anywhere else exposed to rainwater. When it rains, check the portholes and and any other openings for leaks. Look in the bilge at the lowest point in the boat for water to ensure water isn’t getting into the boat.

Takes me about three hours to completely winterize with a friend so it isn’t a big deal to do that to be on the safe side.

I would get the exhaust problem fixed right away. That could be a dangerous situation.

Well, this weekend we'll be headed to the boat. My first priority is to check out the exhaust system on both engines and make sure there are no leaks causing the CO alarms. My neighbor and previous owner thinks its from idling and sitting in a "cloud" of exhaust too long. Second priority is to remove the plexiglass from the front emergency hatch. While trying to figure out how to use the windlass, I was squatting down and sat down backwards accidentally and busted the escape hatch glass. Wife says its gonna be too expensive to own if i break stuff every time we go to the lake!!!

Midnightsun wrote:QR_BBPOST Carver Club? CC, Canadian Club, Coincidence? https://www.canadianclub.com

too funny, was thinking the same thing! cheers!