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Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

I want to know the right way to winterize the bilge area in a
fiberglass boat that is on a trailer, and is covered with a boat cover.

The owner manual suggests me to add anti-freeze into the bilge area for
winterizing. But I am wondering if water in that area may eventually
soak through the resin and get into the fiberglass and cause whatever
damage in the hull. Because of this worry, I have already dried the
bilge area with a rag (only takes 5 minutes). Now, I am worrying the
opposite thing: The bilge pump may be designed to be placed under water
all the time. If I dry the bilge area, the bilge pump will become dry,
and I am wondering if drying it may actually hurt it. On the other
hand, isn't the bilge pump comes from the manufacturer in a dry
container?

Any idea?

Thanks.

Jay Chan

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...

E. Take the battery out of your boat and don't worry about the bilge pump.
Charge the battery, store it in your basement, and check its charge once a
month.

And, if someone tells you it's bad to store the battery on a cement floor,
kick that person in the balls immediately. When he recovers and is breathing
again, kick him again. Keep doing this until he leaves. People who spread
this silly rumor need to be dealt with harshly until they're afraid to
discuss batteries ever again.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

Jay,
Dry the area, make sure the bilge does not hold rainwater and forget about
it.

The bilge pump can remain dry without any problem. The pump itself is made
out of hard plastic, that is not impacted by being dry or wet.

I definitely would not put any pink stuff in my bilge.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I want to know the right way to winterize the bilge area in a
fiberglass boat that is on a trailer, and is covered with a boat cover.

The owner manual suggests me to add anti-freeze into the bilge area for
winterizing. But I am wondering if water in that area may eventually
soak through the resin and get into the fiberglass and cause whatever
damage in the hull. Because of this worry, I have already dried the
bilge area with a rag (only takes 5 minutes). Now, I am worrying the
opposite thing: The bilge pump may be designed to be placed under water
all the time. If I dry the bilge area, the bilge pump will become dry,
and I am wondering if drying it may actually hurt it. On the other
hand, isn't the bilge pump comes from the manufacturer in a dry
container?

Any idea?

Thanks.

Jay Chan

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

Doug,

I wanted to discuss batteries with you. I am wearing my cup so kick away.
:)

The problem with cement and batteries was a real problem prior to 1967,
according to this expert, but it is not a problem today.

PROTECT YOUR BOAT BATTERIES THIS WINTER

DieHard’s Winterizing Program for Marine Batteries

By Captain DieHard

When the cold winds blow, do you think about your boat batteries? You’d
better, say the experts at DieHard marine batteries, or your cranking and
deep cycle batteries may die premature deaths. When the calendar and cold
fronts tell you the worst is yet to come, the operable word is “winterize.”
Here is Capt. DieHard’s step-by-step battery winterizing program for marine
cranking and deep cycle batteries. Wear old clothes because you’ll be
working close to battery acid, which can burn a hole in clothing. Protect
your eyes. For safety’s sake, mix a solution of baking soda and water
(50-50) and keep it nearby so you can use it to neutralize any acid spills.

1.. Disconnect your marine batteries and remove them from the boat and
from the elements.

2.. Inspect the cables and connectors. Repair or replace them now, if
necessary, not in the spring when the fish are biting and repair shops are
busy.

3.. Clean and brush the cable connectors with a wire brush, removing the
crusty, corrosion build-up. Coat the connectors with white grease to help
maintain good contact between the connectors and batteries.

4.. Wire brush the battery posts to remove the white, crusty material.
Coat the terminals with white grease or Vaseline to help ward off the
effects of corrosion.

5.. With a disposable rag, wipe the crud, dirt and grit from the battery
cases. Dispose of this rag.

6.. Dip another rag into a neutralizing solution of baking soda and water,
half-and-half. Wring out the excess fluid and wipe down the battery cases.

7.. Check the battery acid levels. Add distilled water or de-ionized
water, as required, to bring electrolyte levels to within one-eighth of an
inch of the bottom of the vent well, or one-fourth of an inch from the
bottom if the battery is discharged. Don’t overfill, or sulfuric acid will
want to escape out of the vents. Don’t use tap water or well water. They may
contain chlorine, iron or salts that will harm the battery.

8.. Recharge your batteries. Wear goggles and old clothes. Do not
overcharge. Excessive overcharging causes loss of electrolyte and the
interior plates to shed their active material, reducing capacity. Never
charge a frozen battery. Always charge in a well-ventilated area.

9.. Cold weather charging requirements make a strong recommendation for
the use of a “smart” battery charger such as the DieHard 71320 shelf model.
This charger is equipped with a microprocessor capable of recharging each
battery according to its own particular needs. On its “automatic” setting,
this charger will charge each battery in optimal time then revert to a 2-amp
“maintenance” setting, keeping the battery warm and fully-charged.

10.. Store batteries in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated place, far away
from the furnace. Make sure they’re out of reach from kids and pets. A
temperature of about 50 degrees is ideal. Your garage is fine for storage as
long as the temperature inside doesn’t dip below freezing. A frozen battery
is a dead battery. Never try to charge a frozen battery.

11.. While your batteries are stored, they’ll slowly lose their charge.
Check them monthly. Restore water levels then bring the batteries up to a
full charge if needed. A charged battery lasts longer than a battery in a
discharged state.

If you have maintenance-free gel cell batteries the winterizing routine is
the same except with a sealed case you cannot add more electrolyte. It’s
especially important, therefore, that you not overcharge a gel cell battery
or charge it too quickly. If you do, the gel in the battery can heat up and
will have a tendency to dry out, shrink and pull away from the lead plates.
One of the most asked questions about battery storage is, “Can I store my
batteries on cement?” The answer is, “Yes.” Before 1967, storing batteries
on cement was a potential problem because battery cases usually were made of
hard rubber. Batteries didn’t hold a charge as long back then, and the cold
cement often helped freeze the electrolyte. Also, battery sealing was
relatively poor. Acid leaks were common in those old batteries, and many
cement floors showed the effects of such leaks. In that year DieHard
introduced the heat-sealed, polypropylene battery case and cover that have
raised battery capacity and reduced the potential for leakage. A word of
caution, though: If your vent caps are not tight or if you overfill your
cells, liquid acid may work its way out through the vent caps.
If you have any questions at all about what to do with your batteries, stop
in at your nearest Sears Auto Center and get some answers, or write me:

Capt. DieHard, Sears, Roebuck and Co.,
Sears Automotive Group
3333 Beverly Road,
BC-103B, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179.
# # #
10/26/98

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...

E. Take the battery out of your boat and don't worry about the bilge
pump. Charge the battery, store it in your basement, and check its charge
once a month.

And, if someone tells you it's bad to store the battery on a cement floor,
kick that person in the balls immediately. When he recovers and is
breathing again, kick him again. Keep doing this until he leaves. People
who spread this silly rumor need to be dealt with harshly until they're
afraid to discuss batteries ever again.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

I think Capt. Diehard is actually capt. Blowhard.

Batteries on concrete? I never figured out that silly rumor except
I've always heard people say to never set a battery on concrete because
it will kill it. or people would say, "That battery was good until I
set it on concrete".....

well.....

I''ve never seen very many batteries on the floor of anything what was
usually good very long. Chances are the battery was about half shot
but was still starting the car, then it gets set down in the garage
floor and neglected for 3-4-6 months, then somebody tries to use it,
and it's....dead.

"See, I TOLD you that putting that battery on a concrete floor would
kill it!"

uh-huh

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

"Sir Rodney Smithers" Ask me about my knighthood. wrote in message
...

I definitely would not put any pink stuff in my bilge.

Agreed. Aren't we the same people who wonder why the fish we want to eat are
already laden with all sorts of pollutants in their flesh? How would one
flush out the antifreeze in the spring?

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

The pink stuff is supposed to be biodegradable, but I still wouldn't use the
stuff.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Sir Rodney Smithers" Ask me about my knighthood. wrote in message
...

I definitely would not put any pink stuff in my bilge.

Agreed. Aren't we the same people who wonder why the fish we want to eat
are already laden with all sorts of pollutants in their flesh? How would
one flush out the antifreeze in the spring?

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

"Sir Rodney Smithers" Ask me about my knighthood. wrote in message
. ..
The pink stuff is supposed to be biodegradable, but I still wouldn't use
the stuff.

Yeah....I wouldn't want to be crawling around in the residue if I had to do
repairs. And, biodegradable doesn't mean non-toxic.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Sir Rodney Smithers" Ask me about my knighthood. wrote in message
...

I definitely would not put any pink stuff in my bilge.

Agreed. Aren't we the same people who wonder why the fish we want to eat
are already laden with all sorts of pollutants in their flesh? How would
one flush out the antifreeze in the spring?

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

Thanks everyone who has replied to my post.

Dry the area, make sure the bilge does not hold rainwater
and forget about it.

The bilge pump can remain dry without any problem. The pump itself is made
out of hard plastic, that is not impacted by being dry or wet.

Good. This means I am done with winterizing the bilge pump.

I definitely would not put any pink stuff in my bilge.

I have dried that area anyway and I have boat-cover over the boat to
prevent water from getting into the bilge area; therefore, there is no
need to put anti-freeze in it.

Jay Chan

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

On 29 Nov 2005 10:54:50 -0800, "
wrote:

I have dried that area anyway and I have boat-cover over the boat to
prevent water from getting into the bilge area; therefore, there is no
need to put anti-freeze in it.

============================

It's a good idea to pull the drain plug regardless. If you tape it to
the wheel or key ring you won't forget it in the spring.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks everyone who has replied to my post.

Dry the area, make sure the bilge does not hold rainwater
and forget about it.

The bilge pump can remain dry without any problem. The pump itself is
made
out of hard plastic, that is not impacted by being dry or wet.

Good. This means I am done with winterizing the bilge pump.

Not so fast. The plastic casing of the bilge pump will last longer if you
sprinkle it liberally with black pepper. And, you might want to search for
"sky hook" at www.westmarine.com. It's a product that will help prevent the
tarp from blowing off the boat, in case of unusually gusty winds during
storage. I can't explain how it works, but the picture on the web site will
make the whole thinkg understandable.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

Doug,
I know I will be sorry for asking, but why the black pepper on the bilge
pump?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks everyone who has replied to my post.

Dry the area, make sure the bilge does not hold rainwater
and forget about it.

The bilge pump can remain dry without any problem. The pump itself is
made
out of hard plastic, that is not impacted by being dry or wet.

Good. This means I am done with winterizing the bilge pump.

Not so fast. The plastic casing of the bilge pump will last longer if you
sprinkle it liberally with black pepper. And, you might want to search for
"sky hook" at www.westmarine.com. It's a product that will help prevent
the tarp from blowing off the boat, in case of unusually gusty winds
during storage. I can't explain how it works, but the picture on the web
site will make the whole thinkg understandable.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

"Sir Rodney Smithers" Ask me about my knighthood. wrote in message
...
Doug,
I know I will be sorry for asking, but why the black pepper on the bilge
pump?

Something about the volatile oils in the pepper keeping the plastic pliable,
sort of like Armorall does with dashboards. And, stop top posting. It's bad
for your liver.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks everyone who has replied to my post.

Dry the area, make sure the bilge does not hold rainwater
and forget about it.

The bilge pump can remain dry without any problem. The pump itself is
made
out of hard plastic, that is not impacted by being dry or wet.

Good. This means I am done with winterizing the bilge pump.

Not so fast. The plastic casing of the bilge pump will last longer if you
sprinkle it liberally with black pepper. And, you might want to search
for "sky hook" at www.westmarine.com. It's a product that will help
prevent the tarp from blowing off the boat, in case of unusually gusty
winds during storage. I can't explain how it works, but the picture on
the web site will make the whole thinkg understandable.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Not so fast. The plastic casing of the bilge pump will last longer if you
sprinkle it liberally with black pepper. And, you might want to search for
"sky hook" at www.westmarine.com. It's a product that will help prevent
the
tarp from blowing off the boat, in case of unusually gusty winds during
storage. I can't explain how it works, but the picture on the web site
will
make the whole thinkg understandable.

Say Doug, is the "Sky Hook" on the same page in the catalogue as the "Shelf
Stretcher"?

Jim C.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

"Jim Carter" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Not so fast. The plastic casing of the bilge pump will last longer if you
sprinkle it liberally with black pepper. And, you might want to search
for
"sky hook" at www.westmarine.com. It's a product that will help prevent
the
tarp from blowing off the boat, in case of unusually gusty winds during
storage. I can't explain how it works, but the picture on the web site
will
make the whole thinkg understandable.

Say Doug, is the "Sky Hook" on the same page in the catalogue as the
"Shelf
Stretcher"?

Jim C.

Last I checked, yes. Same plastics molding manufacturer.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

Doug,
I purchased a left-handed monkey wrench from the same company, and was not
pleased with the quality at all. Is their sky hook as crappy as their L
H'ed monkey wrench?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Jim Carter" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Not so fast. The plastic casing of the bilge pump will last longer if
you
sprinkle it liberally with black pepper. And, you might want to search
for
"sky hook" at www.westmarine.com. It's a product that will help prevent
the
tarp from blowing off the boat, in case of unusually gusty winds during
storage. I can't explain how it works, but the picture on the web site
will
make the whole thinkg understandable.

Say Doug, is the "Sky Hook" on the same page in the catalogue as the
"Shelf
Stretcher"?

Jim C.

Last I checked, yes. Same plastics molding manufacturer.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

No - the sky hook seemed to be nicely overdesigned. The person at the West
Marine store said the manufacturer made the hooks first for the military, to
keep tarps from blowing off tanks and other equipment in sand storms, so
perhaps that's the reason they're so well made.

I hope Jay is taking notes on all this.

"Lord Reginald Smithers" Ask me about my driveway leading up to my manor.
wrote in message . ..
Doug,
I purchased a left-handed monkey wrench from the same company, and was not
pleased with the quality at all. Is their sky hook as crappy as their L
H'ed monkey wrench?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Jim Carter" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Not so fast. The plastic casing of the bilge pump will last longer if
you
sprinkle it liberally with black pepper. And, you might want to search
for
"sky hook" at www.westmarine.com. It's a product that will help prevent
the
tarp from blowing off the boat, in case of unusually gusty winds during
storage. I can't explain how it works, but the picture on the web site
will
make the whole thinkg understandable.

Say Doug, is the "Sky Hook" on the same page in the catalogue as the
"Shelf
Stretcher"?

Jim C.

Last I checked, yes. Same plastics molding manufacturer.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

Doug,
I sprinkled about a lb. of black pepper all over my bilge pump. I tried to
put some black pepper inside the pump, but when I turned it on, it seemed to
blow all of the pepper out the hole in side of the boat. Is it necessary to
get the pepper on the inside and outside of the pump?

Do I have to clean it up in the spring or can I just leave it in the bilge?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
No - the sky hook seemed to be nicely overdesigned. The person at the West
Marine store said the manufacturer made the hooks first for the military,
to keep tarps from blowing off tanks and other equipment in sand storms,
so perhaps that's the reason they're so well made.

I hope Jay is taking notes on all this.

"Lord Reginald Smithers" Ask me about my driveway leading up to my
manor. wrote in message
. ..
Doug,
I purchased a left-handed monkey wrench from the same company, and was
not pleased with the quality at all. Is their sky hook as crappy as
their L H'ed monkey wrench?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Jim Carter" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Not so fast. The plastic casing of the bilge pump will last longer if
you
sprinkle it liberally with black pepper. And, you might want to search
for
"sky hook" at www.westmarine.com. It's a product that will help
prevent
the
tarp from blowing off the boat, in case of unusually gusty winds
during
storage. I can't explain how it works, but the picture on the web site
will
make the whole thinkg understandable.

Say Doug, is the "Sky Hook" on the same page in the catalogue as the
"Shelf
Stretcher"?

Jim C.

Last I checked, yes. Same plastics molding manufacturer.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

Are you sure?

========================================

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 19:41:19 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

stop top posting. It's bad
for your liver.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
Are you sure?

I'm absolutely...

========================================

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 19:41:19 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

stop top posting. It's bad
for your liver.

....positive.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

No need to get it inside the pump. And, in the spring, it'll repel black
flies and mosquitoes.

"Lord Reginald Smithers" Ask me about my driveway leading up to my manor.
wrote in message . ..
Doug,
I sprinkled about a lb. of black pepper all over my bilge pump. I tried
to put some black pepper inside the pump, but when I turned it on, it
seemed to blow all of the pepper out the hole in side of the boat. Is it
necessary to get the pepper on the inside and outside of the pump?

Do I have to clean it up in the spring or can I just leave it in the
bilge?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
No - the sky hook seemed to be nicely overdesigned. The person at the
West Marine store said the manufacturer made the hooks first for the
military, to keep tarps from blowing off tanks and other equipment in
sand storms, so perhaps that's the reason they're so well made.

I hope Jay is taking notes on all this.

"Lord Reginald Smithers" Ask me about my driveway leading up to my
manor. wrote in message
. ..
Doug,
I purchased a left-handed monkey wrench from the same company, and was
not pleased with the quality at all. Is their sky hook as crappy as
their L H'ed monkey wrench?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Jim Carter" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Not so fast. The plastic casing of the bilge pump will last longer if
you
sprinkle it liberally with black pepper. And, you might want to
search for
"sky hook" at www.westmarine.com. It's a product that will help
prevent
the
tarp from blowing off the boat, in case of unusually gusty winds
during
storage. I can't explain how it works, but the picture on the web
site
will
make the whole thinkg understandable.

Say Doug, is the "Sky Hook" on the same page in the catalogue as the
"Shelf
Stretcher"?

Jim C.

Last I checked, yes. Same plastics molding manufacturer.

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

It's a good idea to pull the drain plug regardless. If you tape it to
the wheel or key ring you won't forget it in the spring.

Nice idea. But I have already prepared a "check list" just for that.
I think the "check list" probably is good enough.

Jay Chan

Keep Bilge Area Dry or Keep It Wet for Winterizing?

Not so fast. The plastic casing of the bilge pump will last longer if you
sprinkle it liberally with black pepper.

This sounds like a joke.

And, you might want to search for
"sky hook" at www.westmarine.com. It's a product that will help prevent the
tarp from blowing off the boat, in case of unusually gusty winds during
storage. I can't explain how it works, but the picture on the web site will
make the whole thinkg understandable.

No problem. The boat cover already has integrated straps to tie down
the cover to the trailer. Therefore, it is quite secured. Actually,
it may be too secured that is too restrictive for proper ventilation.
I will need to figure out a way to promote air circulation under the
boat cover before warm weather returns.

Jay Chan