Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

[strokeoluck]

[Basic boat info in signature line below] I'm wondering if we store our boat in our garage this winter if I still need to winterize it? Our house is two years old and we have a 3-car garage. It's an insulated garage, but not heated. I don't know exactly what the inside garage temps were this last winter, but I'm guessing they were right around freezing when it was about -20F outside.

If your answer is "no", would it help if I were to put a gas heater in there to warm it up to a consistent 40F?

Thoughts?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

At -20F outside your garage will still reach below 32F and that is all it takes to crack a block. I live in Minnesota, we do see -20F (and lower) frequently, I have a new house, my pontoon lives in my well insulated 3-car garage, and yes, a bucket of water will freeze if the heat is off at those temps. Installing a heater is one way to keep the garage and your boat warm -- until you have a power failure. No juice, no heat. Now what. Unless you spend a lot of time in your garage like I do, heating it only to avoid winterizing your boat is a costly way to avoid getting your hands dirty. And just so you know, most thermostats can only be turned down to about 50F. So when the Cap&Trade program goes into effect the tax on energy use will really make winterizing seem like even a better bargain.

[Edit: I fogot to ask if you knew just how much a new engine costs? Let's just say well into four figures! Knowing that, would you still risk damaging the engine to avoid winterizing?]

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

Yes you have to winterize, just to much to risk for a couple of bucks.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

Thanks guys.

 

[109jb]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

If you keep the engine above freezing you don't have to winterize.

Gas heaters are available that DO NOT require electricity to operate and they have a built in thermostat. I had one in the garage at my last house and it worked great, kept the temp about 40 F in the garage.

My current garage is heated with radiant floor hot water heat and we love it. Sure it costs a little more to heat it, but so what. I don't keep my boat in there though, just cars. We like it because the snow and ice that accumulates on the car disappears by the time we have to go to work the next morning and the car is already warm and easy to start. My boat has an outboard and doesn't need anything special for winterization.

You coould also heat the air inside the boat under the cover to above freezing with a portable heater. As mentioned, you would be in trouble if you lost power to whatever powers your heater.

Or you could just winterize it.

 

[jkust]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

You know I live in MN and winterizing is a must. Just wait until the garage door is mistakenly left open on one of our -20 or colder days when you go to take one of your snowmobiles out. It is not worth taking the chance. Winterizing is a part of MN living. I am sure the cost is not the issue but if you winterize a little early the shops discount the price. If not the wait list can be a couple of weeks since we are all procrastinators. There will be hundreds of boats jammed on the marina lot.

 

[NoKlu]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

There are to many "what if's", to take the risk. There are a lot of newer engines that get replaced every spring cause of guys trying to save a few bucks or a couple of hours labor.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

Gas heaters are available that DO NOT require electricity to operate and they have a built in thermostat. I had one in the garage at my last house and it worked great, kept the temp about 40 F in the garage.

or when you lose natural gas for 3 days because there was a major line cut... happened to me last year, thought i was prepared, have a generator and inverter systems, hadn't planned on a gas outage. In reality it didn't make much difference, had enough electric heat capability to stay warm.

 

[109jb]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

or when you lose natural gas for 3 days because there was a major line cut... happened to me last year, thought i was prepared, have a generator and inverter systems, hadn't planned on a gas outage. In reality it didn't make much difference, had enough electric heat capability to stay warm.

I have propane. The only way my gas line gets cut is if someone is digging in the 30 feet between my house and the tank. I think I'd know.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

winterize the boat, cheaper and more environmentally friendly than burning gas to keep the boat warm.

 

[jprice]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

What about if you live in the south?
I live near Atlanta. While we do have some below freezing temps, it's not often, and I doubt my garage ever gets below freezing.
I'd still put stabilizer in the fuel to avoid anything gumming up, but do I need to do anything beyond that?

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

I think that "Winterize" is the wrong term, It should be called
"Preparing for none use."
The point of winterizing is to get the boat ready for long term (more than a couple weeks) storage.
And to that end you need to do all the maintance required for that.
Freezing is not the only reason to get all the water out of the block, but it is at the forfront of everyones mind for cold weather. Even in a warm climate its not good to have the water just sit inside it. As for the rest its just good to do it to keep the boat in top running order.
Most boats die from lack of use, and not being porperly prepaired for it, not using them to much.

 

[JimKW]

Re: Need to winterize if storing boat indoors?

Would a pan of water every freeze in your garage? If the answer is yes, you need to winterize the boat.