2008 24 Sundeck Winterization

[eaglenav50]

I have a new 08 Sundeck 24. I plan on having my local Mercruiser certified mechanic winterize the engine/outdrive at the very end of the season, but I would like to winterize the water system now. This includes the water tank, bow and transom showers, the cockpit and head sinks, and the port a poti/ and holding tank

How do I go about winterizing these items?

ron Williams

 

[chuck1]

Check your manual should be something like this.

U​

SING NONTOXIC WINTERIZING ANTIFREEZE:​

• Purchase a nontoxic winterizing antifreeze for
fresh water systems from a marine or RV supply
retailer.
• With all water pumped out of the system add
nontoxic antifreeze to the water tank. Pour in
enough to be pumped to all faucets and
showers.
• Close all faucets and turn on water system.
• Open one faucet at a time. Close faucet when
nontoxic antifreeze comes out of faucet.
• After all faucets and showers have been treated,
open all faucets and pump out remaining
nontoxic antifreeze.

That is the way I do mine.
As to the head I just pump it clean then add some of the nontoxic antifreeze.

As to the engine I don't winterize it since I have a bilge heater on mine and use the boat year round.

​

 

[eaglenav50]

Thanks Chuck. On of my concerns is getting every last drop of water out of the tank before adding the non toxic anti freeze (Pink?). Will just running the pump do this or will I need to drop a shop vac hose into the tank to totally purge it? Should the port-a-potti be removed for the winter?

Is there anything else I should worry about?

Ron

 

[chuck1]

Not sure where you are, but here in the north GA mountains don't have to get all the water out. I just run as much as I can with the pump then add about 4 gallons of Pink anti-freeze. With adding the anit-freeze to my port-a-potti I don't have to pull it.
Make sure you get all the water out of the large in floor storage area. I have to use my shop-vac to get it all. Fill Up and add fuel treatment to the gas.

 

[eaglenav50]

Thanks,

I live in southern illinois, where each year we have brutal ice storms which knock down power lines and freeze over lawns for weeks at a time. That's why I'm so paranoid about REALLY purging the water out of the system.

There seems to be a word missing in the last post, so I missed your point about something in the floor storage area.

Ron

 

[Lazy Daze]

Just something to maybe save you guys a couple of bucks - and make it easier next year.

I run everything dry like mentioned above. But, I don't add any pink to the water tank. What little is left in there won't cause any damage. Next, I take the water line off the tank and put it into a 1-gallon container of pink. Then, run your faucets till pink comes out, using this 1-gallon container as a make-shift tank. Next year, you won't have to deal with all the time spent flushing the pink out of your tank.

Now, if you can't get to your water line fitting on your tank very easy, then by all means follow the above advice.

 

[chuck1]

Great point Dennis, but like you said there is no easy way to get to the line on the 240SD at the tank. I can be done, but so much easier to just add the pink stuff.

Ron,
I was talking about the big center storage area on our 240SDs. Quite a few of the drains (Including the front anchor storage area) are route to the bilge via the two storage areas. The front one drains completely, but the back (Big One) does not drain completely so there is always a little bit (1/2 gallon or so) left. I use my shop vac to suck the last of it out. Has something to do with the design so that sand and stuff will not end up in the bilge area.
Second comment was about filling your gas tank and adding fuel stabilizer to it.

 

[eaglenav50]

Thanks to all for this great info. I'm picking up the boat this weekend from the marina where it's stored (they put it in the water on-call), and then I'll have a chance to study everything and winterize the water system once it's at home.

The boat has Sea Ray cockpit and bow covers. I also have a full size tarp with which I'd like to cover the boat when it goes into covered storage for the winter. Should I remove the cockpit and bow covers when I cover it with the tarp, or doesn't it make any difference?

 

[chuck1]

Glad I could help. Sorry can't really help with the tarp issue, but if you don't have the normal covers on, how are you going to support the tarp?

 

[Lazy Daze]

Never put a cover on top of a cover. They will wear against each other. But, like Chuck mentioned, you'll want to tent the cover somehow. Many ways to do this - from using your current poles to a piece of 2x4 with a scrap of carpet screwed to the top.

Oh, wait a minute... how "covered"? Enclosed - meaning no wind? Is there any chance that rain can get on it? If not, just snug the tarp down and be done with it.

 

[eaglenav50]

The boat wil be stored in a totally closed facility on concrete next to my Porsche 911 Targa.

 

[eaglenav50]

The boat will be parked on concrete in a totally enclosed storage building next to my Porsche 911 Targa.

Another question. Is the waste water tank on the 24 SD for gray water or black water? If it's black, I'll have to have it pumped out by a facility that handles hazmet. If it's gray, s I can I do it myself using a shop vac?

 

[Lazy Daze]

You can use a shop-vac either way. You might want to get one that you use only for this purpose. I take it you have the VacuFlush system?

Another way is to hook up a stand-alone macerator with a hose going to your sewer.

Keeping it inside, you just need a tarp to keep the dust off.