Some things to consider.

Condensation.
I was in Aldi today they have moisture absorption crystals on sale £5.99 for a large container with 2 refills, these refills are in 1.2 kg bags and you unwrap the outer bag and place this bag of crystals in the box, without messing with loose material.
Refills are £5.99 for 3 x 1.2kg
I used to get the crystals from Wilkinsons but they have stopped selling them. They do work and tend to prevent or reduce mildew and condensation.

Water Heater Frost damage.
On another issue, time to drain down the water heater, as they are very prone to freezing and being damaged by expanding ice.
If you do some winter cruising, it won't take long to re-commission.
I tend to remove the water pump and take it home, but there is a solution called Freeze ban that is non toxic that can be used. DO NOT USE CAR ANTI-FREEZE as this is toxic.
Don't forget the shower pump! I have used a strong salt solution in the past.
Drain the elsan and make sure the hand pump is drained.

Remove items
Remove all perishable items food, drink, and things that are damaged by frost, eg boat wax, etc.
Remove bedding, sleeping bags/pillow, clothes etc

Ventilation
Tilt the cushions to allow air circulation.
Leave all cupboard ( and fridge door) ajar.
Make sure there is plenty of ventilation in the cockpit.

Engine
Change the engine oil.
Make sure the battery is fully charged, or take home and charge.

I am also replacing the Calor-butane with propane this winter for the first time, to run the central heating !

What other things need to be done? Please add to the thread.

Best regards,
Richard

Richard,

All sound advice, on our 26WB I leave the gas locker seats forward and expose the gas locker so the fresh air from the locker vent can circulate through the boat via the windows for the berths under the cockpit.

To add to your list I also leave all the curtains open, mildew grows in the dark, light in the winter in the boat is a good thing.

Graham.

I alwayw connect small top up solar panels (from maplin ) to the two batteries

Richard,

I have seen your comments and others regarding the Truma boilers. On my Viking 24 the drain valve finishes with a 10 mm copper tube and would just drain into the compartment. I have tried fitting a flexible tube and blowing down the vent pipe but nothing has come out. I drain the sytems via the taps and am fairly certain the boiler is empty but do you have any other suggestions. Do you also break the connections on the pumps to ensure there is no water left in connecting pipework and pump casings ?

Hi Patrick, to be certain that the pump doesn't get damaged, I now take it home. One year the pump froze and split the lower chamber resulting in a new pump. £70 ouch.

On the Paloma water heater, I now loosen the 4 bolts on the temperature/diaphram module as one year..... it too froze and £30 for a replacement.

So a lot of my advice is down to experience. 25 years or more I'd guess.
Hope this helps,
Best regards,
Richard

The drain with the piece of pipe is the manufacturers drain pipe.
Viking usually fit an overboard discharge valve on the cold feed pipe to drain the boiler.
Regards,
Chris.

Hi All,

I drained our 2008 26wb water system and Truma water heater yesterday, and can confirm that I used the yellow drain cock under the heater that drains directly through the hull. This was as referenced in the Truma manual.

Also had the taps in the sink open and the pump pushed/sucked all the water out, I hope. Well it did last year using the same process.

Graham.

I brought this thread back to the top, as it's nearly a year since I first posted it.
So some more ideas please.
"Boat Owner" this issue has a few pointers so if I can add some that we have missed I will.
I don't think we need to consider stepping the mast of washing the jib but there are others I'm sure.

Frost, Damp and Mildew are the big worries.

Does anybody have a definitive answer as to whether the outboard motor should be in or out if the water?
My Honda manual is silent on the subject, but I'm beginning to notice lots of other boat's in my marina, with their engines tilted out of the water.

I have been told by our agent to tilt 2 strokes but not 4 strokes as if left for a long period the oil does not lie correctly and leaves vital components un-protected. I can not say that this is the definitive answer though.
I leave ours down but If I did not use the boat day tripping all winter and layed up, I would remove the engine and store in my garage.

I have subsequently spoken to Dave Mawby who supplied my boat. He is quite adamant that the outboard shoud be left in the water to avoid possible damage to the gear box housing.

Does anybody cover their boat, I have a 26NB and as previously mentioned on the forun leaky windows which I have still not traced, so I headed to get the biggest Tarp I could find and have slung that over with plenty of ropes all over it however the first good wind ripped all the metal fastners off it and left it in a heap on the bow, (thankfully still covering one of the dodgy windows)

Have seen there are some caravan covers available but they seem quite pricy to just see if they work.

Well it's that time of year again, just thought I would bring this to the surface again.

Best regards,

Richard

Yes I,m thnking about covering mine with a caravan cover too(mine is a 22ft (wide ) at 7ft 8 inches wide .There is one that would fit as one of them is 8ft wide (at ~£100)(most seem to be only 7ft 5 inches though).
The caravan cover would be fine at the canopy end I would imagine but maybe too deep at the bow and may fall in the water unless tied up as they are about 7 ft high .
The only reason have been told to cover the canopy in winter is to stop the snow's weight on the plastic windows which can cause them bow down and become brittle eventually .
The whole boat in darkness too does mean more chance of damp and mould forming I suppose ,also no light to keep the batteries charged with a solar panel .
I have only had the boat since February so this is my first winter so I,m not really sure which way to go on this either .

The motorhome covers are often in a silvery grey light material and mine appears to let in more light than blue tarpaulins. I try to keep condensation under control with things called "Pingis" which are reuseable - just microwave them for five minutes, let them steam, and they are ready to use again. I have two sets of four and change the set over once a week. I also keep a little heater on the boat, called a Dimplex coldwatcher, hooked to shorepower; you leave it on standby and when it senses the temperature is down to 3 degrees, it switches on and stays on until it is 5 degrees, which is quite neat really.

I don't agree with whoever told you that the only reason for a cover is the weight of snow on plastic windows. A cover can also stop heavy rain getting through fittings and windows that start leaking when you are not around and can also inhibit deterioration of the gelcoat. I wouldn't consider leave the wife outside all winter without at least an umbrella, so I think its a bit difficult to argue doing the same to the boat.

Yes I have covered the main hull of the boat with tarpuline but I,ve left the canvass hood as it will still allow some light through for the solar panels to keep the batteries topped up.
Cheers I like the other comment maybe I,ll get the wife to swap places with the boat she will be easier to cover up . Ha Ha

I have a low wattage heater on my boat but it can cause condensation so I now use a Meaco DD8L Junior desiccant dehumidifiar,highly recommened by a lot of boating magazines.

This one also warms the air in the boat as well, have a look on the internet for all details I think you will be impressed,I have nothing to do with this company so I am not doing a sell in fact I am happily retired and enjoying my boat.

I always cover my boat in the winter for reasons as said by the other members.

Norman

We have always taken out all soft furnishings and had no problems since we bought this boat in four winters.
UNTIL NOW. Berth cushions were put away covered four weeks ago and they have been completely destroyed by mice.
According to local cover and upholsery makers they have seen an unprecedented rise in rodent damage this year, so be warned as the damage will leave me with no change from £1000.00.

I have just bought a new Viking 20 this year, not joined the club yet but intend to do so.
I have just read your item on winterizing regarding roden damage to furnishings, would never have thought on that one.
I take it that vermin jump a board from pontoons/moorings, gain access to cockpit and then eat their way in through the cabin door ?

This damage was done at home as we have always removed boat soft furnishings in winter.

Back on my pc, the above was sent from my tablet, hence came in as a guest. No other furnishings from the boat including a new acrylic canvas hood was touched. We think it might have been the type of bag we used to put them in, they were of the recycled plastic type and had a sweet smell to them. We have also been careful to avoid degradeable bags as these have a starch like additive that is attractive to mice.

Well, it's that time of year again, so as before I have brought this topic back up.
Anyhow, there hasn't been any activity for the last 4 days on the forum.
With the colder weather coming this week, we should be making plans.

best regards,

Richard

I've bought tarpaulins from http://www.tarpaulinsdirect.co.uk over a long period if time, and found them good value for money. They do an 8m by 4m one for under £40 plus lots of other sizes. If you use them year round they need replacing after 5 or 6 years but still good value.

To add to the out board up or down debate........

On leaving the boat in winter I always disconnect the fuel line and leave the engine ticking over untill it stops. I then tilt the engine and turn the engine over for 3 or 4 seconds without starting it (fuel line disconnected) This gets the water out of the pump and feed tubes. The engine is then resubmerged. If you have an engine cover put it on, if you don't then buy one! Seven waterpump casings shattered on the marina last year.because the water left in the pump froze! Hope this tip saves someone a few bob.

Hi Steve, thanks for the tip, but I'm not sure where your pump is, but when tilted back into the water, my pump is submerged and water will still fill it through the intakes on the legs.
The engines are designed this way so the pump always has "flooded suction".

With reference to engine covers, I bought one a few years ago for my Honda 15, silver square shape, now the paint on these is not as good as the white paint on my older red white square shaped Honda 15.

The cover, bought new at a boat jumble, was made out of material similar to a kagool, it kept a thin water layer on top of the engine, and when I removed it a few months later...
most of the silver paint came with it, moisture had got under the paint, in fact there didn't look like there was any primer either! So if you use a cover consider this issue.
Power washing these later Honda hoods can also strip the paint off so be warned.

Honda have moved over to water based acrylic paints, and they probably don't like being in contact with water... doh...
They must use a better paint system on the leg, and a decent primer, although again, not as good as the original paint systems.

The notes above are from my personal experience, I may have had a rogue paint job!! I am only comparing my older engine with my later one.

hope it helps,

best regards,
Richard

Hi Richard,
Once emptied the pump will not fill with water again untill it rotates. It is like turning a pint pot upside down and submerging it. The air will be trapped inside. even if a little water is in the pump any air will let the ice expand and not burst the pump casing.
I have not had the problems you describe with your engine cover so can't comment really. I hope this helps.

I clean out the fresh and hot water system with Puriclean, then flush it out and refill with 15 litres of a 50/50 solution of Freezeban (the special non-toxic antifreeze). Then I run the pump to flush out the water system including the kitchen and shower taps plus using the drain on the water heater. What this means is that, even though there may well be a little water left somewhere in the water system, it will not freeze because it is mixed with Freezeban. Similarly, I run some Freezeban solution through the shower pump, and also pump a little down the loo.

Taken out the berth cushions, one of the petrol tanks, put on the winter canopy will drain down when weather turns cold.

Well having just winterised our Viking 23, I thought I would re-activate this thread as there are quite a few good tips.
Also Aldi now have their moisture absorption crystals on sale again.

TIP:- some moisture absortion crystal containers require loose granules, so I just cut open one of the Aldi bags and used those.

Caution:- The crystals can affect paintwork, but also if left on say a stainless steel sink, so as well as cleaning up, avoid contact with eyes and skin. Wash down fully after using the crystals. Dispose of the subsequent liquid from the crystals with care.

Hope it helps,
best regards,
Richard

As we are leaving our boat in the water this winter I wanted to find a cover. After reading posts on here I decided against tarpaulins and was going to buy a caravan cover.
However I managed to buy a good quality boat cover for a Fairline 23....ok I know we have a Viking 19! but this cover does look good quality and I suppose it's going to fit better than a caravan cover....well I hope!...haven't fitted it yet which will be fun!

Paul

I too use a Meaco DD8L Junior desiccant dehumidifier on my 24ftWB, very impressed with its performance and minimal running cost.(Also retired and not selling dehumidifiers!)

On the subject of draining down the truma water heater, mine has a plastic tube at the base,(I don't if this is original or fitted by a previous owner) I release the union between the pump and flexible tank and blow the water back thru' the system into a bowl until only air comes out. When refilling you might get a bit knocking caused by air trapped in the pipes but this is easily cured by opening the sink and shower taps and running the pump for a couple of minutes.

Yes it's nearly that time of year again, it might be another month before we get a hard frost, but you never know, but best to start making those preparations now, especially the instantaneous water heaters.
I can't believe it is 5 years since I first started this thread.
Hope it helps.
Best regards,
Richard

Hi, I've only just joined the Club and don't have my login details yet. We have a Viking Seamaster 28 on order, due in Feb so I've been busy reading the articles on the Owners Club site and browsing the forum. This thread is particularly interesting, as we are new to boat ownership (but not new to boating) there are some things here I wouldn't have thought about. Thank you to all who contribute!

Hi Steve, welcome to the Viking forum, I see now that you are a fully fledged member.
I hope you fly the club flag with pride.
Best regards,
Richard

Anyone tried one of these? I have a large solar panel and 220 amp battery so power would not be a problem. I am sure I could rig it to drain down the sink.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Air-Dehumidifier-Portable-Damp-Moisture-Dryer-Home-Car-12V-DC-Bedroom-2L-White-/151514238526?hash=item2346f3ce3e:g:p5AAAOSwGvhUKo0f

Hi Steve, regarding electric dehumidifiers, these can work up to 24 hours a day, constantly drawing say 5 amps each and every hour, whilst your solar panel might just be providing charge for a few hours per day, so they would have to be substantial panels. So I hope you do your calculations correctly, as you don't want to discharge the batteries below 50%

Some domestic dehumidifiers do not work at very cold temperatures, not sure about the one you mentioned.
If you drain it into the sink, if it is very cold outside, eventually the outlet pipe of the sink can freeze, stopping all water from escaping, so the sink might overflow into the boat.
Hope it helps.
Richard

It is also an opportunity to check Auto/Manually inflating life jackets.
Apologies if that has been mentioned before on this thread, I had a quick scan.
There are many Youtube videos showing you how to check them, expiry date of the auto inflate mechanisms etc. Also even with manual inflate, they also have a CO2 gas cylinder, which you can simply weigh, their tare or empty weigh is often stamped on them, so you should be able to work out the weight of gas that should be in them.
There are several designs of auto inflate mechanisms, also CO2 bottles, so ensure you get the right parts.
If in doubt, there are many companies that will check, inflate, and reinstall new mechanisms, so do not take any risks. The charge for this service could be close to half that of a new life jacket.
Be aware, if you manually inflate the bladder of the life jacket with your breath, just to test for leaks, you will add moisture to the bladder, which could affect the operation of the life jacket when you need it most.

NOTE:- if buying parts over the counter at your local chandlery, you can check the expiry date quite easily, however there are many kits being sold on well known auction sites that are selling old stock. They may well be in date on the day you buy them, but might expire before the end of the season, so watch out for that.
Most should last two or more full seasons.
Hope it helps.
Be sure, be safe.
Richard

Well it's been 6 years since I started this thread, I hope all the contributions from our members has been of some use. Having all the advice and tips on one thread makes it easier to start your winterising proceedure.
Every year there is something else to add.
Don't forget, even though the winter days are short, there is still some great cruising to be done. We have been out on New year's day on a few occasions, gets chilly by 3 pm but the trip can be very bracing lol.
Richard

Prompted by the sudden drop in temperature this weekend we headed over to our boat today (now at Windsor) to quickly do a couple of things before we head off on a sun holiday shortly.

I drained the water heater and left the drain tap open, opened the taps in the galley and heads, connected the shore power and left the battery charger on and a small oil-filled radiator on a low setting, left the heads door open and both fridges on the latch. We'll go back on our way to the airport next Saturday to check. We'll do a more thorough job when we get back the following week (cushions, swap the heater for dehumidifier etc) but we still plan to use the boat a bit in the winter so don't want to leave it too moth-balled.

just done boat now. lost a heater 6 years back due to frost never again it was £430 to replace. don't get caught out everybody predicted frost and -5 tonight!!

Well it is 7 years since I started this thread, and we spent last night on the boat.
Due to various medical conditions, I am not sure when our next boat visit will be, so this morning I drained down the water heater, that is most vulnerable to the first frost.
As we have shore power, I connected up a dehumidifier, this keeps the air dry, but does make the seating and upholstery more comfortable.
Half term was always our marker to drain down and winterising, we were caught out once, so I thought I would remind you.
I have kept this as one thread as for new readers, it is best to start at the beginning, there will be duplicate ideas.
Happy Boating.
Richard

Ours is coming ashore for a while this winter, some jobs need doing. Is condensation likely to be the same when ashore as it is when in the water?

If you have power plug in a dehumidifier, I set mine to a level to keep it dry and stop any mould growing.

What will be a problem is the hull and it's contents will get much colder than when the boat was in the water.
The rate of change of temperature will be greater too. Water around the boat will help to maintain a more constant temperature.
We were caught out many years back, when we left the boat ashore, and the domestic water pump froze and cracked the pump head. A £65 learning curve at the time.

I would expect condensation to be worse when ashore. If you have shore power, a small tube heater and dehumidifier will help.
Or if no shore power, I find the moisture absorption crystals to be very effective.
Best regards, Richard

OK thanks, that makes sense. We used a small heater and dehumidifier last winter and it sounds like we should try to do the same this year if we can get power to the boat - also probably not keep it out of the water for longer than necessary.

Hi there - new users to the forum with a new (July 2022) Viking 20.
It's our first winter with her so we are looking for advice on winterising - especially our Marina 20hp outboard motor.
Have clocked most of the other items in this comprehensive thread.
We're certainly not technical so I have no idea how difficult or easy it is to winterise the outboard.

Any advice appreciated!
Many thanks,
Lou and Rich

Might not be actual Winterizing but perhaps you should also consider your mooring in winter weather.
I moor on the Thames and it can rise several feet during weeks of winter rain. If you moor in a river, make sure your mooring ropes are not too tight to allow the boat to come up if necessary and secure enough that your boat will not break free in fast flows. I also put some old fenders floating at water level to keep the hull away from the front edge of my landing stage if the level is high. Some people also drop the anchor as belt-and-braces.
Lastly, if the river freezes, I was advised NOT to get on board as the hull might be damaged by the movement against the ice.