LAYING-UP
Ben Sutcliffe-davies reaffirms the importance of a proper laying-up procedure and offers his checklist of necessary jobs
Our 38-point checklist to get your boat ready for winter
Well apparently, that was summer and now we're heading into autumn. For a number of owners the boat won’t get much use after the middle of September, with some preparation for the winter months. Regardless of your use, there are a few good basic tips to make and hopefully protect you and your investment through the winter months.
The marina I call home is based in South Wales and the ice and snow that came in midway through last winter gave many a berth holder a bit of a wakeup call, with craft heavily frozen in their berths with ice over 50mm thick for more than seven days.
My father had taught me in the past that good prudent wintering of a craft will extend engine and systems life spans; basics such as draining off water tanks and hoses, not forgetting the loo and ensuring there is a good strength of antifreeze through the engine’s water systems. We always winterise the engine and even then would still pop down every couple of weeks to turn it over.
There are an increasing number of owners who have become complacent in the wintering protocol of their craft. I often find when undertaking insurance claims for water damage that a frozen PVC water tank has split, spilling the contents of the tank into the bilges. This isn’t so bad if it’s a water tank but a little more of an issue and certainly a bit more smelly when it’s a plastic holding tank. Try to remember to drain down the whole system, including the tank and water pump.
Remove the plastic filter bowl that very commonly gets broken by ice, as well as draining any water left in the bowl of the loo. If you are onboard and using her through the winter try lagging and using small electric oil-filled heaters with frost stats within the cabins.
With inboard engines, if it’s an indirect coolant system, make sure the right strength and levels of antifreeze are in the system. With modern antifreezes if they are over three years old they can start to corrode the internal skins of the tank and engine as the chemicals break down. If they are not properly winterised, you can suffer from a cracked head on the water jacket. My dad had a great trick for direct coolant systems where he rigged up a bucket that hung under the exhaust with a feed hose rammed into the external intake. He would then fill with a mixture of water and antifreeze and run the engine in a loop for 20 minutes or so to circulate the mixture around the engine and help give some protection, but it’s important to supervise the process. If shore power is available, having a small electric oil heater within the engine compartment is a great help. Make sure the deck drains are working and not blocked, and that the bilge pump works, ideally with a float switch fitted. If you have a heating system try and ensure that the frost start settings will work.
SAFETY FIRST
Ensure you have some way to check bilges and think about ensuring there is a small automatic 12V bilge pump. Think about a bilge alarm as well, then if you do have an issue with any water systems or hoses that may have blown off, just like the water pipes in the loft of your house, you will prevent the bilges filling up and the cabin soles getting wet from the underside. It always amazes me how many owners never look in the bilges.
While most yacht owners are not affected by the Boat Safety certification it’s worth being aware that since 1 April 2019 they have new laws on the inland system that require having at least one carbon monoxide alarm. My view is that, for what they cost, it’s worth having one on board a yacht too. Ideally, have one in each cabin to ensure you would hear an alarm, especially if you are a deep sleeper.
It’s worth mentioning an incident where a vessel was moored next to another boat with a petrol generator going on his foredeck. Over a period of time it passively filled the chaps cabin up through his deck vent. So it’s worth keeping an eye on what’s going on in neighbouring vessels.
STREAMLINE YOUR WINTERISATION ROUTINE
If you are ashore for the winter, ensure the cradle the boat sits in provides the correct support – and make sure it is in good condition. Some yards use timber props, ideally they should cross-brace them to prevent the chances of them being rocked out in high wind. I personally have always preferred masts to be removed. The last few years have seen some violent storms, and last year I attended a few incidents where the roller furling had partly unwound and the craft had blown over.
My advice on ice or water damage is simple, prevention is always easier than cure – if you don’t take reasonable steps to protect your craft you may find that there is no insurance cover either.
This autumn why not start with a clean sheet? Be mindful of water conditions and freezing weather, try and pop down and check the boat out regularly, ensure systems are drained and that the engine is properly protected. Getting into a good winterisation routine will save money long term.
Likewise, before recommissioning check the systems and water tank are ok and all those water hoses are intact. The fuel filters should be replaced, and any water build up in the fuel tank is removed.
Make sure the engine is working properly, and that no water is visible in the oil. If you’re too busy, ask a marine engineer to give it the once over before they get too busy. A second pair of eyes can be a godsend.
When it comes to heating, stay modest. My father used a small 30W light bulb in a biscuit tin rigged to a small thermostat under the engine. These days you can pick up small, inexpensive oil heaters that do the trick with minimal running costs if set to a thermostat. If power is available it’s a prudent investment compared to a replacement engine.