# Winterizing Fresh Water Tanks



## CliffL (Jan 25, 2007)

Hell all,

I'm a recent owner and am going to live on my new purchase. I'm trying to figure out how to winterize my two big 80 gal fresh water tanks for the winter. They're fairly exposed and I'm sure they'd be one big ice chunk if I don't do something. I"ve thought of wrapping them in thermally heated blankets, sticking a water bubbler inside (from a fish tank perhaps), putting an electric heater in the locker....any other bright ideas??? Anything you folks do that's cheap, effective, and easy??

Cliff


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## kd3pc (Oct 19, 2006)

if you are living aboard..and have some degree of heat...and fair amount of water in the tanks...you should be all set..if you are a worrier...

turnoff the water breaker, and open all the faucets when you go to bed or are leaving for a longer time.

Even last year with all the snow and the cold temps...the interior of my boat stayed above freezing...with little more than the AC circulating. with two 80 gal tanks, your boat is similar to mine, like the tanks are side and side or side and vberth...and mostly below the water line, where things don't freeze as well

YMMV, and others will chime in with all kinds of fear..


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## macattackga (Oct 22, 2010)

Being a dreamer, I've been reading inlue of doing.



CliffL said:


> cheap, effective, and easy


Last winter I read somewhere that adding vodka to fresh water tanks is "a" method of winterizing them.

I don't think it took too much to keep the water from freezing solid... you'll have to experiment or maybe someone else will chime in.

The goal is a slushee consistency protecting pipes/tanks (maybe 1c/10g).

Read somewhere else that the high sugar content of the vodka causes algae problems...


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

If you're living aboard afloat, in water that will not freeze then the warmth of the water (40-50F?) will be the general temperature of the lower part of your hull, esp under berth cushions and such. Any additional cabin heat will just be a bonus.

Unless the boat's likely to be frozen-in I doubt there's going to be an issue.


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

I've used cheap rotgut Vodka or Gin to winterize our much smaller H2O tank after draining it. 
Algae might like the sugar content but it hates the alcohol. Always smells fresh come spring time and makes a great hand cleaning solution.


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## Bene505 (Jul 31, 2008)

I'm planning to stay in the water this winter. Just emailed my insurance company to let them know (higher rates in the water). I don't live aboard, looking forward to hearing your stories about how it went. There was a SN member that did it last year in Annaoplis, If I remember. Maybe he'll see your post.

If I make the time to implement it, I'll be draining the water hoses that go to the extremities of the boat: transom shower, both forward heads, both aft heads. That way I can keep the galley sink connected to the hot water heater and cold water feed. Those are all in the salon. The galley sink is just too darn useful to do without. The boat will have a couple heaters on, set to maybe 45 degrees.

I'm toying with the idea of keeping the engine "room" heated so I can use the boat throughout the winter. That will depend on rigging a cell phone to call/text me when power quits or the temperature drops. I plan on a power outage happening at least once and don't want to lose the engine as a result.

Regards,
Brad


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## Bene505 (Jul 31, 2008)

CalebD said:


> I've used cheap rotgut Vodka or Gin to winterize our much smaller H2O tank after draining it.
> Algae might like the sugar content but it hates the alcohol. Always smells fresh come spring time and makes a great hand cleaning solution.


Caleb,

Can you let me know where you got cheap vodka from? I'll need to winterize at least some of the plumbing, if not all. (Then we can have some of the good stuff.)

Regards,
Brad


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

Add me to the "don't stress" crowd. I've been aboard in Annapolis for the last four years, living aboard and sailing on warm(ish) days. If you can stand it in the boat the water won't freeze. I do drain and cap the lines to the transom shower, but other than that I don't do anything for winter.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

Brad, I don't heat the engine room. I run the nontoxic antifreeze into the raw water part of the cooling system, and shut the seacock. When I want to sail I just repeat after. I find that the engine starts without preheating (no glow plugs) after a couple of spins to warm it. If it's reluctant, I use both batteries and turn it faster. Of course, I rarely try to start her below freezing, I don't want to sail then. I also find it takes a long cold time before the temp inside the boat falls below freezing.


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## MacGyverRI (Nov 14, 2007)

In 0 F weather the water here in Rhode Island only goes down to around 35 F, I have a propane heater for the cabins and keep it 72+. If you're in a heavy ice area, YMMV. Never break the ice from around a keel boat, it will cradle fine, powerboats wont...

If you have 24/7 heat onboard, your tanks should be fine. (mine always are)

This is a 150 watt stick on silicone heater (stick on a lower part of tank), cheap insurance @ $26.99. 150 watts would never burn a tank.
Kat's 150 Watt Silicone Pad Heater &#151; Model# 24150 | Electric Heaters | Northern Tool + Equipment


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## Bene505 (Jul 31, 2008)

WanderingStar said:


> Brad, I don't heat the engine room. I run the nontoxic antifreeze into the raw water part of the cooling system, and shut the seacock. When I want to sail I just repeat after. I find that the engine starts without preheating (no glow plugs) after a couple of spins to warm it. If it's reluctant, I use both batteries and turn it faster. Of course, I rarely try to start her below freezing, I don't want to sail then. I also find it takes a long cold time before the temp inside the boat falls below freezing.


WS,

Last winter your gave me a much needed fix of sailing. Are you going to let me reciprocate and go for a sail on our boat this winter?

Regards,
Brad


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

Brad, I'd love to. Pm or call me whenever.


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## CliffL (Jan 25, 2007)

Thanks for the advice thus far. My fresh water tanks are in a locker in front (outside) the boat...catamaran. There's no heat there from inside the boat. I'm going to live aboard, so need the water. If the tanks were inside, no problem, they'd stay warm...this is a different case.

Cliff


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## MacGyverRI (Nov 14, 2007)

CliffL said:


> Thanks for the advice thus far. My fresh water tanks are in a locker in front (outside) the boat...catamaran. There's no heat there from inside the boat. I'm going to live aboard, so need the water. If the tanks were inside, no problem, they'd stay warm...this is a different case.
> 
> Cliff


Then you really need the stick on heater I suggested. It doesn't take much to keep a tank warm. you could also put them on a timer, 4 on / 4 off around the clock for a start and adjust as needed.

Can you drape a black tarp over the area to generate a bit of Solar during the day?

Can you insulate the locker area a bit? Those foam pipe wrap tubes for house plumbing along w/ some "heat tape" for pipes running along the lines should do it and not kill you in elec. charges.


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## RichH (Jul 10, 2000)

For 'outside' storage, I suggest that you:
1. apply 'heat trace' wiring to the INLET line of the tank(s) or to the connection to the 'bottom' of the tank - home depot stuff. The small amount of heat from the 'tracing' will thermo-siphon into the tank, especially if the traced line is LOWER (in altitude) than the tank. 
2. always keep the water 'flowing' when the temp is 'severe' .... just a few drops / cc's-per-minute of flow, and routed 'back' to the tank will help prevent a total blockage of ice. 

Also applies to 'inside' tanks when the weather is extreme - just keep the water constantly flowing and 'dribbling' back to the tank. For bilge tanks the ambient outside water temp (under the ice) will be ~4°C (39°F) and if you keep the tank 'slightly stirred up' (slight 'recirculation' by 'dribbling back to the tank(s)) you wont freeze. If the tanks are touching walls where the ice is in contact, then you need to 'warm' the tanks.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

No experience with this. How about a fish tank heater (not bubbler).

Although, there must be commercial water tank heaters.


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## CliffL (Jan 25, 2007)

Great ideas...heat tape, wrap, keep water moving...


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

A couple of these in your tanks should keep it from freezing;









Could make the winter more interesting too...


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