From the Boathouse: Not the worst of winter in SoCal
Ahoy! It might be time to winterize your condo on the water!
Beautiful boating weather and sea conditions continue along our coast, sans the recent hurricane-generated swells, and on the numerous lakes in Southern California this fall. Many boaters will continue using their vessels all year round, and a majority of boaters will suspend their boating activities once the numerous Christmas or holiday boat parades have passed in December.
However, others across the nation have winterized their boats, and their waterways have transformed into ice-skating rinks or temporary grounds for ice-fishing. This signals the time to winterize our boats, especially with the increased variation in air temperature between the warmer days to the cooler nights.
Typically, we do not have to winterize our boats to the degree of those who have vessels in areas that experience long periods of freezing temperatures.
Winterizing boats stored or moored in Southern California’s harbors is less extreme but necessary annual care. Because we do not have any lasting freezing temperatures, you do not have to worry about the expansion of ice, which alleviates the need to drain your fresh water tanks or the necessity of adding antifreeze to the boat’s plumbing. I highly recommend that you pump out your holding tank, and my professional tip is to clean and dry out your sump pumps as well to keep the unpleasant odor from seeping up the drains.
Now, you need to perform spring cleaning in the fall by removing from your boat all the lifejackets, towels, bedding and pillows — basically, anything that might grow mold. Additionally, you might want to open all the stateroom and cabinet doors to allow air circulation by hanging dry towels over the top of the doors to keep them open.
Larger boats can use dehumidifiers, but remember to periodically empty the condensation trays.
Do not forget to change the engine oil for your mains and generators because the existing used oil will have a little water mixed from usage; at the same time, change all the fuel and oil filters. Read your engine manuals, as manufacturers will recommend the intervals that you should start the engines during non-usage if you are not completely winterizing the units.
I will have more winterizing tips throughout the next few months, but another tip is that you can start scheduling for any necessary haul-outs, bottom-painting and repair work in the off-season. This is the time period when shipyards and mechanics are not overwhelmed with work compared to the summer season, when they are trying to repair boats in time for the next weekend.
Tip of the week is to be careful when fueling your gasoline-powered boats in other states due to the fact that 13 states are selling E15. This blend of gasoline contains 15% of ethanol, while in California and most other areas, the mixture is a 10% blend. Keep in mind that the actual percent of the blend can vary appreciably from what is posted.
Ethanol and boating do not mix, as ethanol absorbs or binds with water that will gum up your fuel filters or cause engine failure. Most importantly, engine manufacturers’ warranties do not cover the use of E15 in any marine engine. Additionally, the ethanol burns much hotter than gasoline, and some older boats have had the ethanol ruin fuel tanks and eat away at the fittings.
BoatU.S. has a list of stations selling E15 on their website at boatus.com/gov/e15stations.
As always, just keep an eye to the weather for any changes. Please be boat smart and boat safe. Lastly, please boat responsibly and look behind you before you turn the wheel at the helm.
Tune in to the No. 1 boating radio talk show in the nation, “Boathouse Radio Show,” broadcasting live coast-to-coast on syndicated network. See times at https://www.boathousetv.com, https://www.facebook.com/boathouseradio and https://www.twitter.com/boathouseradio.
Safe voyages!
MIKE WHITEHEAD is a boating columnist for the Daily Pilot. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to mike@boathousetv.com or go to https://www.boathousetv.com.