Whats your winter project

[dcunniff]

My winter is starting today. Hauled out and got it winterized today. Wife had enough for this year. Took it out in rain and 40+ mile winds. As usual rain let up after all done.

Anyway, no winter projects. Had enough summer spending to keep me quiet for the winter.

Everyone enjoy winter if you stay in the water. Good luck to those making changes out of water.

Dana

 

[Maguro]

I bought my 2820 two years ago and she came with the fridge-sink unit witch is a waste of space. This winter I'm putting in a bench seat in the fridges space and I also took out the chair on the same side. I am also putting the freshwater tank back in the bench with a hand shower outside.

Kevin

 

[GW]

Last years winter project. Glad that's out of the way!

 

[GW]

For what its worth I carry an assortment of "softwood" plugs in case any of the thru holes let go. Something else to consider...A NERF FOOTBALL. Yes it sounds crazy and has never been tested that I know of but I bet that in certain cases it could be squeezed into a breach and released and if nothing more, slow down the leak.

As Dale said, a 5-6" hole and youre screwed. You'd be turtled before you even realized what happened.

Dale, that is a very alarming and disconcerting calculation you've done on the water flow with just a 2" hole. I have 3 bilge pumps but I now know that they'd only get me half way there GPH wise. I'm definitely rethinking this dilemma! Maybe I do have another winter project?

 

[Megabyte]

Extra pumps are a great idea, but while you are at it calculate the required current draw of the pumps you install. You need to have enough power available to you in order to keep those pumps running if the need arises. :wink:

 

[Bryan 2530]

GW, Did you replace the tank or just the deck??

 

[DaleH]

Yes it sounds crazy and has never been tested that I know of but I bet that in certain cases it could be squeezed into a breach and released and if nothing more, slow down the leak.

Carry thick plastic bags to put it into first, as NERFs will allow water to pass thorugh them. I carry odds & ends of pool noodles down in the bilge, plus a large stick of kneadable epoxy putty that will cure even while wet.

 

[GW]

GW, Did you replace the tank or just the deck??

Bryan,
I thought the tank was in pretty rough shape when I first inspected it but it turned out o.k. It was all just the residue of rotten plywood and foam but suprisingly it cleaned right up with no pitting found.

The stringers/framing over the tank were sound as well. They looked terrible but passed the ice pick test and held the screws for the new deck just fine. All exposed wood got a few doses of epoxy first, just for good measure.

Extra pumps are a great idea, but while you are at it calculate the required current draw of the pumps you install.

Good point Kevin.

I was actually thinking about installing an "oh-$hit" pump. A high volume pump tied directly to the battery (fused of course) with appropiate guage wire and the automatic switch mounted higher than the existing float switch. My thinking is that the existing pump would handle the day to day stuff and the big boy would only cut in if the existing pump was overwhelmed. Just a thought, what do you think?

 

[DaleH]

I was actually thinking about installing an "oh-$hit" pump. A high volume pump tied directly to the battery (fused of course) with appropiate guage wire and the automatic switch mounted higher than the existing float switch. My thinking is that the existing pump would handle the day to day stuff and the big boy would only cut in if the existing pump was overwhelmed. Just a thought, what do you think?

That's how my 2200gph 'storm pump' is wired. FWIW, David Pascoe (noted marine surveyor & author) doesn't advise fusing such emergency pumps. I did, but I installed a fuse rated just below the total ampacity of the wire in there. Also consider what I did and plumb it out the OTHER side of the boat.

 

[GW]

Excellent advice, Thanks!

Oh, I forgot to mention. When I was tearing up the old deck guess what I found? About 30 stainless steel, ring shank nails holding the perimeter of the deck down. Over the tank were s.s. screws. You wanna talk about a job getting those suckers out! Vice Grips to the rescue.

 

[Megabyte]

Yea... the argument over fused or not fused has caused quite a few arguments in boating circles over the years.
In my case, I go with Pascoe. I consider my pumps to be part of the safety system and I don't want an additional point-of-failure so they are not fused.
I look at it as the owners preference.

As for placement of the float, consider this photo that I took after discovering that the solid-state switch on my primary bilge pump had failed.

Both of my pumps are the same size (1500 gph). It isn't easy to see in the photo above, but the back up pumps switch is about 1" above the primary.

My feeling was that if the primary pump (or switch) failed, which it did, I did not want the secondary switch to be so high that the water had a head start on me. One inch above the primary was determined through 'dockside testing' to be plenty of distance between the two without loading me down with extra water.

To be honest, I did not even know the primary pump switch had failed! I was washing out the bilge during spring commissioning and had a garden hose in the bilge flushing out the soap when I realized only one pump was running, and it was the backup! :shock:

After I was done cleaning the bilge, a test light confirmed the old switch was bad.
Since that photo was taken, all three of my bilge pumps now wear WaterWitch 101 solid state switches.

 

[GW]

Good info Dale and Kevin.

I need to do some research on WaterWitches. Do you buy them factory direct or thru vendor?

Thanks guys!

 

[Megabyte]

I bought mine from the company web site.

 

[GW]

Thanks Kevin. I checked them out. Reasonably priced too!

 

[Phil]

Winter project for some winter fishing into Nov/Dec. Oil space heater in Parker off-white. I have Mr. Heater which works great but only lasts about 4 hours per canister on low and storing propane is a hassle. The oil heater will run off the Honda EU2000 for the long 12 hour overnights.

 

[Mike2043]

I need to add an anchor roller and split the nav lights. I want to replace them with LED. I am also looking to upgrade to a better F/F. Last ting I want to get done is a threw the hull pick up for a wash down and live well..

 

[jeffnick]

I test my bilge pump regularly by backing my boat down the ramp with the straps on and the plug out.

 

[DougP]

Hey Uncle Matt, did you do the Turkey dump with the old g/f and get a new one yet?

No I have not started my winter projects and added one to the list, spreader lights, led of course.

curious if any one else started their winter projects?

Turkey Dump= dumping current g/f before Christmas to avoid buying a gift! :roll:

 

[MaxOut]

Extra pumps are a great idea, but while you are at it calculate the required current draw of the pumps you install. You need to have enough power available to you in order to keep those pumps running if the need arises. :wink:

It’s a good idea to have a pump in the bow too. Many times when you hit something in the water it is forward on the hull. Even in decent chop it wouldn't be hard for the boat to get a forward attitude and all the water goes to the bow. That’s when the trouble begins.


I am installing two pumps, one in the bow and one in the stern with high water alarms. Both will be 2500gph and wired to a third battery I am adding as well. I am prepping the boat for some off shore fishing in a year or two so my list is long....

 

[JTR]

Just finished adding a second pump in the bilge (2000 gph). Replaced the factory 1500 gph with a 2000 gph. I tried to run the new bilge pump hose starboard but between the wireway and where the transom was glassed to the hull it was not possible. Installed Water Witch switches, high water alarm and bilge monitor.

Replaced the factory plastic thru hulls with stainless steel thru hulls. Working on relocating the electronics overhead. Installed a fuse block to separate the power supply for each unit.

Just need more time to finish.