[C320-list] Water Pump Hose & Winterizing

[Kaare Wold]

Skippers, there are numerous techniques to winterize the engine with 
antifreeze.  The following practice works well for me and eliminates the 
need to cut into the existing raw water intake hose.  Here is how I do it.
I simply take a 3' length of heater hose.  Insert the hose into the thru 
hull opening from the bottom of the boat.  I have a small 2 step step stool 
supporting a bucket containing 2 gallons of the 50/50 antifreeze solution 
under the boat.  With the hose firmly pushed into the thru hull intake and 
immersed in the antifreeze, my mate starts the engine.  You hold your breath 
and suddenly the antifreeze level will drop quickly.  You should hold on to 
the hose to keep it immersed and insure it does not loose suction in the 
liquid.  Soon the green mix will run through the system and out the exhaust. 
Of couse, as soon as the exhaust spits out the antifreeze, immediately shut 
the engine off.  Done!  Don't worry, the level in the bucket drops quickly, 
but the 2 gallons is more than sufficient.
This method works great.  Sorry, my hose is on the boat so I am unable to 
give you the exact diameter, but I believe it is about 5/8"  Don't buy the 
vinyl plastic stuff, get regular rubber automotive type hose.  You will need 
to slightly trim the hose end to create a taper to enable you to ram it in 
the intake hole securely.  If you have an air leak there, no suction will 
occur.
This technique has worked well for us on Sheet Music as well as our previous 
Pearson for many years.
Kaare & Mary Wold   Sheet Music  #945
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Martin Rosenberg" <martinlrosenberg at gmail.com>
To: <C320-list at catalina320.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2014 8:39 PM
Subject: [C320-list] Water Pump Hose & Winterizing


>  I was inspecting my water hose that connects the thru-hull with the raw
> water filter. It was badly dried & cracked and will be replaced now. It is
> an extremely heavy hose with wire reinforcement. Is all that really
> necessary? Can I replace it with heavy duty clear, reinforced hose?
>  On my last boat, I would open the filter cover and pour anti-freeze into
> it while running the engine until the exhaust water ran pink. Since the 
> raw
> water filter opens from the bottom, how do you run anti-freeze through the
> system?
>  Thanks.
> Martin Rosenberg
> Avalon  #823