I'm planning to keep my boat in the water all winter (second year in a row)
and will be doing a variety of winterizing tasks over the next few days.
Last year, I didn't do much to the engine (Universal M-18) but kept a
100-watt trouble light burning beneath the block. I closed the seacock but
didn't drain the raw water cooling system or fill it with antifreeze.
Winters here in southern Virginia aren't terribly severe, but I'm thinking
nonetheless that I was probably lucky that things came through the winter
without a problem.
This year I want to be more careful. I plan to fill the raw water system
with glycol anti-freeze, but what about the internal fresh water cooling
system? Since the filler cap is at the top of the engine, there isn't room
to visually inspect to determine the water level, and I have no idea when
the last time antifreeze may have been added (that was my first year with
the boat). Should I just go ahead and pour in antifreeze until it fills to
the top? If I overfill, does that create a problem (other than the clean-up
mess of having antifreeze spilling over into the engine compartment and
bilge)? And I assume I can use ordinary automotive antifreeze in that
system, am I right?
Thanks.
Jeff Sheler
s/v Windsome
C27TR #6594
Hampton, VA
