Winter Cover

Sankaty is snuggling up to other boats in mast city awaiting its winter blanket.  First the rear pulpits and all the life lines must come down and a little support structure must be added to hold the blanket up over the cockpit and the front deck as well as an A frame to hold the boom exactly in the center and at the right level.  

Yesterday I had the engine running while the sea water cooling pump was connected to a hose immersed in a gallon jug of RV anti freeze.  I left it running till the exhaust had strictly pink fluid coming out.  This made sure that all the cooling system lines, heat ex-changer and muffler had plenty of RV antifreeze.  It took about 3/4 of a gallon.

• I also filled the drinking water lines with antifreeze.  
• First I made sure both water storage tanks were empty (with the new bladder tank it is not so critical) 
• Then I disconnected the water heater and connected the two lines together with a little PVC nipple 
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• I also opened the petcock on the water heater to let out the remaining water (that should prevent any freezing in the water heater).
• Next I disconnected the inlet and outlet lines from the electric water pressurization pump and  connected the pressurized water line to the inlet of the pump.  
• Then I removed the shower head from the shower hose and stuffed the hose into a gallon jug of RV antifreeze. 
• First with the hot water faucet open until the pump started to output pink fluid.
• Then with just the cold water faucet open till the pump started to pump out pink fluid.
•  Next I have to remove the hose to the accumulator to make sure no water is up there.
• as well as the to faucets at the galley. 

I was not sure that I had all the lines full of the pink stuff, so I connected the lines back to the pump output and connected a short pieces of hose from the pump inlet to a gallon of antifreeze. Then, I pressurize the whole system and then check each of the seven faucets for pink stuff.  Sure enough two faucets spouted considerable clear water.
                                                                                                                                                                  

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 2013 transom coverage.   

2013 around the mast,  front needs to go one inch higher.

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