We pull the mast every year, cuts the rigging wear way down and it's not that big a deal though I know most people think it is a big deal. In addition, it lets you build a winter cover that will for sure keep the water out, the covers that go on around rigging still leave gaps here and there that rain and snow get into.

We had been using a winter cover with wood frames I built covered with heavy tarps. But the quality of tarps now are junk, where we got 4 seasons out of the first tarp, the last 2 have not lasted 2 seasons. So we have had a custom winter cover made with aluminum frames. Most people around here that cover their boats use these type of covers. Very durable and keep the weather out well. There are lots of places making them. Could have paid for one with what I've spent on tarps....

We have a cradle, I think they're much more secure than jackstands. I would not sleep well with my boat on jackstands in the howling winter winds we get. If we were in a sheltered area I might feel otherwise, but our strongest winds by far are in winter and we are pretty exposed.

Here in the Northern Chesapeake, virtually no one pulls their mast. I did it once in 9 years on my C30 and once in 15 years on my '97 (to replace the rigging). But I understand that in New England and other parts of the world, people pull them every year. Who knows.

I bought a custom cover 2 years ago, from a couple who had it for sale in the classifieds here. Made by Fairclough Marine, two pieces with half a dozen screened vents. Frame is galvanized steel. Fits around the rigging/mast perfectly and I've detected virtually no water getting through. Of course a certain amount does come down the inside of the mast, but not a whole lot, I don't believe it's ever been enough to turn on the bilge pump.

Storing it inside in a nice heated warehouse would be wonderful..!!! Jack stands are provided by marinas around here, as part of the winter storage rate.

[QUOTE=norgetek;19185]I...found out that I will be getting water down my mast in the winter from snow melting and should be going to my boat and emptying the bilge. Never occurred to me.[/QUOTE]

That's true, but with our boat we haven't found it to be that much of an issue. We used to leave a couple of quarts of antifreeze in the bilge, but ice forms anyway, as the antifreeze and rainwater tend to get stratified, so its just a waste of money and increases the level of liquids in the bilge. In the end, we haven't found the total amount of rain and snow melt to be all that much over a winter. I maybe empty it out once during the storage period, just to be safe.
If you are worried about it, another alternative is to put in a garboard drain. There's an article on the site about installing it [url]http://www.c36ia.com/node/2257[/url], and a few threads on this in the past, if you do a search, including [url]http://www.c36ia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2035&highlight=garboard[/url]

Add a capfull of bleach and then drain the fresh water tanks.
Use a small shop vaccuum to suck out the excess water from the bilge and shower sump.
Pump the waste tank and fill the fuel tank.
Empty the fridge and dry food locker and wash the fridge with bleach water.
Leave the fridge cover off.
Open all through hulls but remember to write yourself a note to close or check them when you launch in the spring.
The engine will be fine in heated storage and you can change the oil and fresh water impeller next spring.
Shove a small cheap umbrella up the mast hole to allow the inside of the boat to breath.

The marina will provide the jack stands and add the rental to your bill.

That should do it, relax and enjoy the off season.

My boat comes out September 6.

[QUOTE=William Matley;19195]Add a capfull of bleach and then drain the fresh water tanks.
Use a small shop vaccuum to suck out the excess water from the bilge and shower sump.
Pump the waste tank and fill the fuel tank.
Empty the fridge and dry food locker and wash the fridge with bleach water.
Leave the fridge cover off.
Open all through hulls but remember to write yourself a note to close or check them when you launch in the spring.
The engine will be fine in heated storage and you can change the oil and fresh water impeller next spring.
Shove a small cheap umbrella up the mast hole to allow the inside of the boat to breath.

The marina will provide the jack stands and add the rental to your bill.

That should do it, relax and enjoy the off season.

My boat comes out September 6.[/QUOTE]

September 6th!! Yikes, that's early. I still have lots of good sailing in Lake Erie in September. My date is October 12th this year and that is early for me.

We use jack stands and lived thru Sandy so I wouldn't worry about them if they are properly set (the plywood sections of wood the place under the stands to prevent them from sinking into the blacktop came out though, that's a scary thought).

Some people get their boats shrink wrapped here in NJ as well as some using the Fairclough covers. Be aware that the covers come for storage with the mast up and with the mast down... you have to specify. In either case, make sure you have ventilation as in the sun it gets very warm under the covers, I'll bet even in Wi.

[QUOTE=William Matley;19195]
The engine will be fine in heated storage and you can change the oil and fresh water impeller next spring.
[/QUOTE]
I claim no expertise, but the experts I've read advise changing the oil before the winter storage, so that the moving parts aren't sitting for six months in the accumulated acids in the old oil. And then another oil change at spring commissioning.

And as well, to take out the impeller for the winter, so that the vanes don't take a "set".

So that's what we do. Of course, I'm certainly open to being persuaded that neither of these steps are needed, particularly the former (changing the oil is way up on my list of chores I least enjoy!)

Around me, jack stands are provided and set by the boat yard. That way if anything happens, their insurance will cover it. Make sure they connect port and starboard sides together with chains. You certainly don't want the owner of the boat next to you setting his own and having his boat topple over into yours. I am still happy to use my cradle.

I change the oil every fall, fill up the tank with diesel and put a storage chemical stabilizer in with the diesel to keep down growth of organisms. I do not remove the impeller and have never had a problem with it. It is kind of a PITA with the pump on the MKII engine. I just replace the impeller every 2 or 3 years depending on hours used.

When you store unheated outdoors, drain and bypass the water heater before running antifreeze through the water system. W/O the water heater in play, it only takes me 3 gallons or less to fill all of the water lines and winterize each of the 3 tanks.

My yard winterizes the engine with anti-freeze when I haul out, but it is a simple 2 person job if you do it yourself.

I have been shrink wrapping each year, but with the price constantly increasing I may look into Fairclough.

I leave the mast up, and back off the tension on the rigging.
i only tarp the cockpit, but leave it assessable so I can get in and check the bilge.
I pump the bilge out when it melts, but it has never really been a big problem, normally check it late November nad march, unless we have a big february thaw.

I winterize the following way.

2 gallons of anti freeze run through the engine.
a gallon in each water tank.
I bypass the hot water heater and drain it.
I run the taps from the water tanks, both hot and cold til it runs pink.
Don't forget about the cockpit shower.
I remove the electric bilge pump, and pump a half gallon of anti freeze through the head bilge pump.
I disconnect the Mermaid AC unit and blow it out.

Hope this help, heated storage would be nice, but I like leaving the stick up.

[QUOTE=richie30;19988]I leave the mast up, and back off the tension on the rigging.
i only tarp the cockpit, but leave it assessable so I can get in and check the bilge.
I pump the bilge out when it melts, but it has never really been a big problem, normally check it late November nad march, unless we have a big february thaw.

I winterize the following way.

2 gallons of anti freeze run through the engine.
a gallon in each water tank.
I bypass the hot water heater and drain it.
I run the taps from the water tanks, both hot and cold til it runs pink.
Don't forget about the cockpit shower.
I remove the electric bilge pump, and pump a half gallon of anti freeze through the head bilge pump.
I disconnect the Mermaid AC unit and blow it out.

Hope this help, heated storage would be nice, but I like leaving the stick up.[/QUOTE]

And for those with the foot pump to drain the icebox, don't forget to pump some antifreeze through that as well...

[QUOTE=richie30;19988]

I winterize the following way.

2 gallons of anti freeze run through the engine.
[/QUOTE]

This was an M-25 winterized with two gallons of -50. The owner split his HX.. Remember the displacement is not 1:1 it mixes and dilutes with the water that is already in there...

[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/image/147301856.jpg[/IMG]

This is what was left in the HX:
[IMG]http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/image/147301857.jpg[/IMG]

What comes out the exhaust should be identical in strength as to what it went in as. A sight refratcometer can be used to test before and after...

I run the non toxic plumbing anti freeze through the water intake, and have for 16 years on the advice of the marina engine tech. It is not to be diluted, and works fine.

We pull our mast every year. This takes any load of the hull and gets the mast out of the weather. After the mast is down tie up all of the rigging with a small line to hold it all together. we also wrap the mast with plastic wrap to keep crap off of ti for the winter. Birds like to roost in the spar shed. :(

I use a couple of $100.00 tarps 30' x 40' for a double layer over an EMT tubing frame connected with "Frame Maker Clamps". Do a search and you will find them in Michigan I think. I also throw a fish net from a salmon farm over the tarps. It makes a big difference in keeping the tarps on in a wind.