Disinfect tanks and water circuits
We all know the power and disinfecting power of bleach. But if this product remains cheap, it has the enormous disadvantage of giving a very strong taste to the water. It should not be used on a boat. Fortunately, there are cleaning products that have the same effect, but without using chlorine, so without giving a bad taste to the water.
Yachticon's Aqua Clean, sold for 11.80 euros in the Accastillage Diffusion catalog, treats 500 liters of water with 50 ml. When winterizing your boat, it is advisable to empty your water tanks, to put a dose of product through the filler neck and then to refill the tank (about 20 liters).
From the inside, using the various water points on the boat (galley, head, deck shower), water is circulated through all the pipes and the pump to re-drain the tank while cleaning the pipes. This ensures that the disinfectant has been circulated through all pipes and pumps.
Winterize your bathroom with care
Toilets must also be prepared before winter. For marine toilets (with sea water), the water supply is disconnected and water mixed with descaler is pumped into a bucket. You can find Matt Chem Teub at 14,60euros/l at Accastillage Diffusion. The product must be left to act so that it chemically attacks the scale. Then empty the circuit.
If your boat is equipped with black water tanks, you should also rinse them with a product that disinfects and eliminates bad odors. Aqua Kem Blue (17,50 euros/2 l at Accastillage Diffusion) liquefies the materials and eliminates gases.
Finally, the seals of toilet pumps should be greased. This prevents them from drying out and sticking to the pump body during the winter. Yachticon's toilet maintenance oil (9.95 euros/100 ml in the Accastillage Diffusion network) lubricates the toilet mechanism and ensures that the seals will remain in good condition when the toilet is used again. You can also fill the bottom of the bowl with oil to make a plug against bad smells during winter.
Beware of frost
Winterization means winter. During this period, the water remaining in the pipes must not freeze, otherwise it may cause leaks. The same goes for the toilet bowl, you must not leave water at the bottom of the bowl or the plastic will freeze and crack.
But if we easily think of the sinks and toilets, the yachtsman too often forgets the outside shower. It too has pipes full of water and, installed outside, often close to the transom, it is the most likely to freeze. It is the least protected and freezes the fastest. At Accastillage Diffusion, we admit that the bathing shower is one of the products that is often changed after winter
