Carver Owners Forum

My new-to-me Riviera 28 is parked in my yard for the winter, but I need to drain the water tank and the hot water tank, and the bilge. According to the manual, there is a bilge drain plug to be found near the engines. Otherwise I will use the shop vac and put some pink in.
The manual doesn't really make it clear how to drain the tanks. Any tips would be appreciated!

I have arranged for the local marina (small boat marina) to come and winterize the engines and shrink wrap the boat.

The water heater should have a drain valve. The fresh water tank does not. You need to run all the water out through a faucet or disconnect the hose from the tank to the pump and let it drain into the bildge.
You also need to pump anti freeze through all of your water lines.

Easy way turn on water pump and open a faucet until tank is empty. Disconnect the pump intake hose close to where it exits the tank. Connect a hose to this and insert into pink plumbing antifreeze. Open 1 facet at at time until you see pink and then shut off, proceed to next faucet. If the head draws from this same tank flush head until you see pink. Once all faucets are done that's it. The water heater as mentioned has a drain valve, open that which will drain into the bilge. It is important to open the pressure relief valve to allow air to enter in order to empty the tank properly. As for the bilge drain plug, most are at the stern on the most bottom part of the V, unscrew it and leave it off for the winter. Don't forget wash down pump if so equipped. Also make sure engines are winterized properly.

Thanks all - this really clarifies things for me.
I don't think I have a washdown pump.
Gas tank gauges now look pretty full. Wish I had though to add stabil before haulout. O well.

SunsetSteve wrote:Source of the post Wish I had though to add stabil before haulout. O well.

You can still treat the tanks......it just won't get thru to the carbs etc.

Ya, did that. Can't really do anything else at this point. From my moto days I believe the carbs are the vulnerable bits.

Before you run antifreeze through the plumbing, by-pass the hot water heater or you'll have to fill it before any antifreeze gets to your hot water faucets. That could be 11 additional gallons to fill an 11 gallon tank.

Did the job b4 getting to the above. We couldn't readily access the pump intake so we ran both hot and cold traps dry then poured pink into the water fill intake on deck, then ran both h and c taps until pink owned from all.
Then the head and next will be the shower sump and the bilge pump
The bilges are currently quite dry.
But where is/are the trim tab pump/s and what linrivanr do you top them up with? The manual is spectacularly unhelpful with details

Trim tab pump should be in the aft cabin close to the transom. Look for panels or access hatches to the transom that would allow access to the rudders, the pump is usually in that space. Trim tab pumps usually use ATF fluid. Make sure they're in the fully retracted position when you top up to the full line of the reservoir.

Thanks, Viper. I'll look closely in there tomorrow and pick up some ATF fluid. I have poked around in there but wasn't sure what to look for.
Sorry for all the weird typos. I am usually better at proofing. Long day on arthritic knees!