Closing Up for Winter

LIforrelaxin · 10-17-2016, 03:57 PM

I open and close my place myself... Including the dock work.... It has gotten a bit easier now that I have teenagers... I let them get in the water for the dock work.....

In the camp the water has a low point, and drains nice and easy....

I am now in the process of slowly converting over to PEX for the plumbing... and see that soon I may go to a compressed air drain methodology, so I can stop taking facets apart...

The key I have found, is to spread the work out, so that open and closing basically takes 3 relaxing weekends....

1. Put in water and get the outside furniture out of storage
2. Dock installation
3. Toys into the water (Boat, Jet Ski etc)

and in the fall

1. Toys out of the water
2. Dock comes out
3. Outside furniture into storage and take water out

Admittedly in the fall step 3 sometimes turns into a multi-weekend event because I just don't want to let summer go!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pricestavern · 10-18-2016, 10:31 AM

Close the cabin ourselves and Watermark hoists the seasonal dock and takes our boat lift out. Same in reverse during the Spring.

Pineedles · 10-18-2016, 11:45 AM

Thank you all for your comments, it will help build my case for DIY for non-dock issues. LOL. Please vote too, even if you comment. Thanks.

Pine Island Guy · 10-18-2016, 12:16 PM

We keep our house open year-round, but I winterize two other houses, and it's not a bad job if you have things (e.g. the water system) set up for it and follow a pattern so you don't forget anything.

There have been numerous threads on the Forum with tips and tricks for making the water systems easier to start up and shut down. I use a compressor to blow them out, just for added comfort/insurance.

I help with a friends dock, as we progress into our 60s, it gets a bit more difficult, but we still manage. We've got it down to a pretty good system now with using styrofoam floats and a winch... the owner said "I think we've set it up to make it easier next year", and a friend responded "you mean you're going to hire someone?!?!"...

It is still spectacular at the lake (even though i might need a step ladder soon to get out of the boat)... enjoy the fall everyone! -PIG

MAXUM · 10-18-2016, 01:21 PM

I do everything myself. To cheap to hire anyone to do stuff I can do myself.

Even though I'm winterized I use my place a lot over the winter as well. I hope this year we actually have decent ice and some decent snow fall.

mcdude · 11-05-2016, 11:55 AM

Can I leave my LED TV in the unheated camp or do I need to bring it home?

Lakeboater · 11-05-2016, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcdude

Can I leave my LED TV in the unheated camp or do I need to bring it home?

A LED TV will be fine in an unheated camp over the winter.

View Poll Results: How do you close up the cottage for the winter?
We do it ourselves	36	78.26%
We hire a firm to do it	10	21.74%
Voters: 46. You may not vote on this poll

10-17-2016, 03:57 PM	#1
LIforrelaxin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas, Lake Ray Hubbard and NH, Long Island Winnipesaukee Posts: 2,970 Thanks: 1,064 Thanked 912 Times in 539 Posts	I open and close my place myself... Including the dock work.... It has gotten a bit easier now that I have teenagers... I let them get in the water for the dock work..... In the camp the water has a low point, and drains nice and easy.... I am now in the process of slowly converting over to PEX for the plumbing... and see that soon I may go to a compressed air drain methodology, so I can stop taking facets apart... The key I have found, is to spread the work out, so that open and closing basically takes 3 relaxing weekends.... 1. Put in water and get the outside furniture out of storage 2. Dock installation 3. Toys into the water (Boat, Jet Ski etc) and in the fall 1. Toys out of the water 2. Dock comes out 3. Outside furniture into storage and take water out Admittedly in the fall step 3 sometimes turns into a multi-weekend event because I just don't want to let summer go!!!!!!!!!!!! __________________ Life is about how much time you can spend relaxing... I do it on an island that isn't really an island.....

10-18-2016, 12:16 PM	#4
Pine Island Guy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: pine island of course! Posts: 411 Thanks: 261 Thanked 251 Times in 115 Posts	open, close, repeat... We keep our house open year-round, but I winterize two other houses, and it's not a bad job if you have things (e.g. the water system) set up for it and follow a pattern so you don't forget anything. There have been numerous threads on the Forum with tips and tricks for making the water systems easier to start up and shut down. I use a compressor to blow them out, just for added comfort/insurance. I help with a friends dock, as we progress into our 60s, it gets a bit more difficult, but we still manage. We've got it down to a pretty good system now with using styrofoam floats and a winch... the owner said "I think we've set it up to make it easier next year", and a friend responded "you mean you're going to hire someone?!?!"... It is still spectacular at the lake (even though i might need a step ladder soon to get out of the boat)... enjoy the fall everyone! -PIG

11-05-2016, 11:55 AM	#6
mcdude Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Rock Haven Lake - West Newfield, ME Posts: 5,343 Thanks: 370 Thanked 1,033 Times in 480 Posts	Can I leave my LED TV in the unheated camp or do I need to bring it home? __________________

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10-18-2016, 10:31 AM	#2
Pricestavern Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Valencia, Spain (formerly Rattlesnake Isle) Posts: 389 Thanks: 135 Thanked 142 Times in 82 Posts	Close the cabin ourselves and Watermark hoists the seasonal dock and takes our boat lift out. Same in reverse during the Spring.

10-18-2016, 11:45 AM	#3
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,550 Thanks: 1,072 Thanked 672 Times in 369 Posts	Thank you all for your comments, it will help build my case for DIY for non-dock issues. LOL. Please vote too, even if you comment. Thanks.

10-18-2016, 01:21 PM	#5
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 244 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	I do everything myself. To cheap to hire anyone to do stuff I can do myself. Even though I'm winterized I use my place a lot over the winter as well. I hope this year we actually have decent ice and some decent snow fall.

The Following User Says Thank You to MAXUM For This Useful Post:
SteveO123 (11-06-2016)

The Following User Says Thank You to Lakeboater For This Useful Post:
mcdude (11-06-2016)