Q: A year ago we winterized our boat using a non-toxic antifreeze in the water system. All last year the water tasted terrible. This past winter I used the same pink anti-freeze again, so how do I get rid of that bad taste?
Bill Morrison, Springfield, MO

A: "Pink pop," as non-toxic antifreeze is known around boatyards, is safe in potable systems, even though it gives water a terrible taste. This is particularly true if it's been sitting in the plumbing or water tank over a spell of hot weather. That's when the stuff gets really rank.

The cure starts with several thorough rinsings of the water tank and all of the plumbing lines. Even a small amount of pink pop in a forgotten hot water line can contaminate the boat's whole supply of potable water. A favorite hiding place is the hose inlet where the boat is connected to a dockside water system.

Drain the tank as much as possible. Then, fill it to a level slightly higher than the former level of pink antifreeze. Pump this out through all of the water taps, both hot and cold. Then, repeat as often as necessary to clear the taste.

The hot water tank should have been drained and bypassed when the boat was winterized. If this standard winterization procedure was followed, be sure to bypass the tank again while flushing the system. You'll want to keep the pink taste from the rest of the water system from getting into that tank. You'll have to fill and drain that tank several times if the hot water tank wasn't bypassed. (Warning: Make sure to turn off all power to the hot water tank before draining it. Otherwise, you'll burn out the heating elements.)

It should take several fill and drain cycles to get rid of the bad taste. An "off" odor or taste may remain. Several chemicals are available for improving the taste of water stored in a tank. Read and follow directions. Consider filling the whole system with chemically treated water and letting it sit for a while before pumping it out and rinsing the system.

Send your BoatCraft Q&A questions to Dave Brown c/o Boating World, 2100 Powers Ferry Road, Atlanta, GA 30339. You can also e-mail your questions to editor@boatingworld.com. Due to the volume of inquiries, Dave Brown will be unable to answer every question.