winterise

[swampy]

[]hey folks ,

well it's gettin cold in the panhandel [60] and winter is commin. i need to know what if anything i need to do to winterise my boat, motor, ect ,till spring.

do i need to take the battries out or just leave them in, last year we didn't even get a freeze but the year before it got down to about [19] for about 3 hours or more a day for a week and then came spring. what do i do to the motor to make sure it starts good come march. thanks

swampy
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[davetclown]

hey swampy

Great question,

This is an annual ritual for fisherman in the north, I have just looked out my window and I see an inch of fresh snow cover, I will have to go out an pick my last bit of broccoli for this year. []

The sure start thing you ask about is a spring question, the concerns here in the north is protecting the cylinder walls, plugs, and lower end.[crazy]

My mechanic has suggested that we pull the plugs give the cylinder a shot of WD-40 spray the plugs as well both sides. This will help to keep out any rust that may want to set in through condensation. It doses not hurt to pull the plug wires one at a time and spray the ends of those as well.[]

He also suggest that you drain the lube from the lower unit to save from winter freeze. This is in case water had collected in side of the lower unit. if it has then when the frigid temps set in the water will freeze and crack the lower end and may not show till it is to late and you have destroyed the unit on the lake. Besides you always want to put in fresh lube every year to maintain the best possible working conditions for the unit.[]

Cover or place the motor out of reach of snow and ice.[]

Wait till spring fever to start your priming the motor for spring thing.[angelic]
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[PREDATOR]

Pull the batteries out if you are going to leave the boat out doors. Dont set them on concrete, a wood board works best. You will want to trickle charge them every so often to help them stay good during the off season. This will help preserve battery life. Disconnect the gas line and run the fuel out of the carbuerator, or hook up a cooling system flush and run the gas out. You will want to flush the system anyways. Fogg the engine, this is done usually by spraying fogging oil into the cylindar, this prevents the cylindar from forming rust deposits that will flake off and damage the cylindar. Grease the threads lightly of your spark plugs, this will help to prevent moisture from getting into the cylindar. Change out the oil in the lower unit, clear off any metal filings from the drain plug, check for water mixed in with the oil. Grease all lube points to press out any water that is held up inside grease compartments, dont forget about the trailer. Make sure you have cleared all the water out of live well hoses, bilge, ect. Basically you want to eliminate any presence of water, and moisture while it sits. Remember cold is the enemy to batteries. Keep them warm and charged and they will last you twice as long. if you own an inboard, make sure you drain the block, freeze and crack that and you are screwed.

[MOBass]

Here is what I go through to put my rig away for the winter. Wash and wax both boat and trailer and Armor All the tires while you still have a touch of fair weather. Add fuel stabilizer to the tank and make sure it is topped off. Fog the motor and change gear lube. Make sure you have a quality charger for your batteries and the fluid is topped off. I prefer a good on board charger because I am lazy. Make sure everything is good and dry, cover it all up and give it a good night kiss. Come spring I replace spark plugs, pull the prop and grease the shaft, and hit all the lube points on the motor and steering system. Most important in the spring is to have a good motor flusher. I like to start the motor the first time at the house to save the grief of getting to the lake and finding a problem on the first trip.
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[davetclown]

you can get a free boat winterizing guide at

[font "Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"][size 2]To get a free guide, call (800) 283-2883, or visit: [url "http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy"][#0000ff]www.boatus.com/seaworthy[/#0000ff][/url].[/size][/font]
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