it is that time of year to put up the big boat. i will use it a couple of times over the next 5 months or so blackmouth fishing. question is what do some of the other boaters to to store thier boats and protect motors?

What with blackmouth, crabbing, and sturgeon in the Columbia my boat doesn’t really get laid up but, if I think it might freeze I'll drain the exhaust manifold and outdrive. I'll also start it and let it run for a while once a week. If the weather isn’t too bad I'll just take it up to Mayfield and pretend to fish for an afternoon. Before springer season gets rolling I'll change all the fluids, replace belts, replace zincs, engine coolant, etc as needed. Basically treat the engine as if it were a car engine you don’t plan to drive for a while. That is, after all, what it is.

Don't forget the fuel/fuel tank, I would suggest topping off the tank as well as dumping in the appropriate amount of Store & Start, this will help reduce condensation. In the spring I would also change the element in the fuel/water seperator (assuming your boat has 1, which I would highly recommend)) and keep at least 1 extra element on board at all times.

If it's a Merc. don't forget to drain your exhaust risers, even if your engine is fresh water cooled. The risers are often raw water cooled and will crack if frozen.

Beezer

I use my boat all winter except for Dec & Jan. I use a quick & easy winterizing method. I suck organic (Sierra) antifreeze from a bucket thru headphones and into the motor. I twisted together some hose fittings ($5) so I can switch from garden hose water (after the motor is warmed up) to bucket fluid. NO TOOLS REQUIRED! That way, the boats is always ready to go. Also, I think that the antifreeze is good to get on the raw water surfaces of the FWC system and the manifolds.

Want to be careful about getting antifreeze in the cooling water pick-up pump softens impellor an can spin on shaft in some. I also think the anti-freeze is good for inside of risers an manifolds.

The suggestion about treating your gas is a great one, try to run it long enough after you do to get the treated gas in the carb.

Then I fog the motor with Marvel Mystery oil and stall it out after a little bit.

I restart with fresh gas down the carb.




herm

I bought a winterizing kit with a 5 gallon jug and a hose that attaches to the earmuffs. I just get a good supply of antifreeze at West Marine when they put it on sale. Then when I get home after a trip I'll run it to warm it, since you have to flush the salt water out anyway, and then shut it down and put the muffs on the antifreeze hose and start it up and let it run until I get antifreeze coming out of the exhaust. Takes a couple of gallons or so. I only go every few weeks or so and go through 15 or 20 gallons every winter, but it is cheap insurance to make sure everything stays in one piece! Until the weather really gets cold, I will just drain out the water so the first frost doesn't catch me off guard. Luckily we don't get a real deep freeze right off the bat like in some places!!

I'm taking a class this Saturday at West Marine on winterizing boats. The class is free and my wife signed me up for it. Our boat is a fresh water cooled I/O with Volvo-Penta outdrive. Seems like I need to find out how to drain and put antifreeze in the exhaust riser. Can you wrap a heat blanket on it? If I find out anything new I will post this weekend.

Herm has a good point, being as though those impellers are constanly in water and lots of friction i would bet the rubber is (epdm) ethelene proplene rubber is not compadable with peteroleum products, suggest a motor home septic tank anti freeze, non peteroleum, but check first about contact with metal, don't think its a problem

Doug,

I have been using my method with the Sierra antifreeze (1 part antifreeze to 2 parts water) for 5 years. Finally replaced my water pump impellor this summer. The antifreeze didn't hurt it at all. My Volvo has an external raw water pump. And maybe it's cuz the Sierra is non-toxic?

Quick & easy is best in my book.