Is Your Boat Ready for Winter?
While we at Ship Your Boat Now are blessed with tropical temperatures throughout most of the year, not all of our friends and client family enjoy the same warmth. The colder months are here for some of us and quickly approaching for some of the remainder.
This probably means that your boat will be sitting around just begging to be used.
While you won’t feel like or maybe won’t even be able to get you boat into the water because of the arctic blasts, you need to ensure that the call of the woods and the warmth of the fireplace don’t distract you from taking care of your baby.
Spring will be popping its green head around the corner quicker that we realize and you don’t want to be in for any unpleasant surprises.
Winterize your boat…before Old Man Winter attacks:
1. Drain and replace the oil in the lower unit of the engine. You may have water from intrusion due to the cold shrinking the seals. This could cause corrosion and possibly crack the housing. You can release a bit of oil to see if any water comes out. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations for what type of lower unit oil is recommended. Replace the plug screw sealing gaskets while you’re at it.
2. Check your batteries for correct water levels. Give good batteries a full charge before stowing for long periods so they don’t fully discharge and cause plate failure.
3. Add fuel stabilizer in the gas tank.
4. Fog the engine before you store it and after any use. It’s not a bad idea to carry around some fogging oil and apply at the end of the day.
5. If you are going to use your boat over the winter, it’s not a bad idea to leave the motor in the down position for a while after using it to allow drainage. Sometimes giving the engine a few short cranks without starting it can help push out engine water.
6. If you’re going to store the boat in extended cold you can put RV antifreeze in the lines. You’ll want to make sure the live wells and bilge areas don’t have standing water.
7. Lubricate things like the shaft on the motor and the steering assembly.
That’s some basic stuff for the boat but don’t forget your trailer. Do some bearing service and make sure to check the lighting as well. Happy boating!