From what I have found out, it is recommended that you winterize your boat before the temperature comes near, or falls below freezing.īy winterizing your inboard motor, this will help prevent gunk from building up, and it keeps condensation out of the fuel tank. Some people try to push this envelope a little further than others to maximize their boat usage. Keep your boat covered up will also help keep rodents and other creepy crawlies out from making it their home.Īt What Temperature Should I Winterize My Boat The sun will fade paint, and cause seats to crack. Cover Your Boat Cover your boat with a tarp to help protect the paint and to stop snow and water from getting in.To safely flush and protect the lines, use an antifreeze that contains propylene glycol. Any water left in your freshwater tank or the water lines will freeze and expand, which could cause your water tank to crack, and the water lines to burst. Drain and Protect Freshwater Tank and Lines Draining your water tank and protecting your water lines are almost as important as protecting your engine.If you are not able to store the battery indoors, you may leave it on the boat hooked up to a four-stage smart charger to keep a trickle charge going to it. Ideally, you should be storing your marine battery in a basement or heated workshop to prevent the battery from freezing and dying. Disconnect The Battery Disconnect the battery and remove it from the boat.Changing the oil filter at the same time can offer that extra bit of protection that your engine will need. Moisture could lead to several different problems, such as loss of power, excessive engine wear, and not to mention the possibility of complete engine failure. Change The Oil and Oil Filter Engine oil should be replaced at the end of the summer to help prevent moisture from corroding the engine.Fill The Engine Block With Antifreeze Run a non-toxic propylene glycol antifreeze through your engine to prevent any residual water trapped inside from freezing.Outboard engines do not require this because of the fact that they self-drain. Any water left inside the engine or hoses could freeze, expand and then crack the engine block and weaken hoses. Don’t forget to remove the water-pump hose from the water pump to allow all of the water trapped inside to empty. Drain Water From Engine If you have a stern-drive and inboard engine, you will need to manually open the petcock generally located at the sides of the engine block.Apply a generous amount of fogging oil into the air intake. Be sure to read our article starting a boat engine out of the water before you start it up. It is better to apply a fogging oil to the engine while it is running. Fog The Engine Fogging the engine with an anticorrosive oil will protect the carburetor, and the cylinders from corrosion will be stored for an extended period.Adding fuel stabilizer to your fuel will prevent fuel injectors and carburetors from clogging by stopping oxidation and chemical breakdown from inside your fuel tank. Both STA-BIL and Sentry are two acceptable brands that will protect your fuel year-round. Stabilize the Fuel Top up your fuel tank, but leave a little room to add fuel stabilizer.Without properly winterizing your boat, you run the risk of water freezing and causing the engine block to crack, resulting in having to replace the engine come the spring.Īfter doing a bunch of research on the best ways to winterize my boat, I have come up with the following guide to help you with your winterization checklist. But before that happens you need to make sure that your boat is ready. With winter right around the corner, the cold air will soon be taking over, causing temperatures to drop below freezing for half of the country.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |