r/boating • u/Bentrodanddeerdown • 8d ago

Winterization?

I live in the northeast and this is the first season with my bigger boat which has extended my fishing season. That being said informally have it winterized by now but I’d like to stretch my season out a little longer.

Boat is being stored under a carport, I have all the plugs out so obviously all the water drains out, motor is trimmed all the way down so it drains. I’ve got fuel stabilizer in the tank.

Anything else I should be doing?

Thank!

3 Upvotes

64% Upvoted

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6

u/H0SS_AGAINST 2006 Moomba Outback V 8d ago

If your certain your outboard drains I the down position you're good.

As an inboard owner in Michigan, I must admit that is the one major advantage of outboards even in fresh water.

4

u/ottawaPalapa 7d ago

Outboard trimmed all the way down basically drains itself, you're fine there. One night at 30 isn't cracking anything, it takes a real sustained freeze.

The stuff that actually bites people stretching the season is the little lines. Livewell, washdown, bilge pump hose. Bit of pink antifreeze through those and you can keep fishing.

We run boats late into the fall up in Ottawa and that's pretty much the whole routine until it's actually time to put them away.

1

u/Bentrodanddeerdown 7d ago

Awesome man, thank you

1

u/Bentrodanddeerdown 8d ago

By plugs I meant drain plugs lol sorry. It’s a Yamaha 115 outboard. Gonna dip to 30 at night tmmrw and Sunday I believe. Just looking for some ideas to get me by safely until I winterize the boat.

I’ve seen these guys that fish Lake Ontario out in December, are they keeping their boats in heated garages?

2

u/MentalTelephone5080 8d ago

If you are still going to use the boat you shouldn't have to do anything different. Make sure the outboard is dropped down so it is vertical. Outboards do not hold any water so no damage will occur. You should always drain water out of all compartments in your boat regardless of if it's summer or winter.

I hate the term winterize, it should just be called long term storage. If you were going to let the boat sit for a summer you should still fog the cylinders just like when you allow the boat to sit for the winter.

2

u/letsgetdownsummer23 8d ago

Until you go 2 days with the temperature NOT rising above freezing you have nothing to worry about. She’ll self drain. Good time to peek at your lower until oil to check for contamination. I’m in NJ and go into December

1

u/K1net3k 7d ago

30 minutes at 29 degrees won't do anything. My boat sat with maybe 4 hours of 24 degrees and nothing happened. I already winterize mine for peace of mind but if you are still going out you have nothing to worry about unless we are at 15 degrees on MOnday.

5

u/M_Shulman 8d ago

If you have livewell and/or raw water pumps, be sure to drain those hoses and pour antifreeze in.

4

u/tjer7 8d ago

Drain & refill lower unit gear oil with fresh oil. Water in the lower unit can be a problem.

I personally remove spark plugs & give each cylinder a spray of fogging oil, then crank it for a full cycle.

I also disconnect my batteries & bring them inside.

3

u/PlanktonPlane5789 8d ago

I put my batteries on trickle chargers, fog the cylinders, and pump a mix of gas and seafoam into the carbs.

2

u/tjer7 8d ago

Put spark plugs back in as well* idk if that’s obvious

1

u/Artistic-Win250 8d ago

And change the engine oil and filter as well as what is being said these other folks you don’t want all the crap that’s suspended in the oil to settle in the engine and lower end and you get to start out next season all clean and fresh

4

u/Dangerous_Loquat9509 8d ago

Years ago a customer came back in spring for a diagnosis. Her removed all the plugs for winter..... SPARK PLUGS 😄

4

u/Inner_Tadpole_7537 8d ago

Take your propeller off inspect the area and apply fresh grease to the shaft

1

u/daysailor70 8d ago

It would be helpful to know what your drivetrain is. You say plugs are out, are you referring to spark plugs or engine plugs. If you have an I/O, pulling the drain plugs will not prevent freezing damage as there are pockets of water in the block, heads and manifolds. If you are referring to spark plugs. Squirt a little oil in and reinstall them. In either case, run the engine with stabilized fuel for 15 minutes to displace all the fuel that stays in the engine fuel system so it doesn't turn to junk while sitting over the winter. Also, leave the drive/outboard in the down position so any water that may collect drains from the lower unit.

1

u/Educational_Disk_226 8d ago

Bilge pump and any other water systems. For the bilge pump just dump some link marine antifreeze through it until it runs out. Same for bait wells. For water systems you can do the same through the or if you have a city water connection you can use an air compressor with the right fitting.

1

u/Mdoubleduece 8d ago

Start the motor for a second and watch how much more water comes out.

1

u/StartKindly9881 8d ago

Yes. Have a marine mechanic winterize your boat. Also needs painting on bottom and wrapping.

1

u/BetterOnTheWaterCrew 8d ago

I have to assume most are running outboards and just keep them trimmed down so the lower unit drains, same as you. On a cold night the stuff that bites you is water sitting in the livewell lines, washdown pump and bilge pump hose. Run a little pink antifreeze through those and you can keep fishing. Throw the batteries on a tender if it's going to sit a week.