How to Winterize my boat?

**Okie405** · 10-07-2016, 08:07 AM

My first winter with my boat and I am a DIY'er. I think I have been thorough in my research of things that need done to my boat to store it for the approaching winter. Below is a list of things that i have watched many youtube videos on to learn how to do. My question is this: "is there anything else that i should be doing for a boat that is kept in the driveway with a boat cover on". I will not have it back out on the water till around April of next year and I would like to not have nay problems when that happens. 1997 Kenner 18ft with a Johnson 130.

1) Add fuel stabilizer to fuel tank (Sta-bil) and let it run for about 15 minutes
2) Spray liquid silicone on all wires and tubes under the engine cowling
3) Fog intakes with Sta-bil fogging oil till it starts blowing lots of white smoke and then keep going till it stalls out
4) Remove spark plugs and spray fogging oil on spark plug ends and inside piston then move pistons up a down a few times
5) Flush engine water intakes with anti freeze (cycle two gallons through it) and drain all the remaining antifreeze by raising and lowering motor till no more comes out
6) Replace lower unit gear oil
7) Remove prop and check seals / remove any fishing line if present
8) Service tire pressure
9) Thorough field day cleaning on inside of boat, bilge and live well.

The two things that i notice right away is that nothing is being done for the hydraulics that raise and lower the motor. Also the engine has oil injection. Should something be done for those two systems to protect them from the cold and long time of no use?

If I am missing something, please let me know. I would like no problems when I go back to fishing in April.

PS.
My batteries are already on a tender also, so they will be good.

**Okie405** · 10-10-2016, 08:01 AM

#5 Flush engine water intakes with anti freeze

I recommend that no one do that - I did it and my water pump immediately ceased pumping water and is dead right there. Marine mechanic is now having to replace it. Everything else worked out fine though. $400 lesson learned that You-tube isn't always right.

**deltarat** · 10-10-2016, 10:30 AM

Not saying it is right or wrong but my son has been flushing anti-freeze through his Mercury inboard out board for 10 years. We put a new water pump in it this year,just because it had never had one and we had the foot off. The pump looked fine.

**Okie405** · 10-10-2016, 10:34 AM

Does he use concentrate or 50/50?

I used concentrate and it is much thicker than just water. I watched numerous people do it on you tube was why I did it. They never specified concentrate or 50/50 so I'm thinking that was the problem... OR the pump was old and weak and close to going out anyway. Is a 1997 after all.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

**deltarat** · 10-10-2016, 07:43 PM

He used 50/50. He used to fill a vat and run the foot in it for a while. It was rather expensive so he changed to removing a top radiator hose and poured a couple of gallons through it until it runs our the foot. It took so many gallons to fill the vat. For an outboard, I just raise and lower the motor several times and maybe spin it over a time or too. I don't like to run the water pump with out water being in it though.

**doggone** · 10-10-2016, 07:54 PM

Keep the mice out of it.

I fish all year and always just make sure I trim the motor down and water drains out when I come out of the water. When I drive home it may be an hour or two in below freezing weather....much less all the below freezing weather we get normally.I have never freeze damaged a motor in 40 years or more. Not saying it's not prudent to use the antifreeze but just have never had a problem.

**lowe rider** · 10-11-2016, 07:30 PM

Put several drier sheets in the compartments and on the floor of the boat. The smell will help keep critters out of the boat.

**Dutch552** · 10-11-2016, 07:58 PM

I had a Johnson 115 for years and never flushed with any sort of antifreeze. This isn't necessary unless it's an I/O and then antifreeze becomes critical. Trim the motor down to be sure all the water has drained and you should be good to go. Add wheel bearing service to your list as this is often overlooked until a problem develops early in the fishing season. No wintering needed for the Johnson VRO oil system or power tilt/trim-just check your fluid level and top off if needed.

**Okie405** · 10-12-2016, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by lowe rider

Put several drier sheets in the compartments and on the floor of the boat. The smell will help keep critters out of the boat.

Never heard of such a thing. Dang sure gonna give it a try though

Originally Posted by Dutch552

I had a Johnson 115 for years and never flushed with any sort of antifreeze. This isn't necessary unless it's an I/O and then antifreeze becomes critical. Trim the motor down to be sure all the water has drained and you should be good to go. Add wheel bearing service to your list as this is often overlooked until a problem develops early in the fishing season. No wintering needed for the Johnson VRO oil system or power tilt/trim-just check your fluid level and top off if needed.

Couple questions:

Whats an I/O?

I just used some spray silicon externally on the small O-rings for the rams on the tilt and trim. To keep them from drying out and cracking. they look shiny and new again now.

Wheel bearing service on my list to get done in the spring at a trailer service station. I will be traveling allot of long distances this next fishing season so i had already planned to do so prior to the start of the season. Plan to do some fishing in the bay near Corpus Christi as well as some river fishing on the Ohio in Kentucky.

**Okie405** · 10-12-2016, 09:34 AM

PS... Should I be checking the hydraulic fluid in the power tilt/trim? I don't know how to do that.. or is it a closed system?

Thread: How to Winterize my boat?

Thread Tools

Display

How to Winterize my boat?

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions