Winterizing????

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by GetANet

Thanks guys for your input. I was wondering about the fuel tank the most since i've never had an internal tank. We are planning to get out saturday and try for some stripers and will probably be wrapping it up next weekend. I figured on stabilizer for fuel and replacing filter as well as removing the battery. I guess it would be a good idea to do lower end oil too. Appreciate the help!

Good idea to put stabilizer in the fuel and let it run through your lines and into the motor during your last trip.

As far as the lower unit oil the only reason it makes sense to do it now rather than wait till spring is because if you find any issues, you can have them taken care of before spring when you’re ready to launch.

I’d wait on the filter till spring. Start everything up with the old filter and once you have everything going, replace it.

You can remove the battery if it makes you feel better but not necessary. Just make sure it’s fully charged when you out the boat up and take one of the terminals off of it so you don’t have any unexpected drain on it over the winter and you’ll be fine.

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Good idea to put stabilizer in the fuel and let it run through your lines and into the motor during your last trip.

As far as the lower unit oil the only reason it makes sense to do it now rather than wait till spring is because if you find any issues, you can have them taken care of before spring when you’re ready to launch.

I’d wait on the filter till spring. Start everything up with the old filter and once you have everything going, replace it.

You can remove the battery if it makes you feel better but not necessary. Just make sure it’s fully charged when you out the boat up and take one of the terminals off of it so you don’t have any unexpected drain on it over the winter and you’ll be fine.

Depends on where you live. North western NJ I would remove it.. Near the coast not or south jerseyso much. Personally I would never leave the battery out all winter unused,, They freeze in those cells at all, and they are junk.. I suppose if it stays 20 and above at night you're ok, but up here, we regularly go 10 below, and I have seen 30 below more than once since I have been here.

We remove our batteries here, and if you have any doubts at all, I would in NJ as well, if the boat is going to sit unused for 3-4 months.. bob

[bulletbob]

another thing.. If at all possible, consider getting one of those metal $1000-$1200 carports on the driveway for the boat.. I did several years ago and it was the best boating money I ever spent.. No more rot, no more mildew, no more worrying about the transom etc.. A boat is made to be touched by the water on the bottom only. Water IN the boat is a bad thing, and leaving it in the weather is never any good, unless its shrink wrapped... bob