Posts Tagged ‘Outboard Winter Storage’

Inflatable luxury fishing motorboat wrapped in cover standing over trailer for winter period seasonal storage at backyard. Shrink-wrapped vessel winterized on parking.

Winter can be harsh on a boat, and if you want to get out on the water next spring without any unwelcome surprises, it’s important to store it properly. Not only will cold water and ice cause expensive damage, but improper boat storage can also leave it vulnerable to theft or damage from a storm. When spring arrives next year, you don’t want to spend time scrubbing mildew and fixing the engine – you’d rather be all set to get back on the boat. Here is how to store your boat through the winter.

Secure all items and seal your boat

The right boat storage includes removing any valuable items from your boat, including electronic guidance systems if possible, to protect them from extreme weather and theft. You should also remove anything that could be prone to mildew and mold over the winter, such as flotation devices. Once you’ve removed all loose items, wrap the boat using boat wrap and cover it with a custom waterproof cover that fits snuggly. If the cover is too loose and saggy, water can collect in parts and damage the cover. Even if you’re storing your boat inside, a cover can protect it from unexpected roof leaks.

Fuel treatment

Fuel treatment is also a necessary step for boat storage. Treating your boat’s fuel with a stabilizer will keep it fresh for long-term storage (usually up to 24 months). This will prevent you from having to waste a tank of fuel at the end of each season.  Also, it guarantees quick and easy start-ups after storage.  Additionally, it ensures that the carburetors and fuel injectors won’t be clogged with varnish deposits. This kind of build-up can ruin your fuel system.

Boat Lift

Boat lifts offer you the ability to store your boat high and dry yet ready for use in minutes. However, lifts do not fare well in hurricanes and strong nor’easters. Wind waves and surges can shift the boat, and torrential rains or heavy snow can increase the boat’s weight to the point of breaking the lift. One way to avert these problems is to keep your boat on a trailer—but if you desire to keep your boat on a lift, make sure that the lift is well maintained, of the correct capacity, and that the boat is properly covered to keep rain and snow out.

Because boats stored on lifts are surrounded by air, they are more vulnerable to a sudden freeze than boats surrounded by water. This means that you will either have to winterize the boat or implement measures, such as a bilge or engine room heater, to avert damage should a freeze occur.

Engine Drainage

Most boat engines use surrounding water to cool the engine as it runs.  If the engine isn’t drained properly, residual water in the cooling chambers can freeze, expand, and crack the engine block and manifolds. This can spell disaster for your wallet, as repairs for this kind of damage can run you $5,000-$20,000 depending on the kind of boat you have.

The boat storage balancing act

Keep your boat off the ground during winter storage. Use wood blocks or keel stands to support the keel, paying careful attention to the load-bearing areas. Make sure the boat is up high enough to keep propellers and rudders off the ground.

Add several jacks stands to balance the boat, and make sure those stands are supported against wind and storms. If you opt for outdoor storage, cover the boat with a tarp or vinyl cover for protection from the elements. Make sure the cover is vented enough for airflow, but secure enough to stay on your boat all winter.

Remove your battery

This is the last step for proper boat storage. Because of inconsistent use during the summer months, your boat battery may not be fully charged each time you use it. The problem is compounded if you leave it in your boat while it’s stored for the winter. More than likely, your battery will be dead when spring arrives. It’s a good idea to remove your battery and store it in a warm dry place. Consider using a trickle charger to keep your battery in good shape during the winter months.

At Performance Products Technologies, we help you to keep your boat in good shape by offering you winterization products and guidelines. Contact us to learn more and get started.

It’s that time of the year again. Jack Frost is slowly creeping in and creating havoc all over the United States. Hopefully, you have already begun to winterize all your vehicles. Today, we are focusing on the right way to winterize your Yamaha Outboards, specifically the 4-stroke.

It’s not nearly as hard as you’d think, and, if done properly, it ensures that your motor will be ready for the next boating season with minimal work. By combining a fresh water flush, having it filled with oil, giving it a full fuel treatment and a fogging, it will feel rejuvenated, and even its plugs will have had attention and rehabilitation.

Before we begin, please note that any time you do your own winterizing or other maintenance while still under warranty, it’s best to buy all your supplies from a Yamaha dealer like us and keep all your receipts in a file for proof you are following the manuals in case there are any non-maintenance issues in the future.

Here are easy to follow instructions to winterize your outboard:

1. Start using something like Startron regularly about a month before winterization, or at least run it through on your last excursion.
2. Top off your gas tank and add proper amount of stabilizer.
3. Run on muffs, using Salt Away or similar product.
4. Change the engine oil and filter by removing the 7/16th-inch crankcase bolt on the starboard side of the leg and letting the oil drain into a pan. Replace the oil and secure the crankcase bolt back into place.
5. Start the engine/motor. Run it for about 15 minutes to increase the temperature to normal operating level. Spray fogging oil into the fogging inlets on each throat of the intake manifold (the little “male” stems sticking out of the plastic manifold with a small 1/4″ rubber cap over them) for about 5-10 seconds for each cylinder, then shut down the engine.
6. Drain VST filter. You’ll see a small diameter drain line made of clear PVC tubing on the port side of the engine and a drain screw. Loosen the screw and let the gas drain out. Tighten the screw and snap the tubing back into place.
7. Replace your remote spin-on gas filters.
8. Drain and replace the lower unit oil. Make sure you replace the red O-Rings on the drain plugs as well.
9. Spray engine block with Corrosion X or a similar product.
10. Clean and wax the engine cowl and S/S props.
11. Put engine in the full down position so that any water drains completely out of it. Also remove the flush hoses to insure that water is drained out of them as well.

Additionally, you should remove the propeller if you are working on your outboard when your boat is on its trailer or if the motor is being kept on a storage stand. Here are the steps to do that:

• Remove the cotter pin from the propeller nut.
• Using a wrench, remove the propeller nut and slide the thrust hob, propeller, and washers from the propeller shaft.

Failure to remove the propeller when working on the motor out of the water could result in serious injury. Please use caution when working on your boat any time of the year.

If you’ve followed these instructions, your Yamaha outboard should be winterized successfully for storage until boating season returns. Please, contact us immediately if you have any questions, need assistance, or anything else our professional staff can assist you with.

For die-hard boating fans winter might not be enough to stop them from taking out their boat for a ride. After all, it’s not as if you’re going to go for a swim, a few extra coats and you should be able to ride around all year, right?

You certainly can continue boating through the cold months if you want, but there are a few things you should keep in mind in order to help you avoid calamity.

Prepare Your Battery

Batteries powering your outboard motors can go dead real fast when the temperature gets cold. And even if they don’t go dead, the battery can become very weak. That’s why you should leave it on trickle charge when it gets cold. About a one-amp trickle charge should do it. You can get a solar charger to help with this.

Drain the Motor

Every time you get off the water, you should try to drain the motor by putting it in the down position for as long as possible. It also helps to get water out of the engine by doing a few quick cranks without trying to start it. This will help drain the rest of the water out of the engine.

When You’ve Had Enough

If you do decide to finally give up for the winter, there are a number of products that can help you make sure everything stays safe and undamaged while you ride out the cold at home. You can contact us for information on antifreeze, bilge cleaners, and other products that will help your boat survive winter in pristine shape.