Winterizing

[Jim Brone]

I keep my boat in my garage during the off season. The temp never gets below around 50 in the garage during the coldest weather. It will sit idle until around the middle of February. Should I fog the carbs or is there a better way to take care of a boat that will sit idle for 3 1/2 months without being in the cold? I guess I'm just asking if I really need to go through that whole winterizing process. The gas tank is 3/4 full of gas. If I add the Stabil and lube the carbs, would that be sufficient? Thanks

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Others will know better Jim but, like you, my brother has always kept his boats in a garage and NEVER winterized his. The only thing I can think of that he did was run the gas out of the motor. I keep mine outside and always winterize.



Bill

 

[Scott Smith]

JimN,



Not sure what motor you have, however if it's carbed, then you should Fog the motor. Regardless of climate, if your motor is going to sit idle for more than a month, it needs to be fogged to prevent corrosion. I'm sure others will disagree, but that bit of info is coming from a very seasoned OMC tech who is a friend of mine.

 

[mike chip]

Just change the lower unit, grease the trailer add stabil and fill the tank. Then every three weeks or so pull it out and run the engine for 5 minutes or so then put away. That way if you decide to go out you know everything is running like it should be.

 

[Barry Loos]

Winterizing is a term used by guys that put their boats up for the winter. If there is water in the lower unit it could freeze in extreme cold conditions and crack the housing or something else. The same is true for the speedo hose. But the most important issue in winterizing is fogging the engine. When you're laying-up a 2-cycle outboard for extended periods, it is wise to fog the engine to prevent rust and to keep it well lubricated for when it is restarted in the spring.



Da Bear

 

[al cannia]

On my older motors I would pull the spark plugs, spray some WD40 in, crank it a little , replace the plugs, stabilize the gas and thats it.Wouldn't that work for my 115merc also?