When you own any watercraft, you must know how to winterize a boat. Whether an inboard or outboard sterndrive engine, you should know when to do the process. These will keep your boat from having any problems such as hull or engine trouble. You must perform winterization regularly.
Moreover, don’t forget to list down the things you must do. You can follow some easy steps in this job or use your owner’s manual guiding in how to winterize a boat, or better yet, leave this job to the expert. Because the life of your unit depends on it, Remember, it’s more convenient to winterize a boat than to have a new one.
Here are some guidelines on how to winterize a boat:
Step 1: Clearing
The first step in winterizing a boat is to clear watercraft inside and out by removing any materials and valuable items, including electronic gadgets such as cellphones. Valuable items can attract unauthorized people to your boat.
Step 2: Removing and Draining Water
Remove the block plug and let the water drain from the motor, releasing the other particles or components that congregate inside during boating, which helps prevent corrosion and damage to the engine while it sits.
Step 3: Change Engine Oil and Gear Oil
The acid, dirt, and moisture from used oil can pit bearings and different engine parts while it sits. You will have to drain them. Just let the boat stay in the water and ignite the engine to circulate the old oil. That way, the dirt, and unwanted components come out quickly.
After you flush all the residue outside the engine, you can use air pressure to ensure nothing is left inside. You can now put the new oil in, but make sure you use high-quality oil suitable for your unit’s engine.
Unplug the gear oil drain and let the used oil run through to it. Make sure you examine the moisture if ever the water will come out first, look over for the gooey or uneven grease, that means your engines have moisture contamination, and you will have to replace new seals.
Be careful in buying gear oil. Use only premium quality for your motor to bring an excellent performance to your engine.
Step 4: Change Filters
Change your engine’s fuel and fuel water separator filters in your system to prevent harsh elements and dirt in your machine. For the fuel and water separator system, replace the filter. If you suspect the water passes to the fuel tank, siphon them out.
Clean fuel will help your engine to perform at its best. It can also boost both power and efficiency. Thus, the speed and fuel efficiency will also improve.
Step 5: Stabilize the Fuel
In the boating season, fuel stabilizers aren’t necessary. Once a watercraft is active and running, the gasoline evaporates and degrades. Fuel can deteriorate in a short period. Nevertheless, some varnish and gum will build up in your engine while it is hanging.
Choose a high-quality marine fuel stabilizer and read the manual instructions on its labels. After that, use a fuel stabilizer together with gasoline to ensure that your tank will be less exposed to air or water, preventing deterioration.
Step 6: Secure the internal Engine
The winter season can bring corrosion to the metal. While it sits shallowly, the internal engine will be exposed to harsh elements and excess water, leading to deterioration. But, you can use fogging oil spray. This type of lubricant specializes in penetrating deep into the motor and protect it from decay.
Step 7: Investigate the Exhaust
Investigating the exhaust is a must. First, Unassemble the exhaust loss from the muffler or exhaust manifold and look for carbon accumulation or deterioration. Next, take the raw water injection hose off the injection nipple and inspect any residual or harsh components that are possibly clogged.
Step 8: Lubricate and Greasing Steering
Locate all grease fittings around the steering area, use a quality lubricant to fight against oxidation, rust, and corrosion, don’t miss the critical places, and see if they grease correctly before going to the next step.
Step 9: Antifreeze
Always use the non-toxic antifreeze to the air conditioning pumps, sump pump, icemakers, bilge pump, and fish wells. It is crucial to prevent clogging the pumps and hoses.
Step 10: Clean and Cover
Protect the engine and the entire boat by cleaning the outer part of the boat with water and applying some wax to prevent rust and corrosion. Now the watercraft has extended its lifespan.
The final winterization step is to place your unit in boat storage, but that’s going to be a pain in the pocket if you rent storage for the whole season. However, another way to protect your unit is to cover your boat with shrink wrap or a durable coat. That helps you save your budget.
Conclusion
Stick to the process given above in winterizing a boat, and that is to guarantee your watercraft will be in good condition all through the winter season. Remember, never forsaken the owner’s manuals for recommendations on winterizing your boat. If you haven’t experienced winterization before or anyone near you doesn’t know this job, better to consult a professional to execute this work.
