Table of Contents
How To Winterize Your Boat Step 1: Replace engine oil. Step 2: Flush and drain cooling water. Step 3: Stabilize fuel. Step 4: Protect internal engine components. Step 5: Replace gear oil. Step 6: Grease and lubricate. Step 7: Remove valuables. Step 8: Clean and wax.
How do you winterize a boat engine?
Winterise engine Run the inboard engine and change oil and filter. Flush engine with fresh water, add bio-degradable antifreeze and start engine, keeping it on until antifreeze leaves the exhaust. Change transmission fluid. Flush outboard engine with fresh water, wash down with mild detergent.
Can I winterize my own boat?
Start by prepping your engine; ensure all water has been drained and removed. Apply corrosion protection to your engine. Consult your owner’s manual for specific instructions, and complete fogging, if needed.
How cold does it have to be to winterize your boat?
Unwinterized boat engines can freeze any time the air temperature is below 28°F (-2°C) – for an extended period. Freshwater cooled engines without proper coolant can freeze below 32°F (0°C). The good news is you can prevent freeze damage fairly easily.
What all do you need to winterize a boat?
Boat Winterization Checklist & Products Antifreeze and Kits. Boat Shrinkwrap and Accessories. Boat Covers. Boat Stands and Dollies. Fuel Treatment and Fogging. Fuel Filters. Engine Lube and Oil Change Pumps. Oil Filters.
Do you have to use antifreeze to winterize a boat?
Do you have to use antifreeze when you winterize your boat? You should use antifreeze to winterize your boat if you have an inboard engine or any systems with pipes or that carry water. You should also consider using it in your bilge. For outboard motors, you don’t have to use antifreeze.
Do outboards need to be winterized?
If you want your engine to start in the spring and last you many years and plan on not using your engine all winter, you do have to winterize an outboard motor. Winterizing the engine helps to prevent damage during disuse, which is the chief cause for engine failure. Failing to winterize may lead to complications.
Is it hard to winterize a boat?
At its most basic, winterizing means draining any water aboard or replacing it with enough of the right kind of antifreeze to protect against the lowest temperatures your boat might experience. Winterizing most boats takes from an hour to a day.
How much does winterizing a boat cost?
If you winterize your boat yourself, it will cost you about $250. This price includes the cost of winterizing the engine, the other systems of your boat, and cleaning it, stem to stern, inside and out. However, if you have the work done at a boatyard, expect to spend $500 up.
What happens if you don’t winterize your boat?
If You Don’t Winterize Your Boat, Here’s What Happens: Water freezes and expands and can damage anything it’s trapped inside. Water may seep into unprotected spaces to do this. Acidic and corrosive wastes, salt and corrosion buildup can damage delicate parts in engines. Fuels break down or grow dirty.
How long can a boat sit without being winterized?
The rule of thumb we use is 2-3 days of consectutive freezing temperatures, day and night, and you are in trouble unless you winterized. For example, the past 2 nights here have hit freezing though the daytime temp is 50+ degrees so no worries. Yes, the boat being in the water does help, a lot.
When should I Dewinterize my boat?
As soon as the weather gets below 32 degrees, water begins to freeze, with water with impurities or saltwater in it starting to freeze at 28 degrees. In most cases, the water will not freeze solid (leading to cracked engine blocks) until the temperatures stay below 32 for several days and nights.
Should I winterize my boat?
Winterizing a boat is an essential process unless you plan to make necessary repairs to your boat come springtime. If you do not winterize your boat, any water droplets left could freeze, expand, and crack the components they were in. This could cause anything from blowing off a hose to completely ruining your engine.
Should you remove boat battery in the winter?
In the winters, discharged batteries can also freeze over. The water inside the battery expands when frozen, and damages the battery. Thus, it is important that you remove your boat battery before you put the boat in storage. To prevent it from freezing over in the winter, keep the battery charged through the winter.
Is fogging a boat motor necessary?
Fogging a boat engine is an essential part of the winterizing process. If you’re putting your boat into long-term storage, fogging the outboard motor is vital. You’ll spray it into the carburetors and spark plugs (carefully) so that the oil can coat every part of the motor.
How many gallons of antifreeze do I need to winterize my boat?
To winterize the engine with antifreeze, you’ll need a five-gallon bucket, and enough antifreeze for your engine and related plumbing (at least two gallons). If your engine takes a lot of antifreeze, you might also need a helper to add antifreeze to the bucket as needed.
Will my engine block freeze?
The engine block is already a solid at any ambient temperature. The coolant however freezes anywhere between 0C and -65C (unless a waterless coolant which is listed below -40C) depending on the ratio of coolant and water mixture.
Can I use plumbing antifreeze in my boat?
For most parts of winterizing your boat, RV antifreeze can absolutely do the job for a boat.
