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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.
What will happen 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.
What is the purpose of winterizing a boat?
Winterization procedures protect boat systems and gear from freeze damage. Winterizing also guards items such as batteries, inboard and outboard engines, and lower units and sterndrives from damage and wear that lying idle can cause.
How cold does it have to be before winterizing a 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 is included in winterizing a boat?
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 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.
Do outboard engines 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.
Do I really need to 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 I winterize my boat myself?
For the handy, self-sufficient boat owner, taking care of winterizing yourself is a great way to save money. Ironically, DIY can potentially even save you some time. Winterizing a boat can be done in less than an hour in many cases, less time than you’d spend just driving the vessel to and from the marina or shop.
Do all boats need to be winterized?
All boats need to be winterized, especially motorized boats. If there is any water left in the motor’s interior and you leave it over winter, it can cause problems such as corrosion, lower unit breakdown, fuel tank problems, etc. For non-motorized boats, proper cleaning and storing is sufficient.
What does it cost to winterize a boat?
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.
How long can a boat sit without running?
One of the most commonly-asked questions we get is, “Is it okay if my boat isn’t running for a while in Fort Lauderdale, FL?” The answer is yes—but you have to do some maintenance beforehand. As long as it’s well maintained before going into storage, a boat can sit for a few months, a few years or even a few decades.
At what temperature will an engine block crack?
How Cold Does It Have To Get To Crack An Engine Block? freezing water without adding any additives like alcohol or antifreeze, and, if it is in an engine block, eventually cracking something, 32 degrees is all it takes.
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 winterizing a boat hard?
Winterizing is more than just sloshing in some fuel stabilizer, draining the engine, and adding antifreeze. Consider it to be a methodical process that runs from bow to transom. Because boats and engines differ, start by checking the winterizing/storage sections of your owner’s manual.
How do you Dewinterize an inboard boat?
How to De-winterize Your Boat Take the Tarp Off. Before you do anything, you need to get the tarp or covering off your boat. Check the Engine. Refill the Cooling System. Check Water Pumps and Thermostats. Check Cables and Hoses. Check Your Battery. Clean the Distributor. Check the Fuel System.
Is it OK to start an outboard motor out of water?
An outboard motor should never be operated without a source of water entering the inlet screens to supply the water pump. Without a source of water for lubrication, the water pump will be the first to be damaged, followed shortly thereafter by the engine from a lack of cooling.
How often should you run boat engine?
A few hours every week keeps the motor in better shape than using it two or three full days every month. The more often it gets used, the better it will run, just like any vehicle. If it’s left sitting idle at the marina or in a garage for the majority of the time, parts tend to go bad faster.
How often should you run your boat motor?
Most outboard, sterndrive and gasoline inboard engines require basic service every 100 hours or annually.
