Tips To Winterize Your Boat.

Monday, November 13 2006 @ 12:42 AM MST

Contributed by: Admin

Boat Maintenance
Tips To Winterize Your Boat.
Proper Maintenance helps keep your boat motor delivering the top performance it was designed to give. Read our winterization & pre-storage maintenance tips including winterization supplies and some often overlooked areas of the complete boating package. We will cover the boat, motor, trailer, and safety gear in this comprehensive series of articles for winter boat maintenance.

By completing the post season maintenance routine, your boating season will begin on a sweet note come next spring. Your time from storage to water will be reduced and the down time during the years to come will also be minimized in turn.Inboards, Outboards, Sterndrives and jetdrives will all be covered.

Winter Preparation for Sterndrive Powered Boats.
Alaska Boating Sales and Service recommends these minimum maintenance procedures for all Sterndrive powered boats!

Stern Drive Winterization Procedure
  Fill with fresh fuel and add a fuel stabilizer to the tank.  
  Change engine oil and filter.  
  Change gear lube.  
  Change fuel/water separator filter (if applicable).  
  Check engine coolant for contamination and deterioration then top off the system with antifreeze.  
  Check steering cables or hydraulic steering lines and fittings.  
  Grease all fittings.  
  Pull propeller, inspect for damage and repair as needed, grease output shaft.  
  Check bellows.  
  Pull stern drive and grease the U-joints, gimbal bearing and driveshaft couplers. Reinstall stern drive and propeller.  
  Check all remaining fluid levels as pertaining to the overall boat package.  
  Water pump Inspect and replace as needed.  
  Complete Safety Check, including all mounting hardware and wiring.  
  Test run engine to circulate fresh oils and stabilized fuel throughout system. Check for leaks.  
  Fog engine.  

Outboard Motor Winterization Tips

Many of the same checks and procedures remain from the sterndrive checklist with a few changes.

Outboard Motor Winterization Procedure
  Fill with fresh fuel and add a fuel stabilizer to the tank.  
  Change engine oil and filter. (4 Stroke Outboards)  
  Change lower unit gear lube.  
  Change fuel/water separator filter (if applicable).  
  Check steering cables or hydraulic steering lines and fittings.  
  Grease all fittings.  
  Pull propeller, inspect for damage and repair as needed, grease output shaft. Reinstall stern drive and propeller.  
  Water pump Inspect and replace as needed.  
  Check all remaining fluid levels as pertaining to the overall boat package.  
  Inspect Zink Anodes on outboard.  
  Complete Safety Check, including all mounting hardware and wiring.  
  Test run engine to circulate fresh oils and stabilized fuel throughout system. Check for leaks.  
  Flush engine with RV antifreeze.  
  Fog engine cylinders and store in an upright (vertical) position.  

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