Winterizing

JFDee

Well, My first season of owning a Fiesta Vee 242 Rinker is coming to an end.  I'll be pulling out mid Oct and was wondering if any of you have any tips for preping for the winter.  Like shrink wrap vs tarp system, how to keep moister out of the cabin and how to keep mice and such away as well.  I would also like to thank all the comments from previous questions, all your help made owning a boat a bit better.  I was able to get out about 25 times this year.  Hoping to get out more next.  Side note, I'll be having the marina winterize the engine, change the oil and prep the gas and water systems

PickleRick

I'm assuming you have a trailer for it?

I recommend a garage to park it under and a breathable boat cover.  I have cats for the vermin protection but some rat/squirrel killer works too.  

Give it a good wash, wax and treat the vinyl before storage for an easy spring clean.

Biggest thing in my opinion is proper winterizing with marine antifreeze once you've drained all water from manifolds/block and store with good fresh fuel/stabilizer. Since my metal garage has electricity i like to put a magnetic engine block heater on the oil pan when temps dip into 20s or below.  I also like to start it up on ear muffs every 6 to 8 weeks of storage and run on ear muffs for a few minutes when temps are above freezing.  Then i re winterize. Come spring i want to be water ready the moment we have warm weather.


I only use the block heater with the hatch open and well aired out.  

skennelly

@PickleRick - You winterize your boat twice every season?  Wow.

PickleRick

The gallons of rv/mairne antifreeze are 2 bucks each, it doesn't take long nor does it cost much.  Its an excuse to crank the radio on the boat, drink a few beers and play out side for a couple hours.  Once or twice a winter. Usually we stop lake use in October and start back in April or May.

PickleRick

I almost forgot...its a great way to guarantee no carb issues come spring!  I do carbs for a living. I don't want to do them on the lake

skennelly

I use -100 AF...not $2 a gallon...ha ha.  To each their

own.

PickleRick

You're also in Chicago lol. Where i boat is just less than 2 hrs north of Atlanta.  In feb/March the stripe bass are schooling pretty good. If we get a warm front where we have a few 70 degree days, which we often do, im going to head out and troll.   

If we hit single digits its only a a few days a year. The pink rv/marine antifreeze i usually stop  and get at walmart is good down to below 0 i believe, -32 comes to mind but I may be confising it with my wiper fluid. I'll read the label when i buy some, im still a month away from our first frost.  

In extreme temps it does freeze like slush but it wont freeze hard like water where it expands and breaks things.


The generators that turn on when the power goes out at hospitals and assisted living communities are usually started and tested on a weekly basis.  If they don't start people die. I don't take my boating that seriously but i also dont like working on my own crap so start everything i own every 6 to 8 weeks even when it's not needed. 

skennelly

@PickleRick - Your location makes total sense

walleyr

I use automotive antifreeze for the engine and marine antifreeze for the block.

zaverin1

Drain everything out of the engine and its systems 
air doesn’t freeze
water and ac can be winterized with red pop with hot water tank bypassed.

PickleRick

I don't like leaving the engine dry due to the humidity in the air, the antifreeze is a rust and corrosion inhibitor but my father has done just that for decades with no issues.  

PickleRick

Usually an engine being repaired is not being stored outdoors and is in a temp controlled shop. I guess there are a few basement machine shops still out there lol.  Usually its been heat tanked, cleaned, dried and magnafliuxed before any shaving, boring, honing or even head work begins.

As for salt water, most do flush after using but usually inboards used in salt are closed loop, not all but more than what i find 4 hrs indland.  Flushing after each salt water use is a great precaution. 

I also know that the inside of the motor isnt a complete down hill slope. There are pockets where water can gather even with plugs removed.  Filling full of antifreeze negates those pockets.  

Like i sad, my father has used the drain technique all his life and hes from Pittsburgh, its never failed for him.  I on the other hand fill my block with antifreeze.  More than one way to skin a cat, the cat wont like any of them but the end result is still a skinned cat

andyd

Dark evenings are coming, so I winterized my boat by checking the nav and anchor lights are working.

Andy.