Winterizing Boat

[fishdump]

Hi All,
Looking for some input. This is the first year we have owned a boat and with the season winding down and the Fall "honey-do" list growing, was looking for advice from some of you seasoned boat owners on winterizing the boat and how hard it is to do it yourself or is it better to go with a marina/dealer and have them do it. The boat is a 2004 Seaswirl 2101 WA w/ a 150 yami 2 stroke. Have seen the winterizing kits they sell at Boatersworld and was wondering if this would do that job or should we stear clear of this method or are there other methods that are better. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks in Advance.
-James

[macojoe]

Winterizing?? Who does that??

Well this is the way I do it. I am sure I will miss something and others will have different things they do. But works for me!

First I like to treat the gas before my last trip so that the stablizer gets thur the whole system.

Well i have a 175 Yamaha and what I do is give it a good washing,

Then I change all the lower unit oil!!!! Including new seals on the screws !!!

Grease all greaseable areas.

I pull the steering cable out every fall clean and grease and wrap till spring. In spring I clean the tube and grease well and reinstall the cable. This keeps the cable from ever getting rusted in the tube over the winter!
This is my option as once you have a frozen cable in the tube, you will never want it again!!!

Run the motor with freash water and run for a little while to give it a good flushing!

Remove the Carb covers, Then while it is running spray the Fog oil as directed in to the carbs, it will smoke like the #^&#^&#^&#^&ens!! But this is what you want!!

Shut it down and your done!! Leave the motor in the down postiton for the whole winter so no water stays in the head.

I also check for nicks in the paint and repair as needed to stop rust and corrsion. Check all zinc's replace as needed.

Good luck!!

[Van]

MJ got most of it.

First I fill the tank near full, leave some room for expansion then stabalize the fuel in the tank before running to fog...etc..

Before I fog, i spray engine tuner into the intake/carbs, it removes carbon build-up.

Remove the plugs and spray more fog inside the cylinders, put the plugs back on loose and leave the wires off. That way it wont start and will remind you to change the plugs in the spring, but put it together and run it to get all the fog oil out then change the plugs..

Change the fuel/water separator also. Run some of the non-toxic antifreeze through any pumps washdown, bait whatever. Pour the rest into the bilge in case there is any water left. I pour in through the cabin drain so that it goes throughout. Leave all drain plugs off.

That should do it.
Don't fear doing this yourself. Its not hard at all.
They'll help you out at the marine store.

[MTC]

I like to put the engine in gear with the plugs out after you fog the cylinders and turn the prop in reverse or turn the flywheel so the pistons spread some of the foggging oil around. I run antifreez into the engine to give the exhaust some corrision protection.

Don't forget to pull the batteries and tie the leads together so you know where to connect them in the spring. Store your batteries on some wood after you wash them with bacon powder and water.

If water collects around your float stwiches throw a gallon of antifreez in the bildge.

Pull your prop off also and oil the shaft in the spring before reinstallation.

[fishdump]

Thanks for all the info. Still a few more weeks out on the water, but just wanted to get a heads up. Thanks again.
-James