# winterizing boat



## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

i have a question for anyone that can answer it. I have decided to quit paying to have my boat winterized and decided to do it myself. Here's what i did.

1) Filled my 2 metal gas tanks with gas and added "stabil" to the fuel for storage. (Thought leaving them empty might be a good way to have rust build up)

2) Hooked up water to the lower unit and ran the boat for around 5 minutes.

3) Put fogging oil in the motor into this thing that looks like a "tire stem", turned the idle up a little higher and shut the motor down when it started smoking hard.

4) i plan to charge and remove the battery also.

OK, so is this about right? does anyone recommed unhooking gas when the motor is running and run the outboard out of fuel? i left fuel in the engine and just shut it down.

Also, if i leave the engine down (the postition it would be in when running in the water) will all the water drain from the water pump and lower unit or is there something else i need to do?

thanks for all your help and please feel free to let me know if i missed something. I'm new at this game.


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## wingaddict (Sep 16, 2009)

Lower the motor and all the water will drain out.
If you put stabil in it before you ran it, you should be fine leaving the fuel in the carbs. Running it dry can cause more problems

Also I would change the lower unit lube.

Also if you store in somewhere some mice can be an issue, I'd get some Steel wool and shove it in the exhaust area in the center of the prop. Mice can get right into your engine through there and make a real mess.


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## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

oops...forgot to add that i did change the lower unit lube after fogging the engine.

thanks for the tip on the steel wool in the exhaust area around the prop. never thought of that.


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## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

anyone else?


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Have always wondered about the fogging, how to do it and does it really help?

Only other things would be to grease and change oil if applicable. I leave battery in boat after charge just disconnect negative.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Do something so the mice don't get in. Once they get into a boat they are in hog heaven.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Bounce sheets work good to keep mice out. Do not use moth balls, cannot get rid of smell.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

deacon said:


> Bounce sheets work good to keep mice out. Do not use moth balls, cannot get rid of smell.


Used Bounce sheets last year and the mice ate them. I think I may put a cat in the boat all winter to eat the mice.

Only kidding, if anyone else has an idea for what works post it up please.


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## MOB (Mar 10, 2005)

I always run the carbs dry, start it up and disconnect the fuel line until it runs out of fuel, choke it and tr starting it again until all fuel is gone. Your float bowls on the carbs are vented and even with stabil, some fuel will evaporate and leave residue in the carb float bowls. It's alot easier to run dry than to clean the float bowls. Then fog the clyinders again though the spark plug holes and spin the motor over with the starter to distribute the oil. 
I do this with all my small engines going into storage. If you are storing a single clylinder engine the last step is to pull the starter rope until you feel resistance from the compression stroke. Stop there to store. In four strokes the valves are closed and in two strokes the piston is paast the ports so the clyinder is closed off from outside air.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

blhunter3 said:


> deacon said:
> 
> 
> > Bounce sheets work good to keep mice out. Do not use moth balls, cannot get rid of smell.
> ...


Damm, you had me. At least now I don't need to get a cat. I do also set a number of mouse traps at the start of winter, not in boat.


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