Tips for Winterizing the Boat and Motor

[fireman24mn]

I usually use about a half box or more of dryer sheets to keep mice out and have never had a mouse problem. And they smell way better then moth balls.

[CVX Fever]

Not a good idea Doran to store your drive in the up position all winter. Hard on the bellows as they are fully stretched and can set in that position.

[dorelse]

Not a good idea Doran to store your drive in the up position all winter. Hard on the bellows as they are fully stretched and can set in that position.

Fully realize that Kip...but boat has to be able to be shuffled around.

[Jason]

Not a good idea Doran to store your drive in the up position all winter. Hard on the bellows as they are fully stretched and can set in that position.

Fully realize that Kip...but boat has to be able to be shuffled around.

Maybe go halfway....

[CVX Fever]

You could always just pull the drive off. Yep it sucks to store your stuff in other peoples buildings. I'm realizing this fall just how good I had it, but I knew that before it was gone.

[OleRed]

I cover the prop - lower unit up with plastic, tape it up, keeps water out, and if a mouse wants to camp out in the drain hole he's got moth balls to eat for the winter.
Personally ... I think the bellows don't care how they are stored, but if they had a preference they would probably want to be relaxed, then they could split when we raise them up in cool weather .. just to show us they are important.

[dorelse]

I'm going to go as low as I feel comfortable, use a board or something to keep it from falling over the winter and pull the battery.  

Personally, I think the kid should just have to scrape windows...but the General thinks that's "silly"...clearly putting the kids ahead of the boat is misguided...but when momma bear speaks...ya just say "Yes Dear" and get out of the way.

(And then you get in trouble for saying 'Yes Dear' the wrong way...)

[CVX Fever]

I think to a certain point we all have our ways & nuances of doing things when we winterize/store our boats. Right, wrong, or otherwise. Per the MerCruiser manual my boats don't get stored with the drives up, period. But then I don't change gear oil every season per the same manual either. In the end it's all what we feel comfortable with and what has seemed to work in the past.

[dorelse]

Well, this is my first year storing in a hard freeze environment.  They've always been stored on jack stands, drive down, in my garage attached to the house where it never get's below 45 degrees...poor insulation = warm garage.

I always had room for error. 

Yeah, this year will be interesting.  I have to drive about 90 mins to this guy, but that saves me $250 in storage fees...so that works for me.

I'm pulling the seats, cushions and bow cover, adding dryer sheets o' plenty and I'll just keep insurance on it for the winter if I messed up.  That's the best I got.  Drive is dry as a bone...not much beyond that I can do I suppose.

[CVX Fever]

I just called a guy today about storing my SeaRay. $250 dollars for the season for indoor storage, which is about a $100 cheaper than anyone else. Going rate in MN for indoor storage is $10 a foot measured from the drive to the end of trailer tongue. This guy only charges for the boat which saves me $90.

I told him I need to store it with the drive down and it can't be moved because I will be pulling both batteries, which is a PITA. He said no problem.

Because I am new he wants cash up front no checks.  If my check bounces you have my boat on your property, locked in your building.  Seems to me you have the upper hand here. Oh well no biggy, I'm sure he had a bad experience with someone at one time. For the cheap rate I will make a trip to the bank.

[David CVX-16]

I store the outboard motor in the up position but against the flip tab that takes the weight off the power trim unit. As an anti-theft method, I chain the lawn mower through the axle to the axle of the boat trailer. Last year a wooden canoe was above the boat in the garage rafters. Going to use two straps to further secure the canoe from accidently falling. Trailer hitch is locked in the down position. The boat is stored in the garage next to our house and my main concern is the owner's grandchildren uncovering the tarp and ..............

[Bayflite73]

Liked the idea of an extra tarp over the top to help the snow slide off. We'll see how it stands up!