Winterizing

Fellas,what do y'all do about Winterizing your outboard?

I have never winterized my outboard just try to make sure the water runs out of the foot on each trip.

By the way Sam, I haven't had the chance to tie any jigs with the hair you sent me but hope to soon.

:he said. I do this at ramp raise the motor up as high as it will go let the water quit running then let it all way down and let that water quit running
raise it up and lock the haul stand and when I get it under the shed unlock and let it back down as far as it will go for the last little bit of water out and
leave it never had one to freeze yet and have owned a boat sense early 60s == don't mean I wont have a freeze but so far so good

ps how them puppy dogs doin Sam? they getting a little aggie like my old basset hound by now I suppose

I do the same. Just let it down till the water quits running out.

I was out on the lake today duck scouting and checking my fish baskets. When I took the boat out of the water I let it drain good and then started the motor and let it run for a few seconds to spin the water out of the impeller housing. I was hunting in Arkansas last year in single diget temps and it seemed to help in the mornings to prevent the pee hole from being froze,

If you fish year round then changing the dope in the lower unit should be changed each fall (just in case the seal leaked a little letting water into the foot). If youyre garaging your boat until springtime then lower your motor all the way down and remove the two screws and let the dope drain out. Be sure not to loose the screws before next spring when you add new dope. Late fall is alwo a good time to grease your wheel bearings too. And as mentioned....NEVER leave you motor tilted up as to where it can trap water from rain or snow during the winter months.

Stabil in gas tank
If gonna be a while B4 next trip will put hook up the muffs and add peak antifreeze just to make sure anything left does not freeze. Lower the motor and cover.

Good tip on the stabil. I forgot to mention that since I run it in every tank of gas. :)

I ran Quicksilver EngineStor in my motor before putting it up in November.

Great info provided by the others. I would add a couple things. I've used Startron fuel additive and it seems to work as advertised. Be careful running motor when not immersed in water. Doesn't take long to overheat rubber blades on the water pump impellers. When I kept my boat stored outside in the winter, I used to burn a single light bulb in the compartment I was worried would freeze. Heat from bulb was enough to prevent freezing.

There was a thread similar to this back a while and it was from up north, maybe Pa or NY. Some unfeeling guy from around here said to winterize his boat, he puts a pair of gloves in the rod box. :Rofl

Some outboards have water cooled alternators and such. Simply letting them drain don't necessarily get it all out. Cranking it out of the water will help blow out a little more. If you take a 5 gallon bucket and mount a regular outside water spigot in the bottom of the bucket you can hook a small piece of water hose to the spigot and the other end to a set of water ears and put them on the motor. Mix up about 2 gallons of anti-freeze water mixture in the bucket and crank the motor. When it starts peeing the anti-freeze mixture turn the motor off and it's winterized. Very simple very cheap. Can do it every time you go out in the winter when you get home and never have a problem. Must hold the bucket higher than the water pick up area and turn on spigot.

I always let my motor rest in the lowest position to drain every time I go. I do crank it briefly in the winter to let it spit out what's left to prevent freezing. Works so far for a 1987 Yamaha. I use my boat fairly regular so I don't worry to much.:popcorn

I just ship my boat to Florida in the winter. Bring it back in May, easy