First time winterizing myself

[fissioneng]

One thing not mentioned is to block off the exhaust and air intakes to prevent air circulation/rusting of engine internals. It also will keep critters from making homes in your exhaust hoses.

[jerseyboy]

Thanks for the info on fogging and the vent and exhaust cover up. I didn't wrap the boat last year but was thinking about it this year. What are the pros and cons in everyone's opinion. It would be nice to open up a nice clean boat in the spring.

[Beckytek]

I haven't covered my boat for the ten years I have owned it and it is just as clean in the spring as if it were. I guess that would depend on your location. I'm in Oxford Md and there is no pollution in the air.

[rsmith]

One thing not mentioned is to block off the exhaust and air intakes to prevent air circulation/rusting of engine internals. It also will keep critters from making homes in your exhaust hoses.

Bad idea!!!! Someone told my dad this when we had the 34 with the gas engines. He had cedar plugs made for the exhaust. the next spring all the valves were stuck from the residual water in the exhaust.

[34Hatt]

Bad idea!!!! Someone told my dad this when we had the 34 with the gas engines. He had cedar plugs made for the exhaust. the next spring all the valves were stuck from the residual water in the exhaust.

Two things
First it should have been antifreeze in the mufflers and he should have fogged it being gas.
Doing those two thing I have never seen stuck valves due to exhaust being plugged which boaters here do as far back as I can remember.

One other thing is if your A.C pump motor is water cooled motor like the March pumps always suck antifreeze through the pump so the little cooling tube for the motor get antifreeze into it.

[workingonadream]

ALWAYS cover your exhaust, ive seen Detroit heads that looked liked they were hit with buckshot that cold moist air rushes in thru that exhaust and can do damage. as for the post about gas engines, there should never be residual raw water in the valves, at least not to my knowledge, I suspect it was a bad elbow. my gas boat never had water in the valve system,but my brother in law did because he failed to maintain his exhaust, and guess who got stuck putting new motors in ha ha. if it was a raw water cooled engine then it might not have been winterized correctly. either way it was an unfortunate situation for the owner. I always use the 100% winter-ban for just that reason, residual water in one of my systems it is a bit more expensive, but it is an insurance policy for me good luck

[JLR]

I too have not used shrink wrap on my boats in recent years. I never quite understood the benefit of covering plastic with plastic. More importantly, I found that in the process of putting the shrink wrap on and taking it off, the yard always ended up bending or breaking something. So far so good with no shrink wrap. I do check the boats every week which should be done whether covered or not.

[jerseyboy]

Thank you one and all for the great advice I always get here. I've occasionally seen other boat forums but never one where the members are so active and so willing to share there knowledge. I count my lucky stars I bought my first Hatteras 8 years ago and not that Silverton.

[Kim Beatley]

Good post everyone... I have owned my Hatteras now going on 5 years, and have never winterized. Living in Virginia, it gets cold, but the best fishing in the Bay is when it is the coldest, so I run the boat year round. I use two oil filled heaters that look like the old steam heaters in older homes. One in the engine room and one in the lower area, positioned between the head and the galley. So far no issues..

This winter however, will be different. I just accepted a year long assignment in Saudi Arabia and will be leaving in two weeks. This means I will have to put the boat on the hard and have it winterized. I will likely be gone for year or longer.

My real question is about the GAS. Yes gas, I have an older 36C with Marine Power 454's. They run great.

Do I store the boat with tanks full and load them up with fuel stabilizer, or spend the money and have the tanks drained, as well as the gas lines and filters on the engine? I have been burning gas with ethanol, as i burn it out so fast, the ethanol has not been an issue.

My wife says that I should try and sell the boat and get a larger one with I come back... I really do not want to do that as I have now become very attached to this one. Rebuilding for five years, everything now works and works well.

Although after sitting on the hard for a year, maybe longer, I do not know how much more will have to be fixed with it is finally time to go back in the water.

The yard where I plan to put the boat also suggested shrink wrap. I would like to hear more opinions on shrink-wrapping boat for long term storage. Most of the boats around her are wrapped for the winter.

Thoughts please..... any other suggestions for long term storage?

[bobk]

Re shrink wrap, you need to keep the sheet from touching the Imron or you risk some peeling paint.

I think I'd get rid of the gas and run some aviation gas through the system. It is very stable and should be ready to go when you return. Adding stabilizer to E10 will not prevent the alcohol from sucking in water and you will likely have to deal with it when you return.

Bobk