Winterizing outboard and porta-poti

zz4gta · #1 (**permalink**) 10-30-2008

What is involved to make sure these items make it through the winter? I'm keeping my boat in the water.

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 10-30-2008

Porta-pottie:

Dump tank
Clean bowl and tank
Take home and store in basement...

You're done. Trust me, you don't want to be using a porta-pottie on a small boat in winter time, unless you want to get frostbite on parts you'd rather not have frostbitten.

Outboard motor:

Flush cooling system to get rid of salt buildup
Change oil if a four-stroke
Change oil in lower unit
Run engine with stabilized fuel and cut off fuel and let engine run out of gas—to prevent formation of varnish deposits from clogging carb jets
Fog engine
If possible, take off boat and put on stand in basement or garage.

If you have to leave the outboard on the boat... does it lift completely clear of the water or not? If not... don't do it. If so... then don't forget to let it drain completely before tilting it up. If there's any water in the cooling passages and it freezes, you're screwed.

Personally, I wouldn't leave an outboard on the boat if the boat is in the water in the winter.

zz4gta · #3 (**permalink**) 10-30-2008

Sounds simple enough, what if I want to continue sailing through the winter?

sailingdog · #4 (**permalink**) 10-30-2008

How big is the outboard... you could use "earmuffs" to flush the cooling system and then fill it with antifreeze each time...but that's a royal PITA.

zz4gta · #5 (**permalink**) 10-30-2008

Not ramiliar with the muffs. And filling with antifreeze is a PITA. But I guess its something I can't avoid.

sailingdog · #6 (**permalink**) 10-30-2008

zz-

Look kind of like this:

sailaway21 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-30-2008

You shouldn't need antifreeze unless there's something I'm not aware of about your outboard. Just lift it out of the water and let it drain...you could roll it over a few times to let the impeller expel any water and you should be good to go.

sailingdog · #8 (**permalink**) 10-30-2008

This is only true if he can lift the outboard clear of the water vertically. If he has to tilt it to get it clear of the water, there's a chance that some water will be stuck in the cooling passages... and if that water freezes, bad things happen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailaway21

You shouldn't need antifreeze unless there's something I'm not aware of about your outboard. Just lift it out of the water and let it drain...you could roll it over a few times to let the impeller expel any water and you should be good to go.