How To Winterize A Jet Boat

• #1

I live in South Louisiana

How cold before you lot need to winterize your I/O?

It rarely gets beneath 35 degrees and if it dips below freezing it is only for a couple of hours

• #ii

Re: How common cold does it have to get before you lot winterize?

Yous are probably OK since the mass of the block will take some fourth dimension to cool off. Still, if it dips beneath freezing for too long, you will have a trouble.

Make no mistake, you lot are taking a chance with this strategy. If you keep the boat in the water, the risk is much less since water takes more than fourth dimension to cool off. Why not put a small heater in the gunkhole? I use a 40watt heating pad nether the oil pan, to keep the block warm, on those frosty nights.

• #3

Re: How cold does it take to go before you winterize?

y'all all the same need to change the outdrive oil, before a freeze or shut freeze. a calorie-free bulb in the domestic dog firm volition take care of the block. downward to around 30*.

• #4

Re: How cold does it take to get earlier you winterize?

I have a 2008 Yamaha 70HP 2 stroke. Information technology had it'south 20 hr service a few months ago and then now the engine has about 30 hrs on information technology. I live in Jacksonville, FL. My boat is stored in my garage which is attached to the house. I have establish that even in freezing temperatures outside, the garage does not achieve freezing (I guess because of the insulation). I program on trying to use the boat a couple times during the holidays providing it does not get also cold (brrrrrrrrrrr!). Do I need to practise any winterizing or maintenance or is it ok to go on going until the side by side service?

Thanks,
KWB

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus

• #five

Re: How cold does it take to get before you winterize?

Maybe I accept tempted fate.

I accept never done any winterizing on an outboard boat when I was below the Mason-Dixon line. Of course, I usually fished yr-round. I did always check the gearcase for water and alter the oil in the Fall. I think if I had an inboard or an I/O I would accept been sure the block was drained.

When I lived outside Chicago and in MN I fished 'til water ice-up, then drained the carbs and changed the gearcase oil. That's all.

If I had tempted fate, fate never bit me.

INJUN

Petty Officer 1st Grade

• #7

Re: How common cold does it accept to become before you winterize?

I practise it merely before the garden hose freezes upwardly.

• #eight

Re: How common cold does it have to go before yous winterize?

I changed my gear oil mid summer and the boat either is in the water or I run the engine at least monthly during south Louisiana months.

please explain why the gear oil needs to be changed once more

• #10

Re: How cold does it take to get before y'all winterize?

The gear oil should be changed in the autumn to assure information technology does non have whatever water in it. Water will freeze and cleft the gearcase.

• #14

Re: How cold does it have to get earlier you winterize?

what nigh the following procedure - your thoughts please

" Just what I do is partially make full a large plastic box with a water/antifreeze mix (bank check for the proper mix ratio for the predicted low temps where y'all are) and run information technology through the water intake using a muff. I place the box under the lower unit of measurement then it catches the outflow; put the muff over the intakes with a hose attached and put the other end of the hose in the box. The commencement time is a bit costly if you want to make full the box enough to embrace the inlets with the mix, but if you use a muff so the depth does not affair as long every bit there is enough to keep the menstruum going. This yr I am going to use an out-drive muff with a hose attached to both sides instead of merely i for better flow through. I let the engine run for near 15-20 minutes and then spray a fogger into the carburetor until the engine quits or starts to sputter. Afterward I put a small sub-pump in the box to pump out the mix for re-utilize. I was able to get a few big empty water bottles) and I proceed them I keep them backside the business firm and I add a fresh gallon of antifreeze or two each year. The first time was a chip tricky but over time I accept gotten it downward to a fairly quick and easy process. Actually do two boats this way as a friend of mine brings his boat over every year to winterize. I take never had a trouble in the 8 years of doing this. Yeah information technology sounds complicated but it actually isn?t and for the cost of having a dealer do it just goes against my budget. By the style some folks go the extra mile by pulling the plugs and spraying the fogger in each port. anyway the betoken is yes employ antifreeze. Even if your area doesn?t become beneath freezing it volition reduce the chance of rust in your engine."

Source: https://forums.iboats.com/threads/how-cold-does-it-have-to-get-before-you-winterize.281421/

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