Winterization/Storage

[ebijack]

There are alot of views on how to store your boat. I know what has worked for me for many many years, and over those years I changed my view on storage with or without fuel. For me, in fall I start using a fuel stabilizer, I keep the tank full everytime before putting away ( you never know when your last time out is going to be), add more stabilizer, I keep the bottle of stabilizer in the boat. If you store your boat with the tank and carbs dry, you will get moisture in the tank and the carb gaskets will get dried out, crack and you will end up with a vacuum leak along with the moisture in the tank, hopfully it will be trapped by your seperator. I also do not change the lower lube till late spring, I pull the lower plug in the fall and quickly put back in, if water comes out, then you have to fix the problem, if nothing comes out ( the lube will be slow running if done while it is cold and sat for a day or too before doing) your good to go. Again, the lube is designed to absorb moisture and that is what it will do over the winter into spring. In the spring, when it's warm out , change the lube, then your running fresh lube all season long that has not absorbed any moisture.
But that's me. I've been working on boats and vehicles for over 40 yrs.