What are you guys paying to have boat winterized?

[KurtL]

I know, a few of you will say do it yourself, but early fall is a busy time for me and the weather here can go from 75F to 10F in three days. Last year skiied on Oct 1st 80F and was 6F and snow on the 7th. Have a friend that has a huge house with heated garage and didn't winterize and cracked the block when the power went out for a day.

Just had my LS winterized and oil changed, $410. Seems high. I don't have them summerize anymore, wanted $225 and it took me all of 20 minutes first time I did it. Shop rate here (Montana) $110/hour.

Sometimes peace of mind has a price.

[you da man]

Right at $200 at my dealer to winterize.

[deerfield]

From October 2008 invoice:

winterize inboard - $149
winterize ballast - $89
winterize heater - $50
oil change - $99
shop supplies - $8

above total - $395

From April 2009 invoice: summerize - $120

Now that boat is past the three-year warranty period, I do both the winterization and summerization to save approximately $500 annually.

[ducatichris]

I just called to get my reservation on the books.

Action watersports in MIchigan.
$184.78 for complete winterization (includes summerization in spring)
$84.50 for oil change.

[viking]

Last year was right around $400 but that included installation and purchase of factory Depth finder as well.

This year:
Bought all the parts/equipment to do it myself for about $350 and that includes PVC, tubs and hose for recirculation, oil extractor, and everything for transmission change which winterization didn't include at the dealer.

Figure next year I'll be into it for less than $100 for parts to do motor, tranny, fuel filter, and impeller.

[maxpower220]

From October 2008 invoice:

winterize inboard - $149
winterize ballast - $89
winterize heater - $50
oil change - $99
shop supplies - $8

above total - $395

From April 2009 invoice: summerize - $120

Now that boat is past the three-year warranty period, I do both the winterization and summerization to save approximately $500 annually.

$99 oil change????? They must really be using "black gold". Also, how can you winterize the inboard without an oil change? (and do it right).

[deerfield]

$99 oil change????? They must really be using "black gold". Also, how can you winterize the inboard without an oil change? (and do it right).

All in the definition of "winterize." I guess this dealer considers it to mean drain the engine block. Labor rate is single biggest expense. That's why now that the boat is no longer under warranty I do the work myself. Save a ton of money and enjoy working with my hands.

[KurtL]

Apparently Montana is the high rent district for watersports shop rates. Two years ago I paid $150 for just an oil change. Under $100 sounds like a steal.

[bergermaister]

$159 for basic winterize.
$259 for winterize plus oil and tranny change and trailer inspection.

What is there on the ballast to winterize? Pull out the bags, blow out the lines if needed, I figure that's a pretty easy one to do yourself... I've heard of guys splashing a little RV antifreeze in their lines/tanks for good measure and thats only about $5 a gallon.

I'll stick with the shop guarantee for winterizing the engine! But seems like everything else is pretty easy to handle.

[bergermaister]

Active Water Sports - My other closest dealer would be in the Seattle area over 2 hours away.

How about you?

[cab13367]

I've heard of guys splashing a little RV antifreeze in their lines/tanks for good measure and thats only about $5 a gallon.

I've heard your suppose to put a capful of Clorox bleach in each fat sac to prevent mold and mildew from forming.

[RobertJ]

I pay $225 in Salem at my local boat shop, Dave Power Marine and Automotive. This includes, heater, ballast fluid changes and de-winterizing.

I would have no trouble going to AWS in Portland but I like to keep a relationship with a local guy and he has been great to me over the years.

[sandm]

my first one was $300-which covered all inspections, winterization of boat/ballast/heater and oil change. did not include impeller or vdrive/tranny change. dealer here makes them "summer ready" so that all you have to do is hook up battery and drop in water. they offer a summerization service, but they don't like to do it, so they encourage you to do it yourself. they recommend impellers every other year so they don't feel bad about leaving them in the housing all winter. they do pull and coat, then reinstall.

in it $120 this year for impeller/winterization and buying a pela6000 pump. next year should be under $100 :)

[jamie_abb]

At the local moomba dealer
Inside $840
Outside $650
Winterize $280
Holy crap!!!

[squeeg333]

Well, I'm in the camp of doing it myself, but I can see the pluses to having a dealer do the work. I like getting to know my engines, so, no biggie here. But, I am curious about this winterizing of the ballast. You just put a cap full of bleach in each bag, and just leave it in there till spring? I put my sacks in the basement during the winter, do you guys keep them in the boat??

[deafgoose]

I pay a little over $1,000 to have my boat winterized, wraped, acid washed, stored and have the battery charged in the spring.

I wish I lived in a house so that I could do my own work at my own pace and store it in my garage but that is not my reality.

[squeeg333]

Wow Goose, that sounds like a great deal!! All of that bundled into one shot, and having a place to keep it for the cold months - sounds like a win/win to me. I wish I was lucky enough to have a bigger garage opening so my darn trailer could fit thru... then I'd be in heaven. I get to store in a barn, but all the work I do on her is just in the driveway... fun, but can be chilly. And seems to be getting colder by the day.

[zegm]

OK I was holding off on posting here due to not wanting people to be offended by "some" of us Florida folk (not displaced yankees) having it pretty easy.
I fill her up with 89 octane, pour Stabil in, back her near the garage, unhook her, take the Z5 bimini off and hang it in the back of the garage, lift the engine cover and hang the drop light under the motor (if it gets really cold, I will plug it in, maybe 5 to 8 days total), remove the drain plugs on the blocks (don't forget to grease the threads on the block here) and remove the inlet water hose, put the cover on the boat ,swing the hitch over, drop the tower, take off the Beautiful Teak deck (and spend 5 minutes heavily coating it with oil) and then by hand push the boat back into her spot. Grab the drop light cord and place it near an outlet so it is ready if needed. So I guess the total cost is the cost of the Stabil, what about 8 dollars cause you can't count the gasoline and the teak oil has nothing to do with winter time. :D There she will sit for about 3 to 4 LONG months!

[zabooda]

I pump the gas tank and lines dry, replace it with a gallon of gas with stabil and run that through the engine and fog the engine. I drain the engine block, the exhauster risers, blow out the heater and shower with compressed air, pull the hoses to both water pumps and blow air through them. I disconnect the coil wire, raise the boat up and turn the engine over to seat the impeller correctly and to blow out any remaining water in the exhaust pipes.

I know draining the gas tank is unconventional but I have had no problems. I do pump out the remaining gas and any other crud in the tank in the spring and replace with fresh gas. I leave the impeller as is and do a periodic inspection during the boating season. I change the oil in the spring as I have more enthusiasm in the spring to do stuff. It still takes about 1.5 hours to do all that.

[cab13367]

Well, I'm in the camp of doing it myself, but I can see the pluses to having a dealer do the work. I like getting to know my engines, so, no biggie here. But, I am curious about this winterizing of the ballast. You just put a cap full of bleach in each bag, and just leave it in there till spring? I put my sacks in the basement during the winter, do you guys keep them in the boat??

I completey empty and fold mine and put them up on a shelf in the garage. I forgot to put the capful of bleach in it last year but will be dong it this year.

[squeeg333]

Thanks for the info Cab. I was always curious what others did with their ballast.

[bergermaister]

Just had mine done at AWS this morning. They've been really good to me and I always enjoy wandering around the shop and lot checking out some of the other rides... But I think I may take the plunge and start doing it on my own next year. I've got more time on my hands than $$ leading into the holiday season. Plus I'm a DIY with everything else.

After reading Cab's updated winterizing description and seeing the photos (awesome by the way), I'm not so intimidated anymore. A few years ago I stored my boat up at a fish hatchery in an extra garage. It was a harsher than normal winter and sadly we got to put a new engine in the old Moomba that next spring after the shock of finding freeze damage from some trapped water...

With everything new "under the hood" I vowed to always take it to the dealer and let them do their thing. However I've built and rebuilt a few small block chevys in my day. I change my own oil and do everything else with the boat myself - I think with the help of the guys on forum I can handle it next time.

And DIY = no waiting in line!

[KurtL]

From what I'm hearing you guys say is do it yourself (here we go from 80F to 25F in a matter of a few days makes it tough) or it's time to check out the MC or Malibu dealership. $400+ with no impeller, no tranny and $225 to hook everything up again in the spring is kind of crazy. Our LS only has a gravity I ballast. So that can't amount to much of that $410.

[deerfield]

Hey, berger - Just noticed your signature. Pretty funny. You enjoying single life? - Deerfield

[viking]

Kurt ..... It's hard to believe they charge over $200 to summarize. There really is nothing to do other than tighten the belt, install impeller, and replace drain plugs.

Most dealers don't even remove impeller and loosen belt so she's ready to dump in the water and go in the spring with nothing other than a turn of the key :)

[DOCDRS]

Got my rates for winterization.......
825. Oil n filter change n winterize
100 for ballast tanks
390 if you want an impellar change
8.95 for hull and deck cleaning per foot
Diy.....priceless
:)

[bergermaister]

Hey Deerfield-

Funny you should mention that. With this being the coldest and wettest summer on record in the Portland/Vancouver area in the last 17 years (seriously, saw it on the news) I was still able to put over 40 hours on the boat this summer. Only 20ish hours last summer. The EX couldn't resist making a few nagging comments about how I'm enjoying "her boat" when dropping off the kids but that fell on deaf ears. ;)

Being single again after 14 years is still weird but I'm getting the hang of it again after 9 months of it. Glad I didn't lose the boat in the DV. I may need it while I'm on the hunt for a Moomba Mama!

[kaneboats]

I wonder if the economy is partially to blame for the damage. I have 3 buddies who have gone through the split in the last 6 months. 14 years, 13 years and 13 years and now starting over.

[sailing217]

I think ours is $200 to get winterized, $50 for heater, $50 for ballast. they drain and fill with antifreeze.

Summerizing: I think getting charged and the hassle to go back to the dealership to have them connect hoses and put plugs in is crazy. never would I go through that hassle.

I'm always tempted to do mine myself but it helps out my dealer and keeps me at the top of the list should something break before a summer holiday.

oil change is $100 every season
impeller is $150 every other season

I watched a different dealer do an oil change for $150 and said that was too much.

[cab13367]

Just had mine done at AWS this morning. They've been really good to me and I always enjoy wandering around the shop and lot checking out some of the other rides... But I think I may take the plunge and start doing it on my own next year. I've got more time on my hands than $$ leading into the holiday season. Plus I'm a DIY with everything else.

After reading Cab's updated winterizing description and seeing the photos (awesome by the way), I'm not so intimidated anymore. A few years ago I stored my boat up at a fish hatchery in an extra garage. It was a harsher than normal winter and sadly we got to put a new engine in the old Moomba that next spring after the shock of finding freeze damage from some trapped water...

With everything new "under the hood" I vowed to always take it to the dealer and let them do their thing. However I've built and rebuilt a few small block chevys in my day. I change my own oil and do everything else with the boat myself - I think with the help of the guys on forum I can handle it next time.

And DIY = no waiting in line!

Berger,

Was the freeze damage a result of improper winterizing or no winterizing at all?

I am practically local to you so if you decide to DIY next year, I would be happy to help you. Just let me know. Once you do it yourself, you will never pay anyone else to do it.

Al

[bergermaister]

I guess you could call it improper winterizing. Last run of that year the water at the reservoir was extremely low - to the point I backed past the end of the dock at the launch and 20ft into the mud before I even hit the water. Coming back out of the water was a murky mess. Then the boat sat for a few weeks before winterizing. Should have known better...

That next Spring after getting everything back together and warmed it up to do an oil change I had the dreaded milkshake.

AWS was swamped and referred me to their engine shop to get in sooner. Got in there and a tech pulled one drain plug from the block. Little rusty water comes out. He grabs a little piece of wire like a coat hanger and sticks it up into the block and works it around some. Some really mucky slime like mud and silt comes out and then some blackish water.

I guess there was a bunch of sediment crap trapped in the block that hardened and trapped some water in one of the jackets. Cracked block...

Bummer of a way to start the summer but they got a new engine in it within just a week or two and we did an upgrade option with a little hotter cam too.

I haven't investigated the winterizing work that AWS did this year yet but plan to in considering my DIY for next year.

[WaterBullDawg1980]

I guess you could call it improper winterizing. Last run of that year the water at the reservoir was extremely low - to the point I backed past the end of the dock at the launch and 20ft into the mud before I even hit the water. Coming back out of the water was a murky mess. Then the boat sat for a few weeks before winterizing. Should have known better...

That next Spring after getting everything back together and warmed it up to do an oil change I had the dreaded milkshake.

AWS was swamped and referred me to their engine shop to get in sooner. Got in there and a tech pulled one drain plug from the block. Little rusty water comes out. He grabs a little piece of wire like a coat hanger and sticks it up into the block and works it around some. Some really mucky slime like mud and silt comes out and then some blackish water.

I guess there was a bunch of sediment crap trapped in the block that hardened and trapped some water in one of the jackets. Cracked block...

Bummer of a way to start the summer but they got a new engine in it within just a week or two and we did an upgrade option with a little hotter cam too.

I haven't investigated the winterizing work that AWS did this year yet but plan to in considering my DIY for next year.


Wow..... I hope you have learned from this. That had to be a tough one to deal with.

[powerstroke99]

270$ for full winterize and oil change.. added a shrink wrap and storage for a extra 275.. not to bad i dont think

[wolfeman131]

$182 at Atlanta Marine for full winterization. Oil & Filter change is extra.

[Garn]

This is what blows me away. Fifty dollars to winterize your heater! You literally disconnect two hoses and you can blow it out with your own mouth! It takes 2 minutes to do the entire thing! Fifty bucks for that?!? That's ridiculous. That should just be part of the normal winterization. That's a rip-off.

Garn

[Bcoutsfly]

OK I was holding off on posting here due to not wanting people to be offended by "some" of us Florida folk (not displaced yankees) having it pretty easy.
I fill her up with 89 octane, pour Stabil in, back her near the garage, unhook her, take the Z5 bimini off and hang it in the back of the garage, lift the engine cover and hang the drop light under the motor (if it gets really cold, I will plug it in, maybe 5 to 8 days total), remove the drain plugs on the blocks (don't forget to grease the threads on the block here) and remove the inlet water hose, put the cover on the boat ,swing the hitch over, drop the tower, take off the Beautiful Teak deck (and spend 5 minutes heavily coating it with oil) and then by hand push the boat back into her spot. Grab the drop light cord and place it near an outlet so it is ready if needed. So I guess the total cost is the cost of the Stabil, what about 8 dollars cause you can't count the gasoline and the teak oil has nothing to do with winter time. :D There she will sit for about 3 to 4 LONG months!

Don't want to offend you but not winterizing isn't very smart no matter where your located. $80 in antifreeze and 15 minutes of your time could save you alot of headache. More blocks crack in the south versus up north because Southerners think it doesn't get cold enough to freeze a block. You never know what kind of winter you're going to have.

[DOCDRS]

Don't want to offend you but not winterizing isn't very smart no matter where your located. $80 in antifreeze and 15 minutes of your time could save you alot of headache. More blocks crack in the south versus up north because Southerners think it doesn't get cold enough to freeze a block. You never know what kind of winter you're going to have.


He does winterize it.....he drains the block. and part of the impeller housing....but he should also drain the jtube from the circ pump to the tstat housing or at least fog the cylinders and change the oil

[kaneboats]

I have a thermometer in the garage-- and also keep a little cup of water just in case. It never got below 46 in there on the coldest night last year-- I think it was about 27 outside.

[bergermaister]

I wonder if the economy is partially to blame for the damage. I have 3 buddies who have gone through the split in the last 6 months. 14 years, 13 years and 13 years and now starting over.


Well Kane, I can't really say that was the case....

I find I'm attracted to loud shiny things that go fast. Not necessarily a good thing when it comes to women. They don't exactly make for a good wife...

:roll:

[LIQUID DOG]

In californina I was quoted $256 without the oil change, so i did it myself with the awsome pics and notes provided by cab13367 last week. It did take me awail but most of the time I was trying to get at the hoses and bolts with various tool. next year will be faster.

[cab13367]

In californina I was quoted $256 without the oil change, so i did it myself with the awsome pics and notes provided by cab13367 last week. It did take me awail but most of the time I was trying to get at the hoses and bolts with various tool. next year will be faster.

dog,

Yes, now that you've done it once, it will go much faster next time.

Glad the instructions helped.

Al

[jasonba1]

im paying 85 dollars at viper customs and then 75 dollars a month for indoor boat storage

[jfox8807]

i paid 360 bucks for oil change and winterization.

[BobP]

We paid $270 for oil change, winterization, and impeller replacement (not including cost of impeller as I had purchased separately).

[myster]

Got an hour ? Do it yourself.....easy!!!!

[mmandley]

This is the only year i paid to have the boat winterized. Since i sold it to a Gent in Canada i wanted him to have the peace of mind it was dont by a dealer, this way if anything happened his insurance wouldnt give him and issues.

I paid 139 for winterization, it would have been 179 if i wanted the oil changed.

[tgoody14]

$350 for complete checkup and winterization (with new fuel filter/pump, new spark plugs, and oil change) in Southwest TX to make it "Summer Ready"

Wished I could do it myself, but days off are few, far, and in between.

Annnnnnnnd it's hunting season... 😬

Priorities... lol

[jmb]

I just got a heater from friend of mine today that straps to the bottom of the oil pan and it has a thermostat on it. Hopefully won't have to drain the water anymore. He uses one on his boat and it sets in the lift all winter.

[jpetty3023]

just paid 250.00 yesterday for winterization and 50 hour service. not bad at all. drop ready once the spring air returns


sent from my home phone

[E4NASH]

just paid 250.00 yesterday for winterization and 50 hour service. not bad at all. drop ready once the spring air returns


sent from my home phone

Wow that's about what I paid for just winterizing alone. Then, when spring returns I need to have the 100 hour service and redo my ballast system before I can even get it out on the water.....B.O.A.T. Break Out Another Thousand! But I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jmb]

Hmm, I don't think I am paying all that. Tune up and everything, $100.00 do it myself. Tune up has to be done every 300 hours, not every year.

[DOCDRS]

Costs me 26 for winterization with oil change

[jmb]

I hear ya Doc. My dealer said all they do is drain the water out. No anti-freeze. Would rather just do it myself, that way I know what I got

[E4NASH]

I like to play it safe and let the dealer do it. That way if something goes wrong it's someone else's responsibility to take care of it...just makes me feel better about it.


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[jmvotto]

I like to play it safe and let the dealer do it. That way if something goes wrong it's someone else's responsibility to take care of it...just makes me feel better about it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Same here, I pay about 800.00 but that includes indoor storage as well fr 7 months eerrrr.

[jpetty3023]

I like to play it safe and let the dealer do it. That way if something goes wrong it's someone else's responsibility to take care of it...just makes me feel better about it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My thought process exactly. I would hate to miss something then be in the hook for a new motor/block/etc. little peace of mind I guess


sent from my ipad2 via a wireless network which usually sucks

[C.Hern5972]

I drain it and make sure the tank is full. Add stabil and thats about it.