What are you guys paying to have boat winterized?

[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. 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.

[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. 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.

[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.