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Winterizing- 2 months left until snow hits...

Water Romper

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Got two months left until.....
Alright, rub it in, I know you Havi- folks consider "Winterizing" is when you put a way the fip- flops and wear tennis shoes and socks but us folks up north of you (Boise ID) will have to start thinking about truly winterizing our boats beginning of October...and I know nothing about doing this.
Been in Idaho less than a year from Orange County, CA.....So...………...<insert cricket noise when asked about winterizing>

What do you guys do to winterize your 2 stroke 200hp Merc outboards ? what about the gas in the tanks, Full, Empty? add additive (Sea Foam Green?) Disconnect the battery? Leave prop on or off? anything else? Of course, everything will be covered with water poof covering but is does get COLD here for months at a time....

Tanks in advance
 

MagicMan

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Too soon for this thread were still enjoying the boating season bud.
 

Ragged Edge

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Here is a video on the subject. I prefer empty tanks with today's ethanol polluted fuel but you can use the Sta-Bil marine fuel stabilizer if you prefer. It's a very simple task with a 2 stroke. If the boat is to be stored indoors then disconnect the battery and put a maintainer on it, if the boat is outside then remove the battery, bring it indoors and put the maintainer on it. Prop on or off, your choice, if it's off no one can steal it from your boat.

 

cofooter

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Yamaha ProV 2 stroke. I removed the oil injector years ago and just pre-mix now. I run Sta-bil through tanks and remove battery. Starts up on the first try every spring. 2K plus hours!!
 

renodaytona

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Yeah I don’t even want to think about that right now. I’ll push it out till the last moment. Trying to get a bunch of lame time in before the first cold snap hits.
 

Water Romper

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Yeah...I know I'm jumping the gun here but I'm new to this region (Southern Idaho) and never had to think about winterizing a boat...didn't know what was required. Thanks to the RDP crew for responding and the tips (including the vid) ... ugh, the thought of 8 degree weather...Im going to miss So Cal
 

stingray11

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Put in fuel stabilizer, run motor 5 min to get it through motor, change gearcase fluid so if you got any water in it it won't freeze and crack your gearcase, grease all fittings and prop shaft. Fill oil injection tank so it don't condensate and you have water in your oil tank. And just to be safe mix first tank in the spring with 2 stroke oil in case you got some water in oil tank just to be safe. If you have oil injection. That about it unless it will sit for more than 6-7 months you will need to fog motor but not if it has fuel injection. You don't need to remove battery but best to unhook plus or neg cable and keep it charged
 

cofooter

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change gearcase fluid so if you got any water in it it won't freeze and crack your gearcase,

Good one, forgot this, not something that is intuitive, buddy of mine's cracked a few years ago and cost him a new lower unit. Doesn't take a lot of water.......
 

DarkHorseRacing

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Got two months left until.....
Alright, rub it in, I know you Havi- folks consider "Winterizing" is when you put a way the fip- flops and wear tennis shoes and socks but us folks up north of you (Boise ID) will have to start thinking about truly winterizing our boats beginning of October...and I know nothing about doing this.
Been in Idaho less than a year from Orange County, CA.....So...………...<insert cricket noise when asked about winterizing>

What do you guys do to winterize your 2 stroke 200hp Merc outboards ? what about the gas in the tanks, Full, Empty? add additive (Sea Foam Green?) Disconnect the battery? Leave prop on or off? anything else? Of course, everything will be covered with water poof covering but is does get COLD here for months at a time....

Tanks in advance

So what lakes do you boat on in Idaho? What are the lakes like? Water temp stay relatively chilly the whole time? I was thinking about moving from California up to Idaho. I was thinking about being near McCall as they have a nice lake there (from what I've seen pictures of). I figure the boating season is fairly short (June/July/August, maybe September)?

I currently live up by Lake Arrowhead in California so I'm used to alpine lakes that don't get very warm. And I'm used to shoveling snow in the winter but probably no where near the amounts that Idaho gets.

For me, winterizing the boat means driving it down the hill where it doesn't snow! I actually store it out in Arizona. But I do the engine oil and drive oil changes, plus water pump impeller (mine's an I/O) before it goes into storage, which thankfully is a storage box, fully enclosed.

Definitely try to store the boat under cover (if for some reason it is not indoors completely), with the cover on it. If you cover it but leave it in the open, the snow load will rip that cover to pieces. Also, if outdoors, store the boat where the boat can drain from rain and snowmelt, or it will fill the boat up full of water, which will then freeze. So all drain plugs out (both inside compartments and outside).

Make sure the boat is 100% dry and try to get as much water out of any lines, hoses, etc. Leave all hatches and seats cocked open for airflow, should any water get in you want it to dry out rather than freeze.

I also agree with storing the fuel tanks as empty as possible but with Stabil Marine in the tanks. I usually start adding Stabil to the fuel about a month before I think I will stop using the boat for the season. and I only put in as much fuel as I think I might use for the time I'm out in it, and try to run the tanks back down to empty each time. One, this gets it fully through the fuel system, but two, it's done early in case the weather doesn't cooperate and the season ends sooner than planned.

Definitely pull the batteries and put them on a maintainer in your garage, or put them on a maintainer in the storage location if indoors and it has an outlet you can use. I have battery switches that totally disconnect the battery positive cables which I've found keeps the batteries from draining, but I still put the maintainer on them.

Don't forget to give your trailer some love. Grease the wheel bearings fully. You want to drive any moisture in the bearings out before winter.
 

Ricks raft

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Old 2 stroke should be pretty bullet proof. Boat I grew up with we really did nothing. Not quite Idaho cold and had good fuel in the 70's-80's, but live in the mountains where it gets well below freezing and sometimes had 2' of snow on it.
Literally would put cover on, let it sit. Spring, change impeller every other year top off with fresh fuel and go.
Going strong at over 800 hours till we had a mechanic pull heads to check wear and put 150 gaskets on a 200. That lasted about 10 minutes.
Now days on an old 2 stroke I'd just add fuel stabilizer, grease all the fittings, tilt engine down to let water drain.
 

Water Romper

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So what lakes do you boat on in Idaho? What are the lakes like? Water temp stay relatively chilly the whole time? I was thinking about moving from California up to Idaho. I was thinking about being near McCall as they have a nice lake there (from what I've seen pictures of). I figure the boating season is fairly short (June/July/August, maybe September)?

I currently live up by Lake Arrowhead in California so I'm used to alpine lakes that don't get very warm. And I'm used to shoveling snow in the winter but probably no where near the amounts that Idaho gets.

For me, winterizing the boat means driving it down the hill where it doesn't snow! I actually store it out in Arizona. But I do the engine oil and drive oil changes, plus water pump impeller (mine's an I/O) before it goes into storage, which thankfully is a storage box, fully enclosed.

Definitely try to store the boat under cover (if for some reason it is not indoors completely), with the cover on it. If you cover it but leave it in the open, the snow load will rip that cover to pieces. Also, if outdoors, store the boat where the boat can drain from rain and snowmelt, or it will fill the boat up full of water, which will then freeze. So all drain plugs out (both inside compartments and outside).

Make sure the boat is 100% dry and try to get as much water out of any lines, hoses, etc. Leave all hatches and seats cocked open for airflow, should any water get in you want it to dry out rather than freeze.

I also agree with storing the fuel tanks as empty as possible but with Stabil Marine in the tanks. I usually start adding Stabil to the fuel about a month before I think I will stop using the boat for the season. and I only put in as much fuel as I think I might use for the time I'm out in it, and try to run the tanks back down to empty each time. One, this gets it fully through the fuel system, but two, it's done early in case the weather doesn't cooperate and the season ends sooner than planned.

Definitely pull the batteries and put them on a maintainer in your garage, or put them on a maintainer in the storage location if indoors and it has an outlet you can use. I have battery switches that totally disconnect the battery positive cables which I've found keeps the batteries from draining, but I still put the maintainer on them.

Don't forget to give your trailer some love. Grease the wheel bearings fully. You want to drive any moisture in the bearings out before winter.

I now live in East Boise, a place called Columbia Village, residential homes, reminds be of Irvine, CA...very clean, quiet and close to everything. I know Lake Arrowhead very well also Blue Jay, Running Springs and of course, Papagyous Mexican restaurant. (sp?) I was never able to boat on Lake Arrowhead, we didn't have property and being a private lake, I was out of luck but I did go to Big Bear often, although the boat ran like crap due to the altitude...but we enjoyed hanging out near the Japanese Tea House by the dam. Around here in Boise, I go to Lucky Peak, its a pretty good size lake and actually there is a series of 3 lakes all fed by the Boise River. I like the main lake with the Marina etc. it cost $5.00 to launch and is about 20 minutes from the 84 freeway. They even have "Boat Camping" ....camp sites that are only accessible by boat, that's on our to-do list for next year. As far as storage goes, they are hard to come by...oh don't get me wrong, there are hundreds of storage companies but they are all full, these guys around here have more toys than you can imagine.... I appreciate the "Winterizing" advise, I would have not thought of draining the lower unit and changing the gear oil to get the water out....that would have been a expensive mistake.
 

Water Romper

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Oh
I now live in East Boise, a place called Columbia Village, residential homes, reminds be of Irvine, CA...very clean, quiet and close to everything. I know Lake Arrowhead very well also Blue Jay, Running Springs and of course, Papagyous Mexican restaurant. (sp?) I was never able to boat on Lake Arrowhead, we didn't have property and being a private lake, I was out of luck but I did go to Big Bear often, although the boat ran like crap due to the altitude...but we enjoyed hanging out near the Japanese Tea House by the dam. Around here in Boise, I go to Lucky Peak, its a pretty good size lake and actually there is a series of 3 lakes all fed by the Boise River. I like the main lake with the Marina etc. it cost $5.00 to launch and is about 20 minutes from the 84 freeway. They even have "Boat Camping" ....camp sites that are only accessible by boat, that's on our to-do list for next year. As far as storage goes, they are hard to come by...oh don't get me wrong, there are hundreds of storage companies but they are all full, these guys around here have more toys than you can imagine.... I appreciate the "Winterizing" advise, I would have not thought of draining the lower unit and changing the gear oil to get the water out....that would have been a expensive mistake.

I forgot to ask..."Dark Horse Racing" ?? are we talking about real horses like Thoroughbreds , Quarter and Harness too?
 

DarkHorseRacing

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Oh


I forgot to ask..."Dark Horse Racing" ?? are we talking about real horses like Thoroughbreds , Quarter and Harness too?

No, not real horses. Just more of a "run what you brung" racing attitude and we'd still managed to be fairly successful at it.
 

Water Romper

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Funny how fast time fly's....two months have blown by so now its time, the winterizing of the Hallett....one thing I read.....it was suggested to put a dryer sheet in the cowling of my 2 stroke 250 Merc OB. Suppose to keep rodents away....I have never heard of this, is someone pulling my leg or is this legit? They did say to make sure you take it out next season...
 

25Elmn8r

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Just winterized my boat this last weekend. Sucks that our season is over, but we were out almost every weekend from Memorial to Labor Day and quite a few weekdays as well. It's nice to live 5 minutes from the lake.

The dryer sheet thing is legit, they don't like the smell.
 

spectra3279

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Shit, I'm still trying to get mine in the water. Still waiting on hydrolic hoses.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 

HST4ME

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Eh I will worry about it when I get back from Jasper. Power head will come off for some small changes and I always put my gearcase in my basement. Unless this election and our asshole governor fucks us over it's Suwannee time in February.
 

Water Romper

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Just winterized my boat this last weekend. Sucks that our season is over, but we were out almost every weekend from Memorial to Labor Day and quite a few weekdays as well. It's nice to live 5 minutes from the lake.

The dryer sheet thing is legit, they don't like the smell.
I hear ya about the short season and that it sucks. As a So Cal native, I would run to Havi almost anytime of the year but now being in Southern Idaho, its a different ball game. But on the other hand, I will try my luck at riding a snowmobile....this will be a first.
Looks like the dryer sheet will go in the cowling..... Would it work in the interior area as well? The boat is covered and will be water/snow proof (as much as possible)
 

25Elmn8r

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Looks like the dryer sheet will go in the cowling..... Would it work in the interior area as well? The boat is covered and will be water/snow proof (as much as possible)

I put the sheets anywhere there is a possibility of entry into the boat. My boat has a tower so there are holes in the cover, I usually double up there just to be safe.
 

Water Romper

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ugh...10-15 degrees tonight....winter is here. Nice for the holidays though.
 

renodaytona

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Yep 15 degrees overnight tomorrow night. Boat and 5th wheel are all prepped for the first freeze.
 

River Runnin

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Got two months left until.....
Alright, rub it in, I know you Havi- folks consider "Winterizing" is when you put a way the fip- flops and wear tennis shoes and socks but us folks up north of you (Boise ID) will have to start thinking about truly winterizing our boats beginning of October...and I know nothing about doing this.
Been in Idaho less than a year from Orange County, CA.....So...………...<insert cricket noise when asked about winterizing>

What do you guys do to winterize your 2 stroke 200hp Merc outboards ? what about the gas in the tanks, Full, Empty? add additive (Sea Foam Green?) Disconnect the battery? Leave prop on or off? anything else? Of course, everything will be covered with water poof covering but is does get COLD here for months at a time....

Tanks in advance
Trade it for a Closed System Custom Weld and run it all winter! ... Geeze! :rolleyes: 😁
 

Water Romper

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Ha, first time I saw a Weld boat I was fishing the Snake from shore and saw this "thing" coming up the middle of the river, looked like somthing from a Mad Max movie.... solid metal, huge jet, looked indestructible. These are quite popular around here and I see why, they are totally cool fishing boats, but for the price, (100k +) I'll wait for my lottery winnings
 
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