How long can my boat stay "winterized"?

S

searayjay

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2001 Sundancer 5 L efi bravo3.
I winterized and shrinkwrapped it fall of 2012(
Changed oil/filter, sprayed fogging oil into throttle body until it killed, new synth gear oil, drained block and back filled with -100 Merc A/F. But reg rv a/f in water sytem and removed batteries). Stored outside, on blocks at marina in MN.
Work has given me out of town many month assignments summer 2013 and again this year. Therefore I haven't used my boat since Oct 2012.
Will it be ok to leave it unfortunately until next summer or do I need to re- winterize??
 
You will be fine. You might want to air the boat out over the summer so you don't get mildew.
 
Seems good to go to me, make sure the shrinkwrap is holding.
 
Will be fine, but some rubber parts may dry out and start to rot.
Things like impellers.
Definately pull the impeller on front of motor for bravo and change it before launch.
Check hoses for dry rot.
 
Thanks gentlemen.
I feel better now and will check wrap and air it out before I leave town.
Good thought on impeller change too
Thanks
 
Old gas will be an issue when you go to use it.
 
The biggest worries are mold, mildew, batteries dying and exhaust valve sticking. Keep good air circulation for mildew and rotate the engine 180 degrees by hand to open different valves.
In years past people would stick oily rags in the exhaust outlet to stop varmints fron moving in and reduce damp air entering. Don't see that any longer. As for batteries they can be removed and charged from time to time or easier to just plan on new batteries when you launch and in MN you don't want dead batteries freezing in the boat so I would remove them..
 
Without the batteries how do I easily rotate the engine 180 degrees.
Will I need to drain gas? I have it nearly full and placed the correct amount of a fuel stabilizer in the tank when I winterized it.
 
You can usually turn it slowly by hand using a strap wrench on a pulley or a pulley nut if it has one.

Yes the gas does become a question in these ethanol days. If only you could use it up in your car over time.

I don't know how it is stored but to drain a tank once I hooked a tube from the fuel filter of a boat out through the transom drain plug hole and gradually filled gas cans using gravity and siphoning. My lawn guy was able to use it in his stuff.

I think most here will question 2 YO gas when you try to use it next year. It might cause problems or might not I just don't know.
 
of course if the batts are still in the boat just hit the starter for a second.
 
how long does the type of stabilizer you used remain effective? 2 years is a long time.
 
My 1975-76 Gulfstar 36 MarkII was winterized 4 seasons ago. I had the tank and fuel polished before I had the fuel disposed of. Next step was to hire a Perkins certified diesel mechanic to replace all fluids, and the impellers on the (2) 4.154M engines and the Westerbeeke generator. The generator needed a new oil pressure switch. All belts and hoses with the exception of the diesel tanks fill and vent were replaced by the owners before they laid the boat up. I had the fuel fill and the fuel tank vent lines replaced. One alternator belt was changed because it showed some minor signs of cracking.
60 gallons of new fresh diesel were added and all the fuel filters were replaced.
I'm in great shape we took almost a 2 hour cruise running the engines above what I would consider the limit for about 5 minutes. There was virtually no smoke the main engines started almost immediately on the sea trial.
That's what worked for me on a vessel that was on the hard and properly winterized for an extended period of time.
Bill
 
quote:
Originally posted by searayjay

Without the batteries how do I easily rotate the engine 180 degrees.
Will I need to drain gas? I have it nearly full and placed the correct amount of a fuel stabilizer in the tank when I winterized it.

Click to expand...
I think fuel stabilizer is completely over rated. In Ethanol I think many so called stabilizers can cause more problems than if you left the fuel alone.
Bill
 
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