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Author Topic:   Winter Boat storage (FL residents Excluded)

Samars posted 10-08-2001 10:21 AM ET (US)
Ok...I have a least a month maybe more of the fishing season left here in PA. Checked all the threads on Winter motor storage, all set in that area...what do most whaler owners do with their boats for the winter...let's say outside storage? Do you store all the mohongany inside? Common sense tells me that the batteries, tanks (if possible), electronics vests etc. are taken and stored inside. do you cover the boat totally? two covers? raise the wheels of the ground? coat the fiberglass with wax/coating?
anyone have a unique way of taking care of this???
dfmcintyre posted 10-08-2001 11:18 AM ET (US)
If I'm storing outside, I'll:
fill the tanks, and mix in a fuel stabilizer, and run the engine long enough for the mixed fuel to hit it. I also give the outboard a tuneup and replace the lower unit grease, check the seal around the prop shaft for leakage or a fishing line wrapped around it. Pull the batteries and electronics and other stuff. The wood, I'll pull even if it's being stored inside, so I can work on it over the winter. Love the smell of varnish in January/February.
If outside, I'll have the boat shrinkwrapped, and perhaps take the wheels off to do the bearings. I try and have most everything taken care of in the fall, so the spring launch is just a wash, drop in batteries and go.
One thing NOT to do, is wax up the hull, and leave the wax on without rubbing it out. Your arms and shoulders will live to regret it in the spring. BTDT. Wax and buff out!
Don
LKS posted 10-08-2001 06:47 PM ET (US)
If storing outside and covered, suggest throwing in a couple (handful depending on size of boat) of moth balls in a disposable container or hang some moth ball cakes (one in engine compartment if it has IOs or inboards -- slit celophane on cakes, no need to fully unwrap). Helps to keep the critters out.
Ventura16 posted 10-08-2001 07:58 PM ET (US)
As LKS said, mothballs work great to keep out the squirrels and such...I also like to include a couple of anti-mildew packs...things seem to stay drier that way.
Besides the battery and electronics, I also take all the canvas and cushions off the boat. Winter is a great time to take them to the laundromat and get 'em cleaned up for the spring. For protection from the winter elements, I cover the boat with a reinforced poly cover...and use extra poles and bowed supports to keep it from sagging anywhere under the weight of snow and ice.
Tom
jameso posted 10-11-2001 09:44 AM ET (US)
Thank god I'm a southern boy,,,store a boat for winter? Thats some of our best fishing!
rwest posted 10-14-2001 06:06 AM ET (US)
All of the above are good suggestions. I live in eastern VA and my last boat was covered with a good tarp in the fall. When I uncovered it to sell it last November I was greated by a 3 ft snake which was staying warm in the coveedd boat. I'll use mothballs and possibly a container of snake-away this fall. I love my 35 y.o Nauset but if I'm out on the water and a snake craws out from my console where he spent the winter I'm giving him the boat and swimming to shore !

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Author	Topic: Winter Boat storage (FL residents Excluded)
Samars	posted 10-08-2001 10:21 AM ET (US) Ok...I have a least a month maybe more of the fishing season left here in PA. Checked all the threads on Winter motor storage, all set in that area...what do most whaler owners do with their boats for the winter...let's say outside storage? Do you store all the mohongany inside? Common sense tells me that the batteries, tanks (if possible), electronics vests etc. are taken and stored inside. do you cover the boat totally? two covers? raise the wheels of the ground? coat the fiberglass with wax/coating? anyone have a unique way of taking care of this???
dfmcintyre	posted 10-08-2001 11:18 AM ET (US) If I'm storing outside, I'll: fill the tanks, and mix in a fuel stabilizer, and run the engine long enough for the mixed fuel to hit it. I also give the outboard a tuneup and replace the lower unit grease, check the seal around the prop shaft for leakage or a fishing line wrapped around it. Pull the batteries and electronics and other stuff. The wood, I'll pull even if it's being stored inside, so I can work on it over the winter. Love the smell of varnish in January/February. If outside, I'll have the boat shrinkwrapped, and perhaps take the wheels off to do the bearings. I try and have most everything taken care of in the fall, so the spring launch is just a wash, drop in batteries and go. One thing NOT to do, is wax up the hull, and leave the wax on without rubbing it out. Your arms and shoulders will live to regret it in the spring. BTDT. Wax and buff out! Don
LKS	posted 10-08-2001 06:47 PM ET (US) If storing outside and covered, suggest throwing in a couple (handful depending on size of boat) of moth balls in a disposable container or hang some moth ball cakes (one in engine compartment if it has IOs or inboards -- slit celophane on cakes, no need to fully unwrap). Helps to keep the critters out.
Ventura16	posted 10-08-2001 07:58 PM ET (US) As LKS said, mothballs work great to keep out the squirrels and such...I also like to include a couple of anti-mildew packs...things seem to stay drier that way. Besides the battery and electronics, I also take all the canvas and cushions off the boat. Winter is a great time to take them to the laundromat and get 'em cleaned up for the spring. For protection from the winter elements, I cover the boat with a reinforced poly cover...and use extra poles and bowed supports to keep it from sagging anywhere under the weight of snow and ice. Tom
jameso	posted 10-11-2001 09:44 AM ET (US) Thank god I'm a southern boy,,,store a boat for winter? Thats some of our best fishing!
rwest	posted 10-14-2001 06:06 AM ET (US) All of the above are good suggestions. I live in eastern VA and my last boat was covered with a good tarp in the fall. When I uncovered it to sell it last November I was greated by a 3 ft snake which was staying warm in the coveedd boat. I'll use mothballs and possibly a container of snake-away this fall. I love my 35 y.o Nauset but if I'm out on the water and a snake craws out from my console where he spent the winter I'm giving him the boat and swimming to shore !