Winterizing 2014 tri-toon w/ Yamaha 150 outboard motor

[tyjy]

So we just put our first pontoon boat w/Yamaha 150 4 cycle in water in June, did the entire oil change, water separator, lower unit maintenance, etc at 16 hours and we're at 35 hours now. Hoping to put on a few more hours before we have to pull the boat in October (but nowhere near getting to 100 hours). We're in Wisconsin and will be storing inside/unheated on our own trailer and yup it DEFinitely will get below freezing! My DH might know what to do to ready for winter, but I don't and I've assumed ownership! Yes, it's MINE! haha (please guys, humor me! but be nice, this is MY first time owning a boat  :unsure:  )

(Basic stuff I know to do is: Clean well, apply 303 protectant to upholstery, remove battery, put in dryer sheets to prevent mice, maybe moth balls under the motor cover, put down a pan of Damp Rid to soak up potential moisture, cover w/mooring cover and additional plastic tarp, and grease the bearings to the trailer)

All the Questions I could think of:

#1: Since the fluids were already changed recently do we still have to change all those items before storing? If not, which ones? 

#2: Do you use up as much gas as possible or keep it full before storing?

#3: Do you put the Stabil in the gas and run the motor at all or just dump some in? (Is "Stabil" the brand you use?) (We already use the Yamalube Ring Free Plus-10 Fuel Additive when refueling)

#4: The toons (yes with original Shark hide application) are stuck with hard yuck build up at water line from docking in water at marina all season (scrubbed one time but not thoroughly as we were beached to do it). Planning to rent a power washer and use blue scotch brite (non scratch) type scrubbers. Is there anything else we should do? What if pads can't scratch that crap off? Do we use soap of any sort? Do we reapply anything to act like Shark hide after we're done?

#5: When parking in storage should we keep the motor lowered? (thought I read this somewhere?)

#6: If storing battery inside heated area (probably in our home) do we still have to put a trickle charge on it?

#7: What would YOU do to winterize it? Any other tips? Will very much appreciate it!

(I tried to search the forum but getting all mixed up, hoping someone can point me in the right direction for our specific boat/motor)

Thanks so, so much : ) 

 

[SEMPERFI8387]

MUST change lower unit to ensure no water that will freeze.

I'd also swap water/fuel seperator for same reason.

I'd pull battery and trickle charge it.

Our dealer likes us to run fuel low.

We use Marine Stabil all the time, along with ring free.

 

[cwag911]

Our boat stays on the lift and during the winter months I keep the fuel tank full and Stabil added. Ocasionally we'll get a nice day during the colder months and take the boat out. I also use a Battery Tender during the winter and buy a good one, not a Harbor Freight pos. Keep the motor verticle so the water drains out. You can try the pressurewasher on the tubes but if it's got hard crusty stuff you might need to acid wash to get it off.

 

[tyjy]

Semperfi & cwag: thank you

 

[highpond]

I might add that the trailer tires should be off the earth or ground and on wood. Prevents tire  rot.

Full tank with Stabil. Run  the motor to let it flow through the system before shutting down.

Trickle the battery Place it OFF the cement floor.

Change the fuel filter be sure no water is present.

303 on the seats then cover with sheets. Keeps the dust off. Open seats

Good luck. 

 

[tyjy]

highpond: thanks so much! I forgot some of this I'd read before! so appreciate the reminders!

 

[SEMPERFI8387]

That battery on the "cement" floor no longer pertains to modern batteries that are encased in hard plastic.

Years back, it was "possible" for a battery to discharge, but not with today's technology and cases.

You can research it and see I'm not full of it.

 

[Kells]

Is it suggested to put the mooring cover on then plastic wrap?

I local guy who does the boat wrapping said to NOT put the mooring cover it, he said it could ruin it, and suggested he use 2x6" lumber as poles to "tent" the plastic wrapping...  I'm concerned about the pressure of the 2x6 on the flooring though, should this be cause for concern?  Any feedback on this method?

 

[swiftm]

Is it suggested to put the mooring cover on then plastic wrap?

I local guy who does the boat wrapping said to NOT put the mooring cover it, he said it could ruin it, and suggested he use 2x6" lumber as poles to "tent" the plastic wrapping...  I'm concerned about the pressure of the 2x6 on the flooring though, should this be cause for concern?  Any feedback on this method?

My mooring cover is off when I have it shrink wrapped and they put short horizontal boards under each post when they put them up.

 

[JeffS]

This is my first season storing my new Bennington. With my ski boat and other previous boats though, I have always stored inside unheated and have winterized 22 times since I bought my first boat in 1992. Bennington will be inside unheated as well.

Winterizing the Malibu is far more work than with the outboard. Protecting the engine is a bigger deal on a direct drive boat. So that aside (on your Yamaha...and my Yamaha for that matter...it is my understanding that you just fog the cylinders, put the motor down to drain the water, change the oil, grease the zirks and you're done)...this is my complete list.

Winterize the fresh water system with Vodka (yes, I prefer to use cheap vodka than the pink -50 potable antifreeze). The cheapest Vodka is about twice the price of antifreeze, but doesn't leave any taste in the water tank.

I plan for as little gas in the tank as is practical at the end of the season...I put in Stabil for the last trip out, and make sure it's in the engine. I usually add about double or triple the amount of Stabil that the bottle says to use. That's just personal preference.

Winterize the motor. Change lower unit and engine oil. Pull each plug, fog each cylinder, crank the motor with the plugs out to move the fogging oil around.

I spray all of the linkages, electrical blocks, hydraulic rams, underwater running gear, props, wheels, trailer, screw-heads, rub-rails, motor-metal-parts, transducers, trailer-electrical-connections, backs-of-lights, snaps...and anything else that I can find that is electrical and/or metal, with WD40. In fact, I probably use more WD40 than anything else in my winterizing process. My dad always said about WD40 - "use it like you stole it". 

Wax the boat, motor cowl and trailer.

303 the upholstery.

Wipe down all of the inside spaces, especially the storage in the third pontoon.

Dryer sheets in all of the spaces.

Leave the seats and center tube storage open.

Batteries out and in the house on the Battery Tender.

Grease the wheel hubs.

Cover the boat with the factory cover.

Cover the cover with visqueen.

Start the countdown clock, set to the day the boat comes out of storage (usually about April 5th). 

At the moment I write this, we are 200 days from April 5th 2015.

The whole process takes me an afternoon. Waxing takes the biggest chunk of that time. 

For wax, I use 3M Marine Wax but just about anything will do fine.

 

[Link]

Thanks for the note JeffS.  I generally do everything you said with the exception of opening the seats and leaving them open.  Guess it makes since for some circulation and I will add that to my list.

 

[JTaylor]

Great questions, tyjy.  I'll be going thorugh the same process myself for the first time.

Reagrding #4, I had heard it's a lot easier to clean the toons if you pressure wash them right after pulling the boat from the water.  The crud will be softer and the cleaning is easier than if you wait until everything dries.  I hadn't heard anything about using soap.  I hope to get a couple years out of my sharkhide, but need advice fro2m more experienced folks on whether it should be touched up.

 

[tyjy]

JTaylor: thanks for the additional ideas, power washing right out of the water sounds really sensible & something I'll be sure to do!

Re: #2 storing with or without gas?

Even on this thread there is both tips so I was still confused.

I found an answer from Yamaha in their little booklet "Maintenance Matters" that we got in our owners manual packet.

Page 16 "Extended Storage" (after info on Fogging Down) it says:

"Keep it dry. Water can form in the fuel system during extended storage periods due to natural convective condensation. In addition, ethanol fuels can draw water directly from the atmosphere through the tank's vent. Make sure to run Yamalube Fuel Stabilizer and Conditioner Plus through the entire fuel system prior to shut down, and always store with the tank nearly full of fuel to help prevent over-accumulation of condensation. If it's stored outside, make sure to lower the engine fully or place a tightly-sealed plastic bag over the lower unit to help keep out moisture. Never plug or cap the fuel tank vent, as this allows for natural expansion and contraction within the fuel system."

 

[JeffS]

I have read the mfr recommendations about keeping the fuel tank full to limit the air space in the tank, reducing condensation. Though I agree the cause and effect is accurate, I am not a believer in running 35 gallons of ethanol laced fuel that is 6 months old, through the motor in spring. I follow mfr recommendations to a tee, except for this. My best case scenario is to have a gallon or two of fuel left in the tank when I store for the winter. In spring, I put my old fuel/water separator on for the first tank of 30+ fresh gallons of fuel, and then change it out. I'm not smarter than those engineers, but I am a believer in large quantities of fresh fuel and a good fuel/water separator. Just my $.02. 

And you are right, this is always a debate. I think there is no right answer. And if there were a right answer, I'd probably be wrong. 

Keeping the motor down is the only non-negotiable that I know of. The rest is personal-preference.

 

[tyjy]

JeffS: Thanks so much for all this information. Your logic (w/experience) makes a lot of sense!

Question: when you say you put on the "old fuel/water separator" on the first tank full in spring, do you mean you keep the old one on over the winter? Or do you put a new one on when winterizing, then in spring swap again to the old one to run the first tank of gas, and then after that first tank put the new one on again?

Appreciate your help! : )

 

[JeffS]

Regarding the fuel/water separator - 

In fall, I just dump the contents into a bowl (followed by dumping in to my waste oil drum), fill the separator back up with gas from a gas can and put it back on. In spring, after 2 or 3 trips out, I change the separator with a new one for the next boating season. Every separator is good for far more than a season in my experience. Taking it off, emptying it, filling it back up with gas essentially gives you some great information on your fuel system and your favorite gas station if you take the time to look at it.

The separator is both a fuel filter and water separator. The water separation is typically just gravity. Gas is lighter than water, so the water will pool in the bottom. If the gas you use is always very clean, the filter won't have to do much capturing of crap. And it will be very obvious what is in your gas when you look inside the separator. When you dump it in the bowl, you'll see if you how much water has collected.

 

[kcman]

Lots of great info on winterizing the pontoon which is very useful to new pontoon owners like myself.  Initially, I was leaning on keeping my boat in the water but have since decided it is best to pull it out and store it at the marina.  I plan on winterizing it myself (changing out the fluids etc.).  Since I do not have a trailer, the local marina said they will put the pontoon up on wooded blocks (6x6's) for me if I want.  Another option I am looking at is buying a set of pontoon blocks from overtons (see the following url on the blocks I am considering): http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=79657

Appreciate any feedback from others who have either used these blocks from overtons or wooded 6x6's or other alternatives.  I am wondering which is the best way to go. 

 

[swiftm]

Lots of great info on winterizing the pontoon which is very useful to new pontoon owners like myself. Initially, I was leaning on keeping my boat in the water but have since decided it is best to pull it out and store it at the marina. I plan on winterizing it myself (changing out the fluids etc.). Since I do not have a trailer, the local marina said they will put the pontoon up on wooded blocks (6x6's) for me if I want. Another option I am looking at is buying a set of pontoon blocks from overtons (see the following url on the blocks I am considering): http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=79657

Appreciate any feedback from others who have either used these blocks from overtons or wooded 6x6's or other alternatives. I am wondering which is the best way to go.

I posted this previously on the "winter storage page. The styrofoam blocks are plenty strong enough to support the pontoon. There is enough give that the keel just leaves a line in the top of it. Certainly cheaper than the blocks from Overtons. "I use styrofoam blocks you can get from places that sell utility trailers. They come between the trailers when shipped to them. I've gotten them from Tractor Supply and Lowes for free. Some places sell them for a couple bucks each. They are about 12 by 12 by 18 inches. I've cut them in half and put one at each weld point. My neighbor lowers his pontoon onto wheeled dollies and then rolls it into his garage. We use scissor trailers though, not bunk style.

 

[kcman]

Swiftm, Thanks and I will check out those styrofoam blocks.  Great weather day here and time to get out on the lake.