Tagged: winter
Winter Lay-Up
Well, it’s that time of year again, the end of the season. In this neck of the woods, virtually all boats have to be winterized to prevent systems from freezing, corroding, and sticking in place, and to reduce the risk of calamities during the long winter layup If gear case oils have been contaminated with water, the casings can burst. And if engine oils are not replaced, sensitive internal components can corrode due to the acids in the used lubricants. Finally, moving pieces like steering units can lock in place due to non-use if not oiled and greased. Gas valves [...]
Check It Out
Well, we’ve come to the end of the boating season here in the Northeast. The temperatures at night are sub-freezing and daytime figures are not much higher. So, regardless of who does the work, it’s important that the boat be properly winterized to avoid significant damage over the winter. Checklists can help one remember a myriad of details: pulling the hull drain plug; flushing and filling the engine block with antifreeze; greasing propulsion components; changing the oil; attaching new gas filters; etc. Quite frankly, it can be quite a job, however, properly done it’s an activity that pays large dividends [...]