Winter Storage

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grady192

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Thinking of storing my Tournament 192 on blocks at my marina this winter. I'm located in the Pacific North West so it gets below freezing. What are the downsides of outdoor winter storage and how much better off would I be keeping it indoors?

Thanks
 
Living in the northeast,storing boats outside in freezing temps is the usual practice here.

Just either do a good job covering boat or have it shrink wrapped........store with completly filled or empty gas tanks.....add some stabilizer and your good. :D
 
Don't forget to use marine/RV winter storage anti freeze in all your water lines, bilge and possibly your engines if they are not self draining. Remove electronics if you can. Add mildew preventor and air vents when shrink wrapping.
 
Go to drain LU and check fluid. If it has water ( hopefully not) and it goes below freezing, the LU could crack.

Fuel should be stabilized and motor probably should be fogged.
 
Keep the motor tilted mostly down so gear case cone doesn't build-up with water and freeze.

You store your boat same as car, both were intended to live an outdoor life. Indoor storage is optional.

I guess shrink wrap is best for preventing water puddling and then freezing on the cover. Puddles can get very heavy and collapse a cover otherwise.
 
This goes without saying, but if you have the means to store it indoors, thats always the best option.

As for those of us that store outdoors, as said above, a cover or shrinkwrap is a MUST, IMO. I use an industrial thick tarp to cover mine, with a wooden brace system in the rear from hardtop down to battery boxes, and rope lines from the hardtop to the bow rail in the front, to prevent water, ice, and snow buildup (works really well). Also, store the motors in the DOWN position to prevent water build up in the lower unit/skeg. Motors should definitely be fogged to ensure that there is no moisture sitting in the cylinders for a long period of time, and if you have a motor that does not drian completely, flush the cooling lines with RV/Marine Anti Freeze (don't use car antifreeze, as it is not good for the environment). As far as for the batteries, I always take mine off the boat, and store indoors, hooked up to tenders for the winter.

The introduction of ethanol into boating has caused quite a debate over whether to store your tanks empty or full... I prefer to store mine full, and have not had a problem yet... If storing full, be sure that when you fill it at the end of the season, if its cold that day, do not completely top off, otherwise, on the first warm day of spring, you will have fuel gushing out of the vents...

Also, as stated above, I always place an anti mildew product in the cabin of the boat, for obvious reasons.

Just my $.02

Bren
 
Thanks to all for your comments. It looks as though I'll be going with outdoor storage.

I've heard from several neighbors at my marina that they would NEVER shrink wrap their boats. Apparently even with vents and anti mildew products, mould and mildew are inevitable in our damp climate (Vancouver, BC). Are they just doing it wrong?

Also, what does "fogging" the motor refer to?

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94 Tournament 192
2001 200HP Yamaha Saltwater Series II
 
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