Inflatable use in winter

[Pirate Lady]

I keep my inflatable and outboard on a lift rack at the marina (like the jet skis use). Thinking of leaving it out there for the winter (has a good cover).
Does an outboard motor self-drain when lifted out of the water ? (so it dont freeze).
Any reasons to not leave the inflatable out there in the winter?
Before you say "Why do that?" its because in Maryland our winters are not that bad, rivers dont freeze over, so i can basically use it year round, have a little fun when the main boat is on blocks.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Go for it. As long as the OB is vertical, it will drain. Although it's wise to use this all the time - especially with small engines - just be sure to use plenty of stabilizer (Startron, for example) since there's a good chance it won't be used as often as during the season. There's some very tiny orifices in small engine fuel systems that can easily get gummed up.

 

[Pirate Lady]

because we can only get ethanol gas in Maryland, I always add the additive to each gallon.
thanks for the reply. waterfront bars open year round, would hate to miss a cold beer just because the main boat is laid up.

 

[Lazy Daze]

would hate to miss a cold beer just because the main boat is laid up.

One thing to add... it would be a VERY good idea to wear a life jacket in the colder weather. I'm not sure about MD, but PA instituted, a few years ago, a life jacket requirement from October to April for boats less than 16'. This was due to the deaths associated with hypothermia.

 

[Henry Boyd]

Our large Zodiacs have spent the New England winters outdoors under cover. The only ones that have come inside were the smaller ones with fold up floors.

If you have an inflatable with a removable floor you would be well served to remove the floor and clean the fabric before storage and then store the boat without the floor in place. If the floor is wood, or wood based, it should be brought inside. They all rot, even the resin infused type.

I’ve also kept the air pressure to just enough to keep the tubes inflated. If the tubes collapse and fold, moisture trapped between the folds can damage the plastic.

 

[Irie308]

One thing i've noticed on our inflatable which is stored on our swim platform over the winter is the tubes shrink dramatically over the winter. If left alone when the warmer weather hits its back to normal. You may need to add air to it over the winter so not sure if that air expanding when the weather warms up would over expand the tubes. May not be a big deal but something to be mindful of.

 

[Henry Boyd]

One thing i've noticed on our inflatable which is stored on our swim platform over the winter is the tubes shrink dramatically over the winter. If left alone when the warmer weather hits its back to normal. You may need to add air to it over the winter so not sure if that air expanding when the weather warms up would over expand the tubes. May not be a big deal but something to be mindful of.

The instructions I’ve gotten from my Zodiac dealer is to reduce the pressure during storage so that there is enough to keep the material from folding in on itself. The notion being that reducing the pressure reduces the load on the fabric and in turn extends life of the elasticity.

 

[Pirate Lady]

So I was looking thru old threads, saw this. I left the zodiac & motor on the rack at marina with grandiose intentions of using this winter. Then all the water bars closed for winter, then I read about kayakers falling in and dying quickly from hypothermia. Never used once, too dam cold! Next year it’s coming in the house and be toasty warm.

 

[Blueone]

One thing to add... it would be a VERY good idea to wear a life jacket in the colder weather. I'm not sure about MD, but PA instituted, a few years ago, a life jacket requirement from October to April for boats less than 16'. This was due to the deaths associated with hypothermia.

Sounds like it might recovery thing if you have a life jacket on.... not like it’s going to keep you warm

 

[Pirate Lady]

Went to marina from time to time to check on it. When I saw the ice on the cover I knew I was never gonna use it. BUT, Sunday Easter, 1 river bar going to open. So I said to wife “let’s take the zodiac, be 60’s”. I can’t repeat what she said, but we going by car.

 

[bobeast]

Another trick on small outboards, is to run it out of gas after disconnecting the fuel line. That keeps gas from sitting in the bowl and turning to varnish when not run for a long time

 

[northern]

So I was looking thru old threads, saw this. I left the zodiac & motor on the rack at marina with grandiose intentions of using this winter. Then all the water bars closed for winter, then I read about kayakers falling in and dying quickly from hypothermia. Never used once, too dam cold! Next year it’s coming in the house and be toasty warm.

WE have done artic rivers and we wear wet suit. You have 5 minutes to full fully function without a wet suit and 30 minutes until you die we have been told by many who live where water is almost freezing. We flipped a canoe in the artic once we were in the water 20 minutes as it was rapids. We were cold but not hypothermic. The wet suit worked.

 

[northern]

Another trick on small outboards, is to run it out of gas after disconnecting the fuel line. That keeps gas from sitting in the bowl and turning to varnish when not run for a long time

Does it harm the fuel pump in new engines. I used to do this with old 2 strokes

 

[bobeast]

Does it harm the fuel pump in new engines. I used to do this with old 2 strokes

Not to my knowledge, at least not for mechanical fuel pumps. I do know many electric fuel pumps get their cooling from the fuel itself, so that might be a consideration for larger engines.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Pirate, I didn't mention what I did for fun - what you found out is exactly what I was initially warning you about. This isn't to say that someone should not boat in cold water - but extra precautions need to be taken.

Sounds like it might recovery thing if you have a life jacket on.... not like it’s going to keep you warm

No, it doesn't keep you warm (well, maybe a tiny, tiny bit). But hypothermia stops your ability to use your extremities... which means you can't keep yourself afloat... hence the life jacket.

As a side note, this inability to use your extremities is your body's (brain) way of trying to keep you alive. It doesn't know that you're in water - it just knows that your core temperature is dropping and cuts off circulation to your extremities (since they're not vital for life) which means they don't work so well.

Plus, there's an immediate reaction when someone falls into very cold water - the gasp reaction. Problem is, people gasp for air (it's an involuntary reaction) at the same time they're under water. This one is kinda self explanatory

 

[Pirate Lady]

Another trick on small outboards, is to run it out of gas after disconnecting the fuel line. That keeps gas from sitting in the bowl and turning to varnish when not run for a long time

Ya, I do that every time I use it, never sure how long it might be before I use it again.