Question -Winterizing in Georgia?

Vokell

Vokell

New Member
Jul 11, 2007
22
Atlanta, Georgia
Boat Info
225 WE 2001
Engines
5.7 Mercruiser Alpha One
For you folks not in Georgia, right now the weather here is beautiful, it is going to get cold later in the year, first of 2008, here is my question. A MM employee was telling me that I had to winterize, since I wasn't going to leave it in the water, while another person (from another company/marina) said I could put a heat lamp in the engine area and it would be fine. Based on some comments on the forums, I don't trust either. Any advice on winterizing my 225 WE?

Thanks for your knowledge!

Gerry K
 
It's best to winterize one way or another even here in the south if your boat will be exposed to cold weather. You can heat the bilge area but I would never use an incadecent bulb or heat lamp of any type in the bilge because of risk of fire. The correct thing to use is a bilge heater but they are pretty expensive. I would recommend something like the Xtreme Heater because it is nice and compact in size. http://www.boatersworld.com/product/356977892msk.htm If you want to use your boat occasionally during the winter, that may be a better choice than having to re-winterize the engine each time you take it out.

Still, you should winterize your freshwater system regardless of whether you use a bilge heater or not. Empty your freshwater tank and blow out all the lines with compressed air. That's the way I did the system on my 240SD. I never added pink stuff to my water system (which is your other choice). Empty the port-a-potti and the water tank on the PP and thoroughly clean it and that's done. If you choose to winterize the engine instead of getting a bilge heater, buy yourself a winterizing kit like this Camco Unit http://www.boatersworld.com/product/178050035.htm You use it with outdrive muffs to put antifreeze in the block.

178050035.jpg


Buy a couple of gallons of the unmixed -100 stuff and add three gallons of water to it and your all set. This is how I winterized my 240SD here in Charlotte.
 
Looks like Dave already got you covered. Great advice Dave. Personally I only winterize the fresh water system. I leave my 240 in the water plus I've got a bilge heater like Dave was telling you about. Not sure if the bilge heater alone would work out of the water for a long period of time.
 
Thanks very much for the information, I will go ahead and order the products.

I appreciate the help!

GKelly
 
Hey guys, if the boat is stored in a heated garage, would you have to do anything to the boat? Like fog the cylinders? Now when the boat heads for the water in the spring, I would do the all fluid changes and so on. Just a question since I an keeping it this year in the toy box, rather than outside.
 
Yep, fog the cylinders, treat the gas, etc should do it.
 
I planned on using my bilge heater and taking care of the freshwater system as normal. However the marina just sent a letter telling us to plan on power being disconnected due to the low water levels on Lanier this year.
 
chuck1 said:
Yep, fog the cylinders, treat the gas, etc should do it.
Click to expand...

Hey Chuck, if moisture not a large concern, why should you fog the cylinders? Just a question as my SS sits in the garage for the winter tore apart not getting a start till the early spring. If I need to do it, then I would, but would you do this out of the water?
To many newbe questions...LOL
 
brian2001ss said:
Hey Chuck, if moisture not a large concern, why should you fog the cylinders? Just a question as my SS sits in the garage for the winter tore apart not getting a start till the early spring. If I need to do it, then I would, but would you do this out of the water?
To many newbe questions...LOL
Click to expand...

Brian

Just throw some fuel stabilizer in the gas tank. I never fogged any of my previous boats here in the Carolinas. I didn't feel it was necessary. In a real northern climate with lots of humidity caused by winter freeze and thaw cycles, that would be different and I would fog but we just don't have those conditions here. By the way, after you throw in the fuel stabilizer run the motor a bit on muffs to get the treated fuel into the injectors.

Dave
 
As Dave said, it may not be needed. I do my Jet Skies when I winterize them, but I do not keep them in a heated garage. I have them in one of my barns.
 
gorf said:
...plan on power being disconnected due to the low water levels on Lanier this year....
Click to expand...

Boy that could be a major problem. What are the bigger boats boats doing? Are they turning it off at all the docks?
 
I'm not quite in Georgia, but I do have a comment. Actually, I have experience. If you keep your boat out of the water, and it is not in a heated area, and there is a chance of a good freeze, I would suggest you not wait until spring to change your outdrive oil. If you have a bad seal, then the outdrive may have a water/oil mix in the lower unit. It might make the outdrive lube reservoir raise, lower, or stay the same, I don't know and won't guess. But it might happen and you may be unaware. If the water down there in the bottom freezes around the bearings of the prop shaft, you will have an issue come spring. So I would recommend changing the outdrive lube in the fall, so you know what is in there if cold weather hits.

Happened to me in my old Merc 100 HP outboard. Merc designs don't change much over the years, I suspect any lower unit is vulnerable. I kept the old broken parts so I would remember why to change in the fall. I have been thinking of taking pictures and making a reminder post, but have not done that.
 
Dave S said:
Brian

Just throw some fuel stabilizer in the gas tank. I never fogged any of my previous boats here in the Carolinas. I didn't feel it was necessary. In a real northern climate with lots of humidity caused by winter freeze and thaw cycles, that would be different and I would fog but we just don't have those conditions here. By the way, after you throw in the fuel stabilizer run the motor a bit on muffs to get the treated fuel into the injectors.

Dave
Click to expand...

Thanks guys. Went down last week and topped off the tank. If I was thinking at the time, I would have poured in some fuel srabil. But will do that this week and may even try to get it in the water one more time before the end of the warm weather. If not, will take your advice Dave.
 
Winterize? Not since the boat lives in the heated garage, even though I do use fuel stabilizer. The nice part of not winterizing the boat is being able to hit the water in the winter. Last year I managed to wakeboard every month of the year, granted I couldn't feel my feet after a few minutes but I can say I did it. Another nice thing about winter boating is the lake is complete glass even in the mid afternoon just get a good wetsuit. Lake Keowee really doesn't get that cold, in January it was 53-58 degrees depending on how close you were to the nuclear plant.
 
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