Boat and Engine Winterization 101
It's something that nobody looks forward to - the end of the boating season. The long days of summer give way to the chill air of the fall, and eventually to the snow and ice of winter. But as the end of the season approaches and winter looms, it's important to make sure your boat is ready for winter also.
This is a time of year for critical maintenance that will maintain the investment you have made in your boat. Regular oil changes, cleaning, engine winterization and shrink-wrapping are proven to keep the value of your boat higher! The first thing our sales team will ask folks about trade-ins is "do you have your boat winterized every year?" If not, that's a major red flag! It demonstrates to us that there are potential issues with the boat.
Especially for first-time boaters, fall services can be a little intimidating. There's technical jargon thrown out there like "fogging the powerhead" and "pressure testing the lower unit". If you don't know what that means, that's fine! Our techs have been doing this for a combined 120 years, and our main priority is making sure that your boat and motor work reliably.
But if you do have questions, check out the answers below. If you don't see an answer to your question, give us a call at 419-368-5951 and we're happy to answer it for you.
Click Here for Our Fall Service and Winterization Pricing
Engine Winterization and Oil Changes
Q: When do I need to have my engine winterized by?
A: We recommend having your engine winterized by November 1 to protect it from the deep freezes of the Ohio winter.
Q: Why do I need to have my engine winterized?
A: Over the course of the summer, small amounts of water will collect in your engine’s lower unit. This isn’t harmful during the summer, but during the winter water will freeze and expand. With nowhere to go, the ice will “crack” the engine (think of a pop can that you leave in the freezer). This requires a full replacement of the lower unit, which is not a cheap repair.
Q: I have a 2-stroke engine. Do I need to get the oil changed?
A: No, 2-stroke engines run on a gas-oil mix, and do not require an oil change. Only 4-stroke engines, I/Os, inboards, and jet drives require oil changes. We do recommend running your boat out of gas at the ramp with a 2-stroke motor.
Q: Do I have a 2-stroke or 4-stroke engine?
A: Is your motor loud in neutral, require you to mix oil and gas, and over 20 years old? You probably have a 2-stroke engine. If your engine is quiet when in neutral, requires no oil mixture, and less than 20 years old, it's most likely a 4-stroke engine.
Q: How often should I have the oil changed on my 4-stroke engine?
A: Just like a car, oil lubricates the moving parts of the engine. We recommend you have the engine oil changed every 50-100 hours, or once a year.
Q: How often should I change the fuel filter?
A: You should have your engine’s fuel filter changed during scheduled maintenance and oil changes.
Q: My gas tank is full. What do I do with this gas?
A: That's no problem, in fact, having a full gas tank can lead to less condensation accumulating in your gas tank over the winter. We recommend using a fuel stabilizer (we sell it) to keep the gas stable.
Q: What should I do with the battery?
A: We recommend taking your battery with you in the fall. Storing the battery out of the winter elements will help prolong it’s life. Do not store it on a concrete floor. In the spring, you can give your battery a full charge prior to launch.
Tube / Hull Cleaning and Boat Detailing
Q: Why should I have my tube / hull cleaned?
A: Clean tubes and hulls look better and boats with clean tubes/hulls have higher value. If done annually, the “water line” that builds on your tubes / hull will be removed. If you own a large engine boat you will definitely notice a speed difference between clean tubes and grimy tubes. If your boat’s tube/hull hasn’t been cleaned annually in the past, it’s very likely we won’t be able to remove the water line entirely. We’ll try our best, but once it’s allowed to stick on for a winter it can be difficult to completely remove.
Q: Why should I have my boat detailed?
A: There’s a difference between wiping your boat down and detailing it. Our Super Clean option is recommended to thoroughly clean your boat and make it water-ready for next spring. We power wash and shampoo the deck/carpet, we hand scrub the fencing and vinyl seat covers, and then apply a vinyl protectant.
Q: I have pet hair on my carpet. Will you get that out?
A: We’ll try our best, but we make no guarantees. Pet hair is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible to remove. An extra service fee may be charged if you would like us to attempt to remove stubborn pet hair.
Storage / Hauling
Q: Are you able to pull my boat without me coming to the marina?
A: Yes, but we’ll need your keys. Either bring them to us at the marina, or leave them in your ignition. We do have a $20 charge for this service, on top of the pullout charge.
Q: Do you offer pontoon trailer rentals?
A: Yes, we have trailers available to rent for pontoons, tritoons and houseboats. Click here for options and pricing.
Shrinkwrap
Q: Can’t I just use my mooring cover to protect my boat in the winter?
A: If your boat is not directly exposed to the elements (say, inside storage) then yes, your mooring cover will work. However, if your boat is outside, Ohio’s winter weather will shred your mooring cover with snow, ice and wind. Water will pool in your cover, freeze and rip your cover. Shrinkwrap is designed to tightly seal your boat and not allow water, snow and ice to accumulate on top of your boat.
Q: What do I do with my shrinkwrap in the spring?
A: If you have us put your boat in, call us and our crew will remove the shrinkwrap. We do offer shrinkwrap recycling in the spring and there will be designated areas to leave shrinkwrap if you take it off yourself.
Re-Decks
Q: What type of plywood do you use for a re-deck?
A: We use ¾ inch marine-grade plywood. The difference between this and treated plywood is that marine-grade plys are treated individually, and then compressed together. Treated plywood is compressed, and then treated, so the interior of the board is not protected from moisture.
Q: Do you sell marine-grade plywood?
A: Yes. It is $159 for 4’ x 8’ sheets, and $199 for 4’ x 8.5’ sheets.
Q: What type of hardware is used in a re-deck?
A: We use stainless steel self-tapping screws for the deck, and stainless steel bolts, nuts and washers to secure the side panels and deck furniture.
Q: What is included in the price of a re-deck? What is extra?
A: We remove your deck, replace it with marine-grade plywood, use stainless steel fasteners and lay new marine-grade vinyl. We will re-wire electronics, clean the boat and have it water-ready for you in the spring. This does not include installation of new electronics, new furniture, new hardware, hauling, engine service, or painting.