Winter has just arrived in Queensland, and while winter here is a lot milder than in states like Tasmania and New South Wales, which see snow, some boat owners still see the drop in temperature as a sign that it is time to put their vessel away and focus on indoor activities for a few months. As a first-time boat owner, you probably think boat storage is a good idea for winter, but have you heard that it is important to winterize the outboard motor before you put it away? In case you have no idea what winterizing an outboard motor means, here are three tips to get you started.
Don't Tilt The Outboard Motor
When it is time to put your boat into storage, you may assume that the best position for the motor is having it tilted up, but you would be wrong. For the outboard to be able to drain away any water which accumulates in it over winter (from rain or melting frost), the outboard needs to be in a vertical position, not a horizontal one. If you tilt the motor horizontally, then the water cannot drain away and sits within the motor. Not only is this a mosquito attractant, but it can also cause rust to form on the metal of the motor.
Don't Wrap The Outboard Motor
When you think about it logically, an outboard motor must be quite hardy because it spends its working life sitting in water. Based on this logic, why would you wrap an outboard motor to protect it from the weather? Wrapping an outboard motor in plastic and then sealing it with tape creates much more problems than it solves because you have now created a breeding ground for moisture. Moisture that has no airflow around it cannot evaporate away, and that means you've got water sitting on metal. This is how rust forms, so don't seal your outboard motor under tight wrap. If you really want to cover the motor, use a fabric that has small holes in it to allow airflow and don't wrap it tightly around the motor.
Don't Leave The Propeller On The Outboard Motor
There are two good reasons to remove the propeller from the outboard motor during the winter months. First, it is easy to remove, which also means that it is easy to steal when you're not looking. Second, once you remove the propeller, you can check the shaft and seal for any damage. For example, there may be some fishing line wrapped around the propeller shaft. Since you won't be using it for a while and you might forget to check it before bringing it out again, it's best to check when you do remember—which is now.
If you have any further questions about how to winterize your outboard motor, have a chat with your local boating shop because they have all the answers you need.