Glen-L.com

Again... thanks for the many good ideas.

I'll find that non-toxic antifreeze... Propylene Glycol vs. Ethylene Glycol. Is it as effective in preserving and protecting over the winter?

And what about the sea strainer? should I pull that off and drain it? (It is upstream of the tee that I plumbed in, which I will use to add the antifreeze.)

So...

Thanks for all of the input.

Here is what I have cobbled together as my checklist for putting her to bed for the winter...

1) add fuel stabilizer to tank
2) shut the seacock and empty the sea strainer.
3) run the engine with marine engine antifreeze (non toxic - I have 5 gallons) until it comes out the exhaust.
4) disconnect bilge pump hose and drain the bilge.
5) undo drain plugs in engine.. catch antifreeze in the bilge
6) run bilge pumps to flush with antifreeze from bilge, then drain remaining antifreeze from bilge
7) remove each spark plug and spray cylinder with fogging oil. Replace spark plugs
8) Shut off fuel line, run engine until while spraying fogging oil into carburator
9) Remove battery and store indoors.

This all happens tomorrow. so if anyone has anything to add for me, now is the time.
Thanks.

Bruce I would make sure the fuel tank is topped up after you run the motor. The fuller the tank is the less surface there is for frost to form on the inside of the tank.

i would do in this order:

1) add fuel stabilizer to tank
2) shut the seacock and empty the sea strainer.
3) run the engine with marine engine antifreeze (non toxic - I have 5 gallons) until it comes out the exhaust.
8 run engine while spraying fogging oil into carburator (try to stall the engine by flooding the carb w the fogging oil)
7) remove each spark plug and spray cylinder with fogging oil. Replace spark plugs (if you want belt and suspenders)
4) disconnect bilge pump hose and drain the bilge.
5) undo drain plugs in engine.. catch antifreeze in the bilge
6) run bilge pumps to flush with antifreeze from bilge, then drain remaining antifreeze from bilge
9) Remove battery and store indoors.

Whew makes my head spin....I think it'd be easier to move down here where to winterize,we put on long sleeves and pants and socks!!

Hi Bruce We missed Yall at the Gathering. When Winterizing we reach into the back of the closet and grab a jacket when we use our boats in the winter.

Well... the advice SEEMS to have worked....

I was up at the lake this weekend, and pulled Gemma out of her house for a clean-up and systems check.

I charged up the batteries, and connected everything. She fired up on the second crank.

I didn't put her in the water this weekend, but we have a bunch of people coming up for the "May Two-Four" long weekend next week, so she'll get lots of use.

(must remember to put the drain plugs back in and make sure my sea strainer is connected!)