Boat Storage Tips

Wanted to start a thread for anyone that has tips for things to do before storing your boat.

Ill be putting my boat away in storage this weekend. Plan on trying the dryer sheets this year to keep mice away. I know there was a thread not long ago talking about the merits if this but it seems enough people claim that it works I figure what the hell. What do people recommend using for a fuel stabilizer? I have been using the red Stabil the last few years but ive heard mixed opinions on the matter. Probably a Chevy vs Ford thing to some degree.

Post any helpful storage tips to help us keep those boats in tip top shape

I once read an article claiming that Irish Spring soap would keep mice away. Well I found out come spring that the mice ate most of soap, and left a lot of droppings along the way. And NO I did not check if the dropping smelled like soap. Now its Dryer sheets for me, as they having been working the last 4-5 years that I have been using them
Also, I change the engine oil and the lower unit grease along with adding Stabil to the gas.
If I fish into November, which I plan on doing, I lower my motor all the way down to drain any water left in the motor, and run the livewell pump briefly to check for water.
Ron.

What you can do to get water out of your motor(if you dare!) is to BRIEFLY start and then kill your motor out of the water, the water pump will expell the water in your motor so it does not freeze. My mechanic says ‘don’t do it!” But I do.

Is there a brand, or scent of fabric softener sheets that work best? I have used Gain before, seemed to work, just wondering is there something that outshines the rest?

Tim, from my understanding, your mechanic is right.

However if you are going to do that, heres the work around.
Turn your kill switch to the OFF position, then turn your motor over with the key. It does the same them without creating the heat of running the engine.

Personally I have never done either the above, but I do trim my motor down to allow any water in it to drain out.

Just one guys opinion.

I’ve had my boat for 19 years. Turn over the motor till it starts. Then shut it off. It’s in the lowered position. Done it every year. 60 hp tiller Johnson. Spits water out. Then put it away. Cold storage. I’ve never had an issue.

I just checked my dryer sheet stash. And I have left over Bounce, and Target brand sheets that I used last year. It’s my understanding the sheets that have a lot os smell are the best.

I used my boat last week and pulled the lower unit off last night , no extra water cam out meaning that the engine WILL self drain, and no I dont had a puddle of water on my garage floor

NO NEED TO START ENGINE TO RUN WATER OUT!

mnfishhunt wrote:

and pulled the lower unit off last night, and no I dont had a puddle of water on my garage floor

You pulled the lower unit off? I think I’d be ok with a puddle of water on the garage floor if I didn’t have to pull the lower unit off. Self admitted, I take the path of least resistance.

Here’s a tip.

Use it in the winter instead of storing it.

biggill wrote:

Here’s a tip.

Use it in the winter instead of storing it.

I suppose I could. Guess I wouldn’t even need the lower unit after I dragged it out there.

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I could be wrong but I sense sarcasm.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Tim, from my understanding, your mechanic is right.

However if you are going to do that, heres the work around.
Turn your kill switch to the OFF position, then turn your motor over with the key. It does the same them without creating the heat of running the engine.

Personally I have never done either the above, but I do trim my motor down to allow any water in it to drain out.

Just one guys opinion.

It’s not the heat of the engine that is the danger, most thermostats don’t even open for some time after the engine has actually started to control temperature. The danger as I’ve found out earlier this year was the friction the water impellor creates in it’s dish which can not only warp the impellor but the dish itself.

I don’t see anything wrong with a few seconds but any time running over that I certainly won’t be doing.

Andy! is that seriously ice on the north side of mille lacs right now??!!

Just winterized my boat and went to menards and bought a plastic washing machine pan for 15$. It’s almost 3 feet square and worked great for catching stray oil that missed the bucket, instead of the garage floor

Craig Sery wrote:

Just winterized my boat and went to menards and bought a plastic washing machine pan for 15$. It’s almost 3 feet square and worked great for catching stray oil that missed the bucket, instead of the garage floor

Cardboard works great and carries a free price tag.

I use Fresh Cab for the mice in the boat. It is made to keep mice out of tractor cabs and combines and has worked good for us. You can get it at ag supply stores and implement dealers.

asch wrote:

I use Fresh Cab for the mice in the boat. It is made to keep mice out of tractor cabs and combines and has worked good for us. You can get it at ag supply stores and implement dealers.

Not this year. Seems they are having a little trouble with the FDA. Everywhere I looked and called were out. Even Amazon. I don’t care if it’s made out of unicorns, I would use it. It works. And the smell is less offensive than anything else I’ve used other than fabric softener sheets.

Peppermint oil works well to repel mice. Must be oil not extract.
I also run some RV antifreeze through my live well system. Only necessary in the northern climates.