WINTERIZING
Wintertime is nearly here; if you live in the North, your boat’s covered and asleep for the long snooze, or resting and waiting for those occasional warm, sunny days when you can ride. In the South, you’re boating less frequently but still want to ride. What are some things you can do in the meantime? Let’s find out. 1. You live in the South; your boat is not winterized, but the forecast is calling for subzero temps the next four days. What should you do to prepare? A. Keep the outdrive tilted all the way down and ensure any water runs out, so if it does freeze, there’s no water in the gear case to freeze and potentially crack it. B. Decorate the outboard with a winter theme. C. Drain the block and exhaust manifolds, then pour pink RV antifreeze through the block, hoses and exhaust. D. A and C E. None of the above 2. What should you do to keep your wet-cell-cranking battery alive through the winter? A. Leave it outside, in the boat, and do not charge it. B. Bring it inside, fill cells with distilled water, and keep it on a trickle charger. C. You can’t; just replace it every season. D. None of the above 3. When is the best time to drain, check and refill your gear case? A. During winterization, so you can check for leaks, water in the lube or burnt lube, and fix the problem before next season. B. During spring commissioning. C. After every outing. D. None of the above 4. You’re thinking of repowering this winter, and your boat is an older 1990s outboard model. What should you check before choosing and rigging your new engine? A. Check the condition of your transom for rot and cracks. B. Check the weight of your outboard, and compare it to the weight of a newer model to ensure a new engine won’t adversely affect the balance and seaworthiness of your hull. C. Seek advice from local dealers before choosing the engine. D. All of the above 5. Your trailer has seen better days, and during winterization, you notice the frame is rusted nearly through in some areas. What should you do? A. Leave it until spring, when there are better deals on new trailers. B. Have a professional trailer-repair shop weld reinforcements in the rusted areas. C. Buy a new trailer, and put it under the boat before winter-storage layup. D. Store the boat in the boathouse instead of on the trailer. E. None of the above 6. As you drain your drive unit, you notice the skeg is bent to the left from impact. What can you do? A. If it’s not bent too badly, you can heat it with a propane torch and carefully hammer it back straight using a ball-peen hammer and another hammer as a backing buck. B. Nothing, it can’t be fixed. C. Have a professional (for example, a propeller-shop technician) repair it. D. Cut the bent part off with a saw and forget about it.