[Threejakes]

Today I am winterizing the Mariah. Our son is taking it to a barn in Northern Illinois for winter hibernation. We have used this spot for years and the boat comes out as nice as it goes in. I'll change the oil and filter and grease the fittings on the out drive, including the fitting on the shaft inside the boat at the transom. Then I'll run in some anti-freeze to protect it to -30 degrees. I'll fog the motor until it stalls. I usually clean and vacuum the interior and place some dryer sheets in all the little places where the critters would like to spend the winter. I'll place two large buckets of Stay Dri - one in the bow and one in the stern on the floor to prevent mold and mildew. We always fill the tank with alcohol free gas and pour in the correct amount of Stabil. I like to fill the tires on the trailer to the proper amount (50 lbs.) including the spare.When it is in it's final hibernation spot, we'll go there and run the out drive down to it's lowest position and then remove the battery. We also put some plastic sheating over the cover, and that's the way it will stay for the next 5 months. We have done this for the last 13 years and never a problem with mice and always starts on the first try the next year.---It's a sad day---

[ColoradoDiablo]

All good things must come to an end..........but only til spring!!!
Sounds like you have the winterizing down pat. Nice procedure.

Larry

[allz28]

Wow! Next year you should make a youtube video of your winterization procedure. Very thorough. And helpful!

[Oregondunes]

the dryer sheets smell enough to keep the critter away huh ?

[mikeyt]

Originally Posted by Oregondunes

the dryer sheets smell enough to keep the critter away huh ?

I've used the Bounce dryer sheets for a few years now and they do seem to work. I stick one in the bilge hole, one in each of the storage lockers, 1 in the glove box and wherever else i can think of and have never had a problem since i started doing this. The little critters apparently dont like the smell of them.

[Threejakes]

The dryer sheets have worked for us for 13 years. I forgot to mention that I change the out drive oil too. It's 5:30 and I'm finally finished. The wife wanted to go out to lunch--so I didn't start the winterizing until 3:00 this afternoon. Just in time too--the weatherman predicts 30 degrees Friday night--now I won't worry about it freezing the coolant--it's good for -35 degrees. I checked my records and we ran the boat only 17 hours this year!! But what a great time we had for those 17 hours. Another summer has gone by--it's a sad day----

[Mariah1]

I always hate closing time. Down here in Alabama I have got about 3 more weeks and it is lights out.

[husker_fan]

How do you run the outdrive all the way down? Block up the trailer? I hear a lot of guys saying they do this but no way can I make mine go all the way down. I even lowered the trailer jack all the way down.

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[Threejakes]

Husker Fan-- Our trailer (Prestige) is high enough to allow the out drive to be in the lowest position. It has the 5200 lb. single axle with 15" tires on 6 lug rims.

[husker_fan]

I have the chariot trailer. I bet I'm close to a foot short and that's with a broken skeg.

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