Any surprises after dewinterizing?

[leakytarp]

Got the boat through my first Maryland winter unharmed it seems, all dry, no mold, no rust, no critters inside, engine runs, I am happy. Did not shrink wrap it, the PVC + tarp tent construction inspired by some threads I found on this forum held up (even with the blizzard we had) so I thought I'd share it here, boat is a Tahoe Q4.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lelOocLDYxo
What about you guys, any surprises after dewinterizing and did you use a tarp, boat cover or shrink wrap?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Plenty of broken block posts this spring so far

 

[Chris1956]

My shift shaft corrodded into it's cover. The good news is that after replacing the cover and it's seals, she shifts real well now. I had been having increasing amounts of shifting issues over the last few years, and didn't know why.

 

[JoLin]

Nope, no surprises. I figure anyone in the Northeast who survived the winter of 2014-15 without cracking anything, is obviously doing it right.

 

[Corjen1]

Not this year, but a few years back, a Momma cat had birthed a liter of kittens in the cubby under the bow. The were about 3 weeks old when I found them. We still have one of those mange beasts!!!

 

[25thmustang]

Came down to the boat in March and saw the corner of the winter cover zippered opening had let go. I went in to investigate... Pitch black by cell phone light and something jumps off the V berth and goes running by me. Then another one. Two cats had found their way in. After I cleaned my shorts, they had only been in there a week or less, so no damage.

Other than some cosmetic issues due to my lack of using it last year, everything's how it should be. Fired right up, idled well, shifted good and she was the first boat in the slips!

 

[Frank Chyz]

Fairly mild winters here in NC. Stored my boat during the off-season at local marine repair shop. Mechanic pulls my boat up to the shop door on Friday.. Doesn't start. Puts battery on charger. Doesn't start 2 hours later. Takes a battery from the shop. Doesn't start. Takes cowl off motor (1988 Mercury 100HP OB) Takes starter off. Goes into shop. Comes back 20 minutes later with the starter in several pieces. Puts it back on. Re-attaches my battery. Turns key. Sputters and starts on 3rd attempt. Mechanic does not explain what he did to the starter but did mention that I should probably replace the brushes at the end of this boating season. He is one of the most sought after marine mechanic in our area. Glad that I know him.

 

[boltog]

Exhaust manifold gaskets that keep coolant out of the exhaust passages failed. Filled the manifold with coolant. Didn't find out until tried to start the motor for the first time. Half a turn and terrible starter noises as the engine hydro locked. Two lucky things though, one the coolant didn't enter the cylinder until the exhaust valve opened as shown by nice clean (but wet) spark plug with no rust and two, the engine didn't have a chance to start! I think this had been happening very slowly for a while, but wasn't really noticed during regular season with frequent running as it wasn't allowed to accumulate. As it sat all winter, the manifolds slowly filled up. It wasn't much, but enough. I should have known better when I had to top up the coolant and wondered where did it go? duh!

 

[frantically relaxing]

Last surprise to do with MY OWN winterizing was finding the lower unit on the Party Cruiser outboard broke from water inside. I've never made that dumb mistake again!

But someone ELSE'S winterizing, ie our new-to-us Regal, is another story....Regal Boats, realizing the extreme difficulty in reaching block drains on a twin V6 engine setup, had the blessed wisdom and foresight to install remote block drain hoses, both drains on each engine have a hose to a T, with the teed hose terminating with a brass hose fitting and cap... unscrew cap, drain, go home.

So it was much to my teeth-gnashing chagrin to find that someone- at a boat shop no less- had removed the hoses from the block drains...?? I had to scratch my head, then buy some really long hose pliers. Took about 3 hours to fix what WAS a 30 second procedure...

Reason #912 as to Why I'm My Own Mechanic...

 

[JoLin]

Frantic, they might have thought they were doing you a favor. I've found that I usually have to poke something into one or more of the block drains before the water gushes out. As nice as it sounds to have a remote drain, I'd be concerned about a blockage upstream of the hose. Just my opinion.

My .02

 

[drrpm]

Only a good one. The boat fired up on the first try and everything worked right on its first day of the season.

 

[further]

Took my outdrive off for the season to refinish it so it sat in my garage over winter... Once i pulled it out to start sanding found oil at the prop shaft, pressure tested and found it wasn't holding so had to replace the prop shaft seal... Oh well, better then than in the water mid season.

 

[frantically relaxing]

Frantic, they might have thought they were doing you a favor. I've found that I usually have to poke something into one or more of the block drains before the water gushes out. As nice as it sounds to have a remote drain, I'd be concerned about a blockage upstream of the hose. Just my opinion.

My .02

Favor? LOL... Maybe, but a piece of flexible tool-shaft cable (like speedometer cable) can be run backwards thru the hose and past the block drains like a miniature plumbers snake. Lots easier. And Regal used nice, big 3/8" fittings and hoses...

 

[bruceb58]

Yep...remote drains like that are a recipe for a blocked drain from rust flakes.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

There is always a surprise awaiting e every spring. Put the boat away running like a top and every year it's a new Easter surprise. This year no power to the bilge and 2 livewells. No problem that a spray of electrician in a can can't solve. Took the boat to the river for it's test run and the thing won't run past 2500 RPM. She is inline at the marine. I have come to the end of my limited marine mechanic skills. It hasn't had a good carb service for too long.

As far as tarping a boat like in the video above I wouldn't. If not as tight as shrinkwrap the surprise might be having the paint worn to the aluminum or glass. Any plastic slapping on the boat because of wind thousands of times over the winter will take the paint off like a power sander. When we were kids my buddy put away his brand spanking new 76' Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce by tarping it over the winter, With the wind smacking the tarp on the paint it wore it off on each fender, the trunk and hood. 6 month new car worth more than a years salary for him. He cried, so would I. Be careful. I'll stick with shrink wrap.

I know many, many folks tarp their boats without a problem, not me.

 

[bruceb58]

I know many, many folks tarp their boats without a problem, not me.

The only people that use tarps are people that don't like their boats very much. Good way to ruin a boat.

 

[leakytarp]

The only people that use tarps are people that don't like their boats very much. Good way to ruin a boat.

I love my boat - I wasn't aware it would wear off the gelcoat. My main concern is with the pooling when using the fabric cover and snow doesn't slide off as well, as I can't tent it quite as high. So perhaps I will try working on a hybrid solution cover + tarp..

 

[frantically relaxing]

Yep...remote drains like that are a recipe for a blocked drain from rust flakes.

Umm... ALL block drains can get blocked with rust flakes, remote drain lines connected to them won't make that situation worse, but they CAN help prevent it, since the whole block can be backflushed and pinked thru the drain hoses. Sorry, but nobody will convince me (or Regal or Chaparral, or Merc or Volvo) that remote block drains are a BAD idea!

 

[gtochris]

The only people that use tarps are people that don't like their boats very much. Good way to ruin a boat.

I think this is abrupt and broad of a statement. My boat is tarped and all my previous boats have been tarped without one incident for over a decade. The cover is tied down very tight and well tented so the snow slids off, it doesn't flap and goes down to the water line. cost is $40 every 2 years or so. I'm a detailer and my boat is showroom condition- trust me, absolutely no damage or scuffs of any sort from using a tarp over the winter (in NJ none the less).

 

[further]

I think this is abrupt and broad of a statement. My boat is tarped and all my previous boats have been tarped without one incident for over a decade. The cover is tied down very tight and well tented so the snow slids off, it doesn't flap and goes down to the water line. cost is $40 every 2 years or so. I'm a detailer and my boat is showroom condition- trust me, absolutely no damage or scuffs of any sort from using a tarp over the winter (in NJ none the less).

+1... Been using tarps for several years now also with no issues just make sure its tented and the tarp is tightly strapped with bungies to the trailer. I get almost no movement of the tarp through all kinds of weather and wind.
This is post 2014/2015 winter after several feet of snow, it held up great... Last winter, i rebuilt the frame and will get a new tarp before next winter.


gtochris, I'm also in NW jersey, sparta to be exact... Hopatcong?