Winter layup help

[mak1965]

Here is what I am planning to do! Please help if I am missing something!!

1-New Mercury 90 hp 2 stroke, Dealer winterize $100

2- Large Blue tarp and black rubber bungees cover everything

3-Fill tank and use enough stabil

park in driveway, if weather permits, remove tarps to air out apply wax

Boat on trailer in driveway

Please add if I need this,. I also bought a trickle charger for removing the battery and leaving in the house

What else am I missing?? Thanks! MK

Anything with the tires on the trailer??

 

[ziggy]

Re: Winter layup help

guess if the dealer winterized it ya must be good......
ya could always read the manual that came with yer mercury. it'll have winter layup procedure in it for ya.....
i armor all or the likes the vinal, clean it thuroughly. top to bottom, ft. to back. make sure there aint no water left anywheres.....

i remove my batt. but it's debateable weather it's worthwhile or not. do disconnect it at least.

some folks block there trailers up off the tires. i don't though..... lub the buddy brgs on the wheels.....

 

[Mark42]

Re: Winter layup help

Sounds like a good plan. Just add a lock to the hitch to make it harder to steal, or just unbolt the hitch all together.

 

[amynbill]

Re: Winter layup help

DO something for rodent protection if it will be outside. There are several threads about "mice" going.

 

[mak1965]

Re: Winter layup help

So I had to pay $100 for the dealer to winterize. He even charged extra for the bottle of fuel stabilizer! Seems like they ripped me off. I mean I could have fogged the motor and changed the lower drive oil I just noticed that inside my Brand new trailer the 2 outter light bilbs were burned out! Opened to see white gunk dried on the metal parts, means water getting in! I parked the trailer on the lawn next to the house for more protection from the winds and blue tarped the entire boat and motor!

Touched up the prop with the correct paint. the shop made a note that the prop should be filed,,, can't I do this??

anyway It is the motor and boats 1st winter so I am sure she should be OK i have the battery in the house and took off the bimini, covered the helm up pretty good, Just gets me mad about what they did for the $100 and the trailer lights being corroded The trailer was new and built in july 2007 Yes I do submerge them but they should not be corroded right??? I will wire brush and clean the areas and spray some WD40 around maybe to help that from happening again, Please add something I may miss!
Thaks so much, Mark K

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Winter layup help

Are you backing the trailer into the water with the trailer harness connected to the tow vehicle? If so -- hot bulbs and cold water makes bulbs go "pop". Always disconnect the lights before backing in. My current trailer is three years old and has all of the original bulbs in it. As for the $100 -- labor rates vary from area to area but at 70 - 80 bucks an hour, that $100 disappears in a hurry doesn't it. It would be to your benefit to have spent the $70 bucks for a factory service manual for the engine, read it thoroughly, and do this simple stuff yourself (you would at this point be $30 ahead). As for filing the prop -- if you own a file do it. You don't have to ask permission. The dealer gave you advice. Or you could pay him $20 or so to do it. If I sound a little harsh, I apologize but if one does not have the talent, initiative, or desire to read a few pages of instructions to learn how to do these very simple processes, be prepared to pay dearly to have someone else do it. Using the "search" function right here would have yielded probably 20 articles on how to winterize the engine.

 

[mak1965]

Re: Winter layup help

Thanks! Any info for me is greatly appreciated and you sound right! Not harsh at all. I ALWAYS unplug/pre and post trip this trailer for sure. I always give time for hubs and bulbs to cool before backing into water! I will easily do my winterizations from now on. Why did I pay? Only because the motor is brand new and has a 3 yr warranty and Now I have the main dealers invoice on it. will I pay for spring opening?? Nah! I betcha I can install 3 no gap plugs! Anyway Thanks so much for the advice I am upset about the bulbs but I do have 5 months now maybe go LED?? Thanks so much again!
Mark

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Winter layup help

remove battery, do not store on ground or concrete floor, charge atleast once a month. keeping the charge up will enhance the life of the battery.