4 Boat Winterization Service Mistakes

The temperatures are really cooling off here at the Lake of the Ozarks and if you haven't already winterized your boat for the season, it's that time of year. Your boat is a big investment and you should never take shortcuts when you winterize your boat at the Lake of the Ozarks. Don't be a victim of hefty boat repairs this spring by taking shortcuts when winterizing your boat. Below are a few common mistakes boat owners make - don't make these mistakes this fall!

#1 Adding Fuel Stabilizer to “Fix” Gas Issues

Come springtime, some boaters think that any phase-separated gasoline in the tank can easily be fixed by adding a fuel stabilizer or additive. But that is not true. Once the gasoline separates, there is no fixing it. The only solution there is is to have a professional remove the contaminated fuel and water mixture and start from scratch. This is a difficult and costly task for boats with built-in fuel tanks. However, it’s critical to use a fuel stabilizer each fall to help keep the fuel fresh through the winter, keep corrosion to a minimum, and to help prevent phase separation.

Put the stabilizer in before you fully fill the gas tank before winterizing your boat. This will allow the stabilizer to fully course through the fuel system as you run the engine when filling it with anti-freeze.

#2 Not Filling the Tank with Fuel

If your boat has a built-in gas tank, it’s a good idea to leave the tank as full as possible during the winter. Don’t fill the tank to the top though, you want to leave a little room for fuel expansion. By leaving the tank nearly full, it limits the amount of moisture that can potentially condense inside on the tank’s walls as the temperatures outside fluctuate. This will help prevent phase separation of ethanol fuel.

Note: If your boat is stored in a rack system or indoor storage, you should always check with the marina. They may require you to empty the fuel tank to reduce the risk of fire.

#3 Not Anticipating a Winter Freeze

According to BoatUS, many boat insurance freeze damage claims come from southern, temperate states hit by an unexpected freeze or when space heaters fail due to a sudden storm power loss. Most claims do come from the colder climates, but this shows that they can come from other unsuspecting places as well. In northern climates, storm power outages are also the cause for engine block freeze related claims. However, both areas of the country have winter freeze claims due to the failure to follow proper winterizing procedures.

#4 Using a Space Heater to “Winterize” Your Boat

You should never “winterize” your boat by leaving a space heating running onboard. Besides the sudden power outage issue, it creates an extreme fire hazard. Unless you live in the Florida Keys or Hawaii, BoatUS recommends that you winterize your engine if you will be laying up the boat for even a few weeks to lessen the chances of sudden freeze damage.

Contact Surdyke Yamaha to Winterize Your Boat or PWC!

If you don't want to risk making an error winterizing your boat, leave it to the pros and schedule your boat winterization with Surdyke Yamaha! Don't delay - protect your investment. Your boat and watercraft winterization service appointments should be scheduled now. We specialize in stern drives, cruisers, outboards, PWC's, personal watercraft, and jet boats! Give us a call today to schedule your boat winterization service at the Lake of the Ozarks. 

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Highway Store Location        Marina Store Location         Surdyke's Port 20

5863 Osage Beach Parkway      1660 Yamaha Drive               5395 Spruce Lane

Osage Beach, MO 65065           Osage Beach, MO 65065        Osage Beach, MO 65065

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