Covered outside boat storage for winter?

[sunvalleylaw]

I have a covered car bay (carport type roof) attached to my garage, where I could put my boat for winter. Was not a problem with my outboard, but concerned about my Malibu due to inboard motor, which of course will be properly winterized. I could put a space heater inside under the cover. Thoughts or advice? It occasionally gets to single digit temps in December and January around here. Then typically will be around freezing for most of the winter during the day, and lower at night.

[oldjeep]

Winterize it properly and it'll be fine. It gets way lower than single digits in my garage in January. I'd consider shrink wrapping (properly vented) it rather than just using a cover if it is going to be outside. I'd skip the heater, no need to make it inviting for vermin. Also for storing outside, tape your exhaust ports.

[Chef23]

I have a 2002 Malibu LX that has been stored outside it's whole life in New England. I winterize it properly and the engine is still running strong. I have a wood frame that I put a tarp over. I take my mooring cover off the boat. The way I tarp the boat it prevents any snow, leaves etc from getting in the boat but it does allow air to flow through so it prevents mold.

 

My boat is a little dirty when I take the cover off but it is a pretty easy clean. I will admit my boat isn't pristine from a cosmetic perspective it spends roughly 7 months a year sitting in the water and the rest next to the house but it runs great. At this point my boat is a tractor not a show piece.

 

I don't see any risk to leaving the boat outside particularly with a covered car bay. I would love to have a covered spot for my boat.

[sunvalleylaw]

Thanks @oldjeep . As I hold on for the last few sets of the season, I may go ahead and drain everything now, just in case. or use a trouble light short term. (good thought on the critters though). Probably overthinking it, but a dip below freezing could happen at any time from here forward, causing the sprinklers to turn everything into icicles in the morning. Happens every year to people who use their watering systems late in a few weeks.

[Chef23]

@oldjeep I have never taped the exhaust ports. Why do you do that?

[oldjeep]

@Chef23 keeps the mice/vermin out of there. They sometimes like to crawl up in there and make a nest in your exhaust. I had some shrews in my garage a couple years ago that liked to fill any opening with Dcon - little bastards never ate any just filled up my shop vac hose with it.

[oldjeep]

@sunvalleylaw - most important part if you are draining is the heater core and they do not self drain. You need to pull the hoses off the engine and blow them out - I just blow in it with my mouth until the water stops coming out and then do it again through the other hose since you can never really be sure how they mounted the heaters. I then pour marine safe antifreeze into the hose and fill the core to dilute any water left and help keep it from rotting out from corrosion.

[Chef23]

@oldjeep thanks I didn't think of that and haven't had a problem. I will put some gorilla tape over them this winter.

 

I don't have a heater in my boat so that makes things easier. When we bought the boat new in 2002 the mfg recommendation at the time was to just drain the block and not pickle it. I have followed that and haven't had any issues.

[oldjeep]

I fill my block with antifreeze, mainly because of how corroded the knock sensor bolts/threads in my boat get if you don't. My inlaws LXI (Black Scorpion) it is all plastic drain plugs in mostly brass fittings so I don't worry about that one as much with rust - but still do fill the heater core.

[sunvalleylaw]

I take it you guys are not talking about closed cooling systems, right? Mine is standard and not closed. I am going to read and learn more about using antifreeze in the block and heater core. I do have a heater in the boat. My motor is the 350 Indmar Monsoon. I don't like the sound of corrosion, so interested in if antifreeze in the block is advised for my motor to prevent it.

[oldjeep]

Yeah, mine is just standard cooling. 2012 Monsoon 350 SS (Basically just a 5.7L). I drain it all out and then fill it with antifreeze through the top hoses in the thermostat housing and the heater hoses. Couple gallons of -50 rv antifreeze is worth the piece of mind to me since it can get to -20F here pretty frequently in Jan.

[shyskier]

R.V. antifreeze will not prevent corrosion, it is made for plastic tanks. I use green anti-freeze & drain & flush in spring, or you can use environment safe anti-freeze like sierra. -38 last winter, no problem. I use a magnetic engine heater when it gets below 25 degrees at night before winterizing. I will also put a blanket over engine to help hold heat. No heater in boat, ( which I could sure use ) but 1 less thing to worry about. Already under 32 degrees here at night.

[TallSkinnyGuy]

@sunvalleylaw Note that the "antifreeze" being discussed here is the RV antifreeze designed to go in the water systems of RVs over the winter and not the regular car antifreeze. RV antifreeze is apparently not bad for the environment, so you don't have to worry about capturing it in the spring when you dewinterize.

 

Most people will warm the engine so the thermostat is open, then drain the block of water and then use the raw water tube to suck up a few gallons of RV antifreeze, but there are a few different methods. Personally, I just drain the water and don't use antifreeze, and I leave all the drain plugs (and knock sensor) out for the winter. I also take my impeller out over the winter so it doesn't deform (if it is in good shape I will use it for another season).

[oldjeep]

@shyskier The stuff I use does prevent corrosion.

 

All of these contain corrosion protection

 

http://www.camco.net/product/banfrost-2000-marine-engine-antifreeze-10280/

http://www.camco.net/product/freeze-ban-50-10277/

http://www.wholesalemarine.com/starbrite-sea-safe-non-toxic-anti-freeze-50f-38190.html

 

[shyskier]

@oldjeep , good to know. I know most R.V. antifreeze from parts stores, walmart, ect. are not made for engines.I would rather use non- toxic ( also cheaper). looks like camco is available at ace hardware.

[oldjeep]

I just bought a few gallons of the Starbrite off ebay (from wholesale marine) for about $5 a gallon and free shipping.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/391338367590?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

I've used the camco Banfrost 2000 in the past - still have a gallon left from my last case but it runs closer to $14 a gallon.