If it's a 4-stroke I/O, let a professional take care of it.

If outboard:

1.  Drain lower unit, if the grease is "milky", you've got a leak that needs fixing.

2.  Change oil/filter on the motor itself.

3.  Pull the spark plugs and fog the cylinders

4.  Pull the batteries, put them somewhere that stays above freezing, put a charger on them monthly over the winter

5.  If your electric trolling motor has Auto-Pilot you should also pull it off and keep it somewhere above freezing, the compass has liquid in it.

6.  Pull your fish-finders off, extended periods of cold are hard on them too

7.  Tarp your boat, if you're worried about snow-loading, cut some 1"x2's into ribs that will hold the tarp up tight and allow snow to fall off instead of pooling.

8.  Take all the aerosol cans out, seals shrink and they can leak in the cold and make a mess

9.  Pull the plug outta the back, allow any water that does get in to drain out.

10.  Add Sea Foam and/or Stabil to your gas tank(s) and run your motor enough to get the stabilzed fuel through the entire fuel line and up into the carbs/injectors.

Good thread.

Any specific kind of oil you recommend for fogging Horslager? 

And don't forget to put mouse poison in the boat.  Decon works great.

Horsager Said:
 If it's a 4-stroke I/O, let a professional take care of it.

If outboard:

1.  Drain lower unit, if the grease is "milky", you've got a leak that needs fixing.

2.  Change oil/filter on the motor itself.

3.  Pull the spark plugs and fog the cylinders

4.  Pull the batteries, put them somewhere that stays above freezing, put a charger on them monthly over the winter

5.  If your electric trolling motor has Auto-Pilot you should also pull it off and keep it somewhere above freezing, the compass has liquid in it.

6.  Pull your fish-finders off, extended periods of cold are hard on them too

7.  Tarp your boat, if you're worried about snow-loading, cut some 1"x2's into ribs that will hold the tarp up tight and allow snow to fall off instead of pooling.

8.  Take all the aerosol cans out, seals shrink and they can leak in the cold and make a mess

9.  Pull the plug outta the back, allow any water that does get in to drain out.

10.  Add Sea Foam and/or Stabil to your gas tank(s) and run your motor enough to get the stabilzed fuel through the entire fuel line and up into the carbs/injectors.

My brother in law told me you can skip all this complicated stuff and just run the motor in a bucket of antifreeze until the green shit starts coming out where the water normally shoots from the motor....

 

Enslow Said:
And don't forget to put mouse poison in the boat.  Decon works great.

I heard dryer sheets work too? Anyone have experience with this? 

 Whatever is in the blue can they sell @ Fleet Farm.

 

sdwxman Said:
 

Enslow Said:
And don't forget to put mouse poison in the boat.  Decon works great.

I heard dryer sheets work too? Anyone have experience with this? 

Dryer sheets work for me in the boat and my old car.

If you want to do it right do what Horsager says. Instead of fogging it thou I just run some seafoam thru her and add some stabil in the tank.

Great advise there thou if you have to leave it outside thats for sure!

sdwxman Said:
 

Enslow Said:
And don't forget to put mouse poison in the boat.  Decon works great.

I heard dryer sheets work too? Anyone have experience with this? 

Dryer sheets is an old wives tale.  Poison kills and dryer sheets make your clothes less staticy

What Horsager said are good rules to live by but leaving electronics and trolling motors in the cold are not surefire ways to destroy them.  None of mine have had issues that are directly attributed to winter outside.  Include all liquid sunscreens or bug sprays as well that aren't in aerosol cans.  I've left them in the boat before and they can make a mess when they freeze and break open. 

Also make sure all food stuffs are out of the boat.  Mice will hunt down that pack of sunflower seeds stored in your rod storage compartment and make a heck of a mess once the snow drift allows them to reach the open drain holes! 

As far as tarps go, I know the canvas one that came with my Lund is not supposed to be used as a winter tarp.  WTFO?  I have left it on over the winter and it shows additional aging because of it so if you have a nice travel tarp and don't wish to use it, go to Menards or one of the Mart brothers and pick up an el cheapo tarp.  Mine is 7 yrs old so I shouldn't expect it to look like new anyway.


If you are still using your boat, as I and many other river dwellers will do through November, make darn sure you lower your motor all the way to drain the water out each time you pull it out of the water (of course, raise it again before heading down the road).  I even fire my motor up for about 3 seconds after I think all the water is drained to help blow the water out.  Just don't run it any longer than that or you will run into water pump problems.

 

Lycanthrope Said:

Horsager Said:
 If it's a 4-stroke I/O, let a professional take care of it.

If outboard:

1.  Drain lower unit, if the grease is "milky", you've got a leak that needs fixing.

2.  Change oil/filter on the motor itself.

3.  Pull the spark plugs and fog the cylinders

4.  Pull the batteries, put them somewhere that stays above freezing, put a charger on them monthly over the winter

5.  If your electric trolling motor has Auto-Pilot you should also pull it off and keep it somewhere above freezing, the compass has liquid in it.

6.  Pull your fish-finders off, extended periods of cold are hard on them too

7.  Tarp your boat, if you're worried about snow-loading, cut some 1"x2's into ribs that will hold the tarp up tight and allow snow to fall off instead of pooling.

8.  Take all the aerosol cans out, seals shrink and they can leak in the cold and make a mess

9.  Pull the plug outta the back, allow any water that does get in to drain out.

10.  Add Sea Foam and/or Stabil to your gas tank(s) and run your motor enough to get the stabilzed fuel through the entire fuel line and up into the carbs/injectors.

My brother in law told me you can skip all this complicated stuff and just run the motor in a bucket of antifreeze until the green shit starts coming out where the water normally shoots from the motor....

What happens if you have a leaky seal in your lower unit and it's got water mixed in with the gear lube?  Freezing water expands and cracks lower units.  Running the motor in anti-freeze won't solve that.

Enslow Said:

sdwxman Said:
 

Enslow Said:
And don't forget to put mouse poison in the boat.  Decon works great.

I heard dryer sheets work too? Anyone have experience with this? 

Dryer sheets is an old wives tale.  Poison kills and dryer sheets make your clothes less staticy

Dont put the mouse poison in the boat, it will attract mice to your boat as it is a bait. Put dryer sheets in your compartments and in your seats when you fold them down, then put the mouse poison by your tires or on your trailer. Otherwise in the spring you will have mouse damange and dead mice stinking up your boat.

Yes, mice will make you very angry in the spring if you let them. I'd use BOTH dryer sheets and poison. You only let mice screw you once I can tell you that. Lil bass terds.
The little red bitchy squirrels have packed my old 1970s outboard with acorns too... even in places I can't imagine, like the air cleaner. All red squirrels in my yard die soon after they make their presence known.

What part of trollling motors don't like the cold? The circuit boards in "smart" trolling motors like the iPilot? Hadn't heard of bringing them in.

Use a product called "Fresh Cab". You can get at most farm supply stores and some hardware and automotive parts stores. We use it in all our trucks and tractors. You don't want critters to get a belly full of poison and crawl in somewhere to rot.

johnr Said:

Enslow Said:

sdwxman Said:
 

Enslow Said:
And don't forget to put mouse poison in the boat.  Decon works great.

I heard dryer sheets work too? Anyone have experience with this? 

Dryer sheets is an old wives tale.  Poison kills and dryer sheets make your clothes less staticy

Dont put the mouse poison in the boat, it will attract mice to your boat as it is a bait. Put dryer sheets in your compartments and in your seats when you fold them down, then put the mouse poison by your tires or on your trailer. Otherwise in the spring you will have mouse damange and dead mice stinking up your boat.

 

guywhofishes Said:
Yes, mice will make you very angry in the spring if you let them. I'd use BOTH dryer sheets and poison. You only let mice screw you once I can tell you that. Lil bass terds.
The little red bitchy squirrels have packed my old 1970s outboard with acorns too... even in places I can't imagine, like the air cleaner. All red squirrels in my yard die soon after they make their presence known.

What part of trollling motors don't like the cold? The circuit boards in "smart" trolling motors like the iPilot? Hadn't heard of bringing them in.

The compass in an Auto-Pilot is liquid filled and can freeze and crack.

Use the repellent packets inside the boat and compartments, rodent killer around the outside. (assuming your dog cant come into contact). Two years ago I had 9 mice in my camper. Trust me, my wife made sure I understood how to prevent that from ever happening again.

Also it isnt to bad of an idea to repack your wheel bearings.. that way you wont lose the wheel and spindle and the whole nine yards...

I got a 4 stroke and do everything Horsager mentioned except for changing the oil (usually wait till spring) and have never had any issues.  Good thread.

 My understanding of mouse poison is it attracts mice,  they eat it, they get hot, head out to cool off,  the poison keeps their blood from clotting and when they squish through the hole they came in it ruptures vessels and they bleed out internally while they are cooling off.

I have never fact checked the info, just passed it on with the usual blather.

additions (and for some of us skip the oil change) to horsagers list --

1 - computer sequence the throttle so that it goes into self winterization mode and shuts off -- no need to fog.
2. Gas should always have some type of stabilizer in it year around  -- depending on the brand you may want to increase dosage (see bottle)
3. Park your boat inside -- it last longer .
4. Run your trim up and down a few times - store in down position
5. The plug should be out and livewells on open position already per our friend the z-mussel. 
6. If you fish like simmjs --- ignore all - as your boat never needs to be winterized - you never stop fishing!!!!!