 As
everyone has noticed for the past several weeks, old man
winter has been gone on vacation, or something. We have
been enjoying spring - like weather during what should
be the onset of our cold weather season. In fact, it has
been so nice outdoors, I have not considered deer hunting
or duck hunting, two of my favorite cold weather endeavors.
Instead, I have been focusing on my fishing, which has
been pretty good. It looks like things are about to change.
According to the weather forecast, we are in for a
bit of seasonal weather, in other words, it’s
gonna get cold and stay that way for a while. If you
are like me, ready to embark on hunting season now that
it feels more like hunting season, you need to remember
to take care of your boats and watercrafts before it
gets much colder. Even if you plan on using your fishing
boat during the winter, there are a few things you need
to do in order to protect your investment and avoid
costly repairs.
If you own a boat that you will definitely not be using
during the cold weather months, such as an inboard ski
boat or a personal watercraft, you should consider having
it winterized by a professional. Here in Corsicana,
Blake’s Boats can drain the water from your motor,
fog it to protect the inside of the motor and get it
ready for the cold months ahead. Spending a few dollars
now can help reduce the risk of spending a lot of dollars
in the spring, when you get out to the lake and find
you have sever damage to your motor. Call Lamar Blake
at 903-872-1292 to set an appointment or to get supplies,
should you want to do it yourself.
A good choice for your personal watercraft winterization
is Kenneth Napps of Cedar Creek Watersports. I bought
my PWC from them and Kenneth does all of the work on
it. He has been selling and servicing PWC’s since
they came out. Like Blake’s Boats, Cedar Creek
Watersports does a thorough job at a reasonable price.
You can reach Kenneth at 903-451-9585 to set up an appointment.
Now, what if you plan on using your fishing boat during
the winter months, like I do. For starters, try to get
your boat inside somewhere. The garage would be a great
place. If you cannot use the garage or do not have one,
it might be worth the money to rent a storage space
for you boat to protect it from the elements during
the cold weather months. The price of the storage unit
for a few months would certainly be cheaper than repairing
a motor damaged by freezing weather. If both of these
options are out of the question, at least get the boat
covered with a tarp or boat cover. This will not be
as good as being stored inside, but it will be better
than nothing.
Each time that I come off of the water during cold
weather months, I pull the drain plug on my boat and
store it jacked up so the water will run out of it.
I turn on my aerator pumps and bilge pumps to make sure
all of the water is out of the lines to prevent them
from breaking in freezing weather. I also trim my motor
all the way down after coming off the ramp to allow
the water to drain out of the lower unit of my motor.
Water trapped inside the lower unit can freeze causing
severe damage to the seals and the lower unit housing.
This is especially important for boats stored outside.
If you must store your boat outside during freezing
weather, as I have had to do in the past, it might be
a good idea wrap the lower unit and prop with a plastic
bag to prevent water from entering the lower unit should
it rain, sleet or snow. It is also advisable for boats
being stored outside to be stored with the motor trimmed
down to help prevent water from entering the motor.
Finally, don’t forget the batteries. I like to
keep my batteries charged up at all times. I never know
when the weather might turn nice and I want to go fishing,
but more importantly, it is better for your batteries
to keep them charged. They will last longer if you keep
them charged. It is extremely important to protect them
from freezing. If necessary, remove them from the boat
and store them somewhere they can be protected from
freezing.
If you have any question about winterizing your boats,
please give Lamar Blake or Kenneth Napps a call. They
will be happy to answer any questions you might have
or set you up with an appointment to get the work done.
By taking care of our boat now, before you loose site
of the need, you will save yourself a lot of headaches
and heartaches, not to mention cash when you are ready
to use it again.
Until next time, enjoy the Texas Outdoors.
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