Sean
Well-Known Member
It's a hard thing to winterize your boat when the weather is this nice.
Friday on Lake Muskoka was 21*C and sunny. The lake was almost void of boaters and was like glass all day even in the open and middle of the lake. I can't say I've ever had better conditions.
Saturday was 20*C and almost as sunny but with a wind that made a light chop. As it was Canadian Thanksgiving weekend many were up to their cottages for a last gasp. Light traffic notwithstanding , still a beautiful day to be boating!
So due to the inevitable lineup at the marine shop for winterizing and also owing to the logistics of storing my boat in a warm cozy place for the winter....I started the winterizing operations with a thorough cleaning. Then I removed the rear seat (for better accesss to the engine) and drained the block, manifolds, power steering cooler and waterpump. Lastly, I vacuumed out the bilge and cleaned every surface I could see.
Tomorrow, it's down to the shop to change the oil and all filters as well as filler with anti-freeze. As an extra I'm removing the upper portion of my SEI 106 sterndrive for warranty replacement due to paint "spider" cracks.
When the upper unit returns (est 1 week), we'll bolt'er back together and tuck her away in storage. So it'll be a couple weeks worth of work and logistics. During this time it'll be hard to see others still boating if the weather holds up like it has been but, I'm not going to risk it.
Friday on Lake Muskoka was 21*C and sunny. The lake was almost void of boaters and was like glass all day even in the open and middle of the lake. I can't say I've ever had better conditions.
Saturday was 20*C and almost as sunny but with a wind that made a light chop. As it was Canadian Thanksgiving weekend many were up to their cottages for a last gasp. Light traffic notwithstanding , still a beautiful day to be boating!
So due to the inevitable lineup at the marine shop for winterizing and also owing to the logistics of storing my boat in a warm cozy place for the winter....I started the winterizing operations with a thorough cleaning. Then I removed the rear seat (for better accesss to the engine) and drained the block, manifolds, power steering cooler and waterpump. Lastly, I vacuumed out the bilge and cleaned every surface I could see.
Tomorrow, it's down to the shop to change the oil and all filters as well as filler with anti-freeze. As an extra I'm removing the upper portion of my SEI 106 sterndrive for warranty replacement due to paint "spider" cracks.
When the upper unit returns (est 1 week), we'll bolt'er back together and tuck her away in storage. So it'll be a couple weeks worth of work and logistics. During this time it'll be hard to see others still boating if the weather holds up like it has been but, I'm not going to risk it.
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