Winter is coming! Just because we live in the warm, South Carolina climate doesn’t mean that Jack Frost doesn’t enjoy the occasional visit. It’s that time of the year where you need to consider laying up the boat in preparation for that cold snap. Save yourself the headache of a cracked engine block and corrosion by winterizing your boat. Each model is different, but here’s some common tasks for all types of engines.
Change the oil – old oil can cause a build up of acids, which can shorten the engine life and corrode its components.
Fog the engine – using fogging oil prevents corrosion of inboard and outboard engines.
Fill the cooling system with antifreeze – this prevents leftover water from freezing and cracking the engine block.
Top off the fuel tank and stabilize the fuel – this prevents the formation of gum and varnish in gasoline and the growth of injector-clogging bacteria, while topping off the tank eliminates condensation that would settle at the bottom of the tank.
Drain the freshwater tank and water lines and protect them with antifreeze – saves you from having to replace burst water lines.
Sanitation systems – residual water can turn to ice and can cause potential damage.
Prevent mold and mildew buildup – keep the boat ventilated and reduce humidity with moisture absorbing crystals to leave the horrible odor and potential damage at the door.
If you don’t know exactly how to handle winterizing your boat or don’t want to deal with the hassle, you can always have your boat serviced with Longshore Boats and we’ll take care of it for you! Our winterization service includes adding fuel stabilizer and running the engine until we achieve proper cooling temperatures to which the thermostat opens, then we flush the cooling system with biodegradable anti-freeze. After, we change the engine oil and gear lube, followed by fogging the internal engine components to prevent corrosion. This all prevents freeze damage and addresses issues that can save you from costly repairs in the spring!
Don’t forget, we’re offering 10% off labor if you schedule your service before November 15th, 2019!
