Get Your Rig... Back In Action
With winter behind us, now is the time to inspect the condition of your boat before you hit the water this coming seasonBATTERIES
Ideally, you would have removed your boat’s battery before wintering it. When not using it for an extended period, I like to store my battery in the shed, close to a charger. It is easy to top up the battery as required when walking past now and then. Another good idea is to leave it on a trickle charger.
Batteries don’t seem to enjoy dramatic temperature changes. A battery’s death will most likely occur during the change of seasons. Because the inside of the shed is warm and the concrete floor is cold during winter, to prolong your batteries life, elevate it on a piece of thick ply. This will generate a big change in the battery’s internal temperature. I’ve been told that by my old man since I was a kid and while it might be an old salt’s tale, it seems to work for me. Provided you have kept up the water levels in the battery, it should be fine to go. If in doubt, take it to your local battery shop (there are a number of specialty stores in every state) and ask them to test it for power strength. They will measure the load on the battery while putting it on full drain. It is often referred to as a ‘dump test’.
With the power supply up to speed, terminals should be scrubbed back to get rid of any white, powdery corrosion. Also clean the corresponding connections in the boat. If you have a crusty build up on the connectors, immerse them in a cup of water with a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda. You will need to wire-brush the residue off the connections afterwards.
Heavy build up can be removed with a wooden tooth pick – less damaging than a metal object such as a screwdriver or pin.
After removing as much as possible, spray with moisture dispersant such as CRC or WD40 to soften up the remainder. Use a high pressure air nozzle to blow the rest away.
Take care not to leave an abundance of this dispersant on the plug because some types may attack the plastic or rubber housing of the plug, causing it to disintegrate over time. Avoid using some of the lanolin-based products, as most of these are designed to leave a film of lanolin on surfaces and once this sets it will become gluggy and build up inside the female connection.
FUEL SYSTEM
If your boat is stored outside a shed, it is often a good idea to pack it away at the start of winter with a full tank of fuel. With less air in the tank to expand and contract, there is less room for condensation to form. If storing a boat inside a shed be very careful about the fuel levels in the tank. If it is too high and you get an extraordinarily hot day, the breather will pump fumes into the still air of the shed and, if you have any fridges or freezers running inside, their thermostatic start might ignite the mixture.
Tote tanks should be emptied and stored that way, so there shouldn’t be any troubles there. A cursory check of the fuel/water separator will allow you to detect any residue inside and remove it.
It is impossible to totally avoid condensation so, for the first few trips, keep checking that separator. You could add methylated spirits to the tank, which would absorb any moisture in the fuel. One litre of methylated spirits to 100lt of fuel is what I use, when necessary, but there are no manufacturer recommendations, so adopt this method at your own discretion and risk.
Check the silicone seal between the bung base and the hull for shrinkage cracks and, if they are evident, remove the entire unit and replace it with a new one along with fresh silicone. Remember to use only non-acidic silicone on aluminium boats.
STEERING
Ever since I started insisting on hydraulic steering for all of my boats I have not had a problem with stowage over long periods. It pays to check anyway and, tilting the engine down to the vertical, spin the wheel from lock to lock a couple of times. If it shudders, there is air in the system which should be bled. Follow your steering system owner’s manual or take it to your outboard mechanic to have this rectified.
Stiff spots in mechanical steering systems often indicate corrosion inside the assembly or wear of the cable through the outer casing. It pays to monitor this situation because the steering will seize quickly, requiring you to remove the cable from the engine and make up a tiller steer to get back to the ramp.
TRAILERS
Lights: If you have taken my advice in past columns and installed LED trailer lights, you should have no issues here. If you still have submersible lights with removable lenses, these should be unscrewed and the internals checked for corrosion. A spray of a lanolin-based product, such as Lanotec, inside will help keep moisture at bay. Use rubber grease on the seal under the lenses. Check any trailer light cabling that is sitting outside of the trailer frame for damage.
Rollers: It’s impossible to remove all moisture from between the rollers and their pins. If any trailer part is going to seize up over winter, it’s these. At the start of the season, if you can drop the boat off the trailer, spend some time checking all rollers. Spray some lubricant inside to keep them free.
It is also a good time to get down and dirty and check all of the shackles and bolts for rust or breaks. Using a screwdriver, try to lever the U-bolts on the trailer spring shackles and other roller arms. Cracked items will move easily.
Brakes: With the boat off the trailer, a visual inspection of the brakes is easy. Your disc brake rotors are likely to be covered in surface rust and it is important on the first drive after wintering to brake heavily a number of times to scrub it off. It’ll be too late when you’re in a predicament and your boat wants to pass your car! If you are mechanically minded, you might want to adjust the brakes if needs be. If you’re not confident, it is a job for a qualified mechanic.
Over rider brake cables should be checked for fraying where they pass through their runners and an inspection of the adjuster at the draw bar will ensure it will be adjustable when it needs to be.
If you are running electric brakes, a check of exposed cables and plugs is all there is to do and those with hydraulic systems should look at bleeding the system at the start of the season. Moisture in brake fluid greatly reduces its boiling point and affects braking ability. By making a point of regularly checking and bleeding the system you will prevent the bleed nipples on the back of the wheel hubs from rusting in place.
Wheel bearings: It will pay to jack each wheel off the ground and give it a spin, listening for the rumbling of rusty bearings. Also check for slop in the bearing by rocking the wheel in and out. This is a good time to take the hub off the axle to give it the full grease treatment and, while you are at it, crack each wheel nut and give it a smear of grease.
Towing systems: Hitches should be checked for wear and tear. Over riders should be greased and the inside of the hitch where the ball fits should also get the same treatment.
If you experience ‘clunking’ when towing you either need to adjust the screw on the top of the hitch, if you have one, or check for excessive wear on the ball or the hitch.
If left too long the inside of the hitch will wear out and will have to be replaced. Usually, though, it is the ball that wears first and it will get a flat spot where the hitch continually hammers against it. Replace the ball immediately. Safety chains usually do not have any problems, unless they are too long and drag on the road.
ENGINE
Many people like to turn the key so that the crank revolves a couple of times without actually starting. This should not be done if the motor has been sitting dry for some time. Being so dry in the impeller housing, the fingers on the impeller may stick to the housing and if there is no water inside they can be torn off their hub. Always give the engine a good run of water with the hose before turning the key.
Four-stroke engines deserve an oil change after a long winter and before a hectic season. While the cowl is off it is a good time to change the spark plugs, even if the ones currently installed do not seem too worn on the electrodes. Give them a good clean and a spray with water dispersant and stow them in a dry place onboard as spares.
A change of oil in the gearbox is timely at this point as all of the fine metallic particles suspended in the oil will have settled to the bottom of the gear case. Before putting into gear first up after winter, drop the oil and leave the bung out overnight to get the dregs out. Open the vent at the top of the gearcase and force some oil into it to further flush the system. Then refill it with the correct grade oil for your engine. It will pay to follow your engine manufacturer’s recommendations for wintering. They will give specific advice as to whether to run carburettors dry or not.
Give the propeller a quick check for any line stuck behind and around the shaft. A little grease on the spline should ready this part of the engine.
The end of winter is really a good time to book your engine in for a service by a qualified mechanic. Get him to check other things such as brakes and wheel bearings, too.
It’s worth it for the peace of mind.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
