How Do I Unwinterize?

This is my first year to unwinterize my boat and I was wondering if you guys had any tips. I took it to the dealership and paid for the high end winterize package. Now what do I do? Just reconnect the battery, take it to the lake and fire it up?

High end winterize package? Sounds like they are taking your money. Unless they shrink wrap your boat, there isn't much extra to do when you winterize besided draining the engine and filling it up with antifreeze. Yea there are some other things, but nothing that big.

Some dealers will not hook the hoses back up after winterization. They will usually hang a baggie on your steering wheel with those parts. They will charge you to summerize the boat by hooking everything back up and testing everything out. It gives you a little confidence the first run of the year, but if you know what you are doing you are paying for nothing. My dealer has antifreeze in my heater, shower, ballast pumps and block. Everything is hooked up and ready to go.

I would use the owner's manual to check what to do to winterize, and make sure all the hoses, plugs, etc they talk about taking off are now on, tight and secure. Good time to check battery charge. Don't forget drain plugs. This is also a good time to clean out your boat (if you were lazy and didn't clean it out at the end of the season.)

I asked my dealer the first spring after winterizing and was told, "Nothing. Just don't be alarmed about the smoke from the exhaust on 1st start up." It's from the stuff used to protect the engine (I forget the name.)

Fogging spray?

hey, yeah! (brain is unlocked now!) thanks leo!

(Message edited by dcranium on March 02, 2007)

Elane - Why not just call the dealer and ask. Dealers will do differant things for their brand of boats. Owners also. ex: I only need to screw the water strainer cover back on and start it. Call them and ask to be sure

I second Andrew. DON'T FORGET THE DRAIN PLUG!