Preparing Your Boat’s Stern Drive for the Winter Season
Tucking your stern-drive into bed is incredibly important before it begins its winter hibernation. There are a lot of things you’ll need to do, in order to adequately prepare it for the cold weather. The list is extensive, so get ready!
Replacement Inspection
Remove the stern-drive and inspect the u-joint, gimbal bearing, water intake hose, exhaust run, and the bellows to make sure they’re in good shape. If they aren’t, replace them!
Water Drainage
Level your boat on your trailer or level, and connect it to a flusher. Let the engine run up to full operating temperature. This will drain almost all of the water in the drive. It’s important to keep your drive perpendicular to the ground while storing it for the winter.
Antifreeze it
With a flush device on hand, attach it the stern drive’s water pickups. Connect it to a bucket with antifreeze in it, which will cycle the solution through the pickups it’s attached to, into the water circulating systems of the stern-drive. Run your engine and turn it off when the antifreeze solution cycles through your boat’s exhaust.
Check Propeller Connection
It’s always important to check your boat’s propeller for debris and other forms of contamination in the off-season. Repairing your boat’s propeller or any of the adjacent parts can cost you a fortune!
Do a Final, Complete Survey
It’s important to check every aspect and structural detail of your stern-drive before you finally put your boat away. Although it might be a lengthy process, it’ll be worth it in the long run.
The stern-drive is a particularly important part of your boat. Maintaining it properly before storing it during the winter is an important step to take as far as the care of your boat is concerned.