
Winterizing your boat means protecting your engine, accessories and equipment from freeze damage due to extreme cold. By buying your Canadian boating licence online this fall, you’ll have one thing less to worry about before taking to the water next year.Winter is about to come and as an responsible boater you need to winterize your boat motor. If you don’t already have your pleasure craft operator card, why not purchase it now to prepare for the next boating season? The law requires every pleasure craft operator to carry a licence when boating on Canadian waters. If you take the time to winterize your boat by following the steps outlined above, you will maximize your craft’s lifespan and start off on the right foot next spring. That concludes our overview of end-of-season boat motor maintenance. Cover the boat with a tarp or canvas designed for that purpose.ĭon’t let winter catch you off guard! Winterize your boat before the cold weather comes.Fill the cooling system with antifreeze.Remove the spark plugs ( replace them if they’re in bad shape) and put some motor oil inside the cylinders.


Unlike outboard motors, which are attached to the stern of a boat, inboard motors are housed inside the hull of the boat, either in the bilge or in their own engine room on large vessels.
#Winterizing inboard outboard engine full#
Flush the motor with fresh water by using a flusher or running it in a tank full of clean water.Outboard motors are boat propulsion systems that include a motor, gearbox and propeller or jet drive in a self-contained unit that is designed to be mounted outside the transom.
#Winterizing inboard outboard engine how to#
Winterizing your motor is the best way to maximize its lifespan and prevent the damage caused by freezing and corrosion.īesides, winterizing your boat motor will save you a lot of time and energy when boating season starts up again in the spring! How to winterize an outboard motor

Winter often brings high humidity levels that can rust the metal parts of the motor, causing damage and other problems. Multiple freeze-thaw cycles can compound the problem. When the temperature drops below zero, the water in the boat freezes, increasing its volume and putting immense pressure on the affected parts of the motor, which may break under the strain. When done correctly, winterizing a boat motor protects it from various types of damage that can occur during the winter and affect its ability to function.įor example, when a motor isn’t properly winterized, water may be left in certain components. The importance of winterizing your boat motor There are two distinct types of boat motors, outboard and inboard, so we’ll cover the winterizing process for both. In this article, find out why it’s important to winterize a boat motor and how to go about it. The winterizing process involves several simple tasks that motorboat owners should carry out as the unforgiving weather of winter approaches.
