So with Spring..........

[Teroy]

So with spring right around the corner and us anglers getting anxious. Lets talk preparing your boat for use.

I just garaged my from my storage lot and plan on start working on it tomorrow. Besides the usual tune up, what else should I be checking and/or replacing?
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[Theekillerbee]

So do you have an inboard or outboard motor? If it is outboard, refill the foot from the drain plug, just press the tube of lube in tight and squeeze slowly untill the oil comes out the fill plug, then cap the drain plug, then the fill plug. This technique prevents the oil from trapping any air bubbles, the would then give you a false "full". May save some foot damage. Hope the tip is useful.
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[wiperhunter2]

Check your wheel bearings, if you have bearing buddys fill them up. WH2
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Repack the wheel bearings on your trailer.[/size][/font]
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[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Last winter (my first winter owning a boat) I found that it is fairly inexpensive and easy to replace wheel bearings AND tail lights.[/size][/font]
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[FISHNFOOL102]

[cool]To you first time boat owners,On your bearing buddys,dont over fill them you will blow out the seal in the back,Just fill them tell the spring moves or tell you can move the filler around,from side to side,made the mistake in my younger days and locked up a bearing on a strawberry trip.You should check them each spring and should only need to be filled once a year.Check lower end oil in your outboard,change spark plugs in your outboard,start it up in your drive way to make sure she's gonna start,make sure you hook up water before you start it,you will tear your impellar to pieces,I always put my outboard in gear and turn the prop a full turn,to break the impellar free,I have ripped the ends right off of it , it has set all winter and need to be broke lose,And make sure if you own an outboard,carry a set of plugs with you,I have been out the first trip and fouled brand new plugs with old gas,Now I always put stabilizer in my tank when putting away for winter.

Hope this helps someone,

TIGHT LINES,

TONY[cool]
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[DennisW]

[blue][size 2]Old Coot--you are one CRAZY Old Coot! [crazy] Replacing the bearings has got to be the messiest, most worthless job in the world. I did it once and half-way into the job I would have paid GOOD money to have someone else finish it. Or maybe I'm just a wimp.[/size][/blue]

[blue][size 2]KillerBee, I hope you didn't leave your lower unit drained all winter. Draining it in the fall is good, but you need to immediately refill it with fresh lube. Otherwise you risk letting letting rust get into the steel innards of your unit.[/size][/blue]

[blue][size 2]In the spring, most of your maintenance should be done (including wheel bearings). Just drain the old gas, put in fresh and some decarbonizer like Sea Foam, top off the batteries, and go. I've got a pretty comprehensive list of fall maintenance items, if anyone interested.[/size][/blue]

[wiperhunter2]

Dennis, I would like to get that list of things to do for fall maintenance. If you want you can E mail me or sent me a PM, thanks, WH2
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[neveronsunday]

[#ff0000]That's the upside for having a boat like mine. Spray some carb cleaner into the intake, tie the floating part on the roof and spend your time on the water instead of greasing wheel bearings! [/#ff0000]
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[DennisW]

[#0000ff][size 2]Open all storage compartments to the air.

Drain all livewells, bilges, etc.

Using compressed air, blow out all drains.

Leave plug out, and tilt so it drains toward the rear.

Take out batteries and store on wood in basement. Charge them a couple of times during the winter (with ventilation).
Take out electronics (those with LCD like fish-finder and GPS) and store indoors.

Take out tackle boxes, rods, etc., so you can endlessly sort and fondle them all winter long.

Change lube in lower unit.

Put stabilizer in remaining fuel, and run engine long enough (in the water) to get stabilized fuel up into carbs.

Run fogging oil into engine.

Disconnect fuel line from engine.

Pull all plugs, squirt fogging oil into cylinders, hand-rotate motor a few turns.

Lower outboard to vertical position so water drains from around prop, etc. Leave it vertical.

Even if you have a canvas cover, "tent" one of those cheap plastic tarps over the whole rig so it sheds snow. (But don't try to make it airtight.. you want it to breathe to avoid mildew, etc.)[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 2]Release the pressure on bow and stern tie downs to relieve stress on the hull while it’s stored for long periods.

Put the trailer up on blocks (optional). Those cold winters coupled with the boat not moving for months can result in flat spots on the trailer tires. You only need to get the weight off the tires.

Repack the trailer bearings, change the lower unit lube, and the rest of the minor jobs before it gets too cold to work on them. With the on-board charging system, I don't pull the batteries. Also, completely fill or empty all gas tanks.[/size][/#0000ff]

[Hellsangler69]

Thanks Dennis and all , I'm a rookie at boats , I'll copy this and save for future reference . I got me a old boat (2 stroke) to learn on before I get what I want . If I every can save for it . Looks like I should get me a new truck first . tight lines
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[wiperhunter2]

Thanks Dennis, looks like a lot of good info. WH2
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[IceFishingGod]

Heres my checklist:

Drain all the gas from the auger and sleds and remove and clean the plugs, next use a rust preventive all over and in the cylinders, I use Breakfree.

Put the sleds up and treat the tracks with a preservititve, oil all the rollers with a silicon based spray. Don't leave them on the trailer or concrete since the moisture will rot the tracks and and the wood will absorb all the rust inhibitor. I use wood blocks under the back end and put the skis on plastic sheeting.

Clean all the dead wax and meal worms out of the bottom of the pull behinds, collect all the left over jig heads, splitshot, jig bodies, ect..put them back in the tackle box.

Check on Llama prices to see if you can afford them yet. My house will be ready in May, you can keep them there. I have a 3 horse slant and will even haul them over for you.

Buy a fly rod and a book on insects so I know what the hell you guys will be talking about come April. I have waders but they are covered with a layer of really thick grey Salt Lake mud. Are they O.K. or do I have to buy a pair of $600.00 Dave Scadden signature series?

Buy a boat so I have something intelligent to add to this forum next year instead of just posting something in an attempt to get to 100 before ice fishing ends.

IFG

[walleyebob]

Gosh guys, heres my list of how to winterize your boat. Use it every weekend and don't worry about it. Thats pretty much it.
During the really cold months, I tilt my motor down after pulling it out of the water. Let it drain, and then hit the start switch. Don't want to start it, just turn it over. I also tilt it down in the driveway at home. I built a PVC frame that goes in the boat before I cover it. Makes a nice peak all the way down the center, so rain and snow sheds off and doesn't build up and sag in the middle.
Ckeck the lower unit oil every other trip, grease the bearing buddies every other trip. When you put the boat back in the water, fiddle around with your tackle or use the electric for fifteen minutes or so. That gives the water pump time to thaw under water. Fire it up, make sure the pump works and off you go.
Only had one weekend I didn't launch this winter, and that was because of some slight hull damage.

O.K., thats my winterizing tips.

walleyebob
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[Hellsangler69]

I look forward to the discussion of ephemeroptera and their incomplete metamorphosis . I'm kinda closet fly fisherman . Maybe I could join you over a cup of tea . I think if you go with a pair of Simms waders about 300 each they won't know you are a rookie ( get me a pair too ). Definitely get you're fly reel gold plated before you hit the Provo or Green . Oh yes , I have had some success on my meally worms breeding during the summer .Should I put them in a larger container so they have room to run around ? and will power bait be good for a food source so they are scented for next year ice fishing ? they always are small , maybe the power bait will boost there size Too .May be I should spray them with WD-40 ? LOL
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[IceFishingGod]

So the Snoopy fly rod I just bought wont work? So, I guess the extra large trash bags over sweat pants are out too? Man is this fly fishing thing going to be expensive.

IFG

[Teroy]

Please Bob, enlighten us on your "slight" hull damage. []
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[walleyebob]

Hey Teroy, I had a little run-in with the rocks at the second warm spring, down here at Lincoln beach.[crazy] The wind whipped my boat so hard it threw my trolling motor in the water and proceeded to bash me into the rocks. When I got home, I could lay under my boat and look at my fuel tank. Took 1 1/2 cans of gell and two sheets of cloth to repair. And seven days running a blow drier 24 hours to fix.One break was 52" long. Got good at fiberglass repair. And didn't leak a drop for a while. I just noticed last weekend, I have another hole in my boat. Probably from breaking ice at Jordanelle. Oh well, as long as the bilge pumps can keep up, I'll fix it when there's enough damage to get out the fiberglass kit. Maybe after this weekend.
Going to fish Lincoln beach Friday and Saturday. Deer Creek on Sunday.

walleyebob
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