COVER whole boat or just 2/3 ?

[pequa1]

I have been covering my whole boat with an 11/22 HFT blue tarp over a DIY frame of PVC and scrap wood for years. The outdrive and prop were always exposed, not the hoses and cable, but no problems to date except for the frame collapsing once or twice. (Since I can crawl in over the winter, so can the occasional cat, but they evidently do not like moth balls.) I would like to just keep the shorter cover that I am using now, which of course still exposes the outboard but would allow easier access to "exercise" the steering over the winter. However being shorter it will expose the fuel line, fuel filter, cables as well as the aft hatches which now get rain but no snow. I could always build a small shelter over that area anyway. Dumb idea? Its a 1999 DC180 Sea Pro. Does anyone leave the outboard and the fuel line/cables exposed in the winter ?

 

[Fluke Whisperer]

I have been covering my whole boat with an 11/22 HFT blue tarp over a DIY frame of PVC and scrap wood for years. The outdrive and prop were always exposed, not the hoses and cable, but no problems to date except for the frame collapsing once or twice. (Since I can crawl in over the winter, so can the occasional cat, but they evidently do not like moth balls.) I would like to just keep the shorter cover that I am using now, which of course still exposes the outboard but would allow easier access to "exercise" the steering over the winter. However being shorter it will expose the fuel line, fuel filter, cables as well as the aft hatches which now get rain but no snow. I could always build a small shelter over that area anyway. Dumb idea? Its a 1999 DC180 Sea Pro. Does anyone leave the outboard and the fuel line/cables exposed in the winter ?

I cover everything, I even leave the batts in, disconnected of course, where they sit it's insulated. I use to take them out and put them in my garage until I realized that my garage was colder than the batts being in their insulated box in the boat.

 

[BoatGuy]

I cover everything. I do take the battery out and trickle charge from time to time over the winter. I grease the cables well with 2-4-C. I use a 20X30 tarp for my 17 footer.

 

[pequa1]

Yet all late April to late October if not longer most of us have the outboard, steering and fuel lines exposed to the elements. Are the colder five months that much harder on that stuff ? ( I also remove the battery and trickle charge it every few weeks and also climb in under the cover and frame to hit the tilt tube with some Kroil and exercise the steering.) I was just hoping I could get away with this shorter cover.

 

[Fluke Whisperer]

Yet all late April to late October if not longer most of us have the outboard, steering and fuel lines exposed to the elements. Are the colder five months that much harder on that stuff ? ( I also remove the battery and trickle charge it every few weeks and also climb in under the cover and frame to hit the tilt tube with some Kroil and exercise the steering.) I was just hoping I could get away with this shorter cover.

Outboard Expert: Five Lay-Up Mistakes to Avoid - boats.com

When you winterize your outboard motor, you'll be happy to avoid making these common errors.

www.boats.com

I guess I will be doing things different lol.

 

[pequa1]

Thanks FW- I always allowed room at the stern to crawl in and exercise the steering so the motor was never put in a condom. I also religiously removed the battery and trickle charged it. I skipped changing the gear oil once when I used the boat just three times, but even though I only used it twice this year (I kayak) I will change it anyway by next month.
Interesting about leaving the motor tilted down, although I always did that too since I run it while topping off, adding startron and stabil. Still wondering if the cables and hoses to the motor would be harmed by not covering them from snow. (If it ever snows again.

 

[pequa1]

this is the short cover, stretching from the bow to just aft of the cockpit seats. I would be removing the transom seat, under which are the fuel line, fuel filter, steering cable etc. What if I just add another small tarp and cover or even "cocoon" them ? If we ever get a big snow again it would be quite easy to shovel this out, much as I do with my pickup truck. As mentioned above the outboard should be left "out" anyway.
I hasten to add that the storage on this little boat is phenomenal. In view are two small hatches, the port livewell and an equally large starboard hatch. Cockpit console cabinet doors, two glove compartments, a large bow hatch and another smaller one, plus the anchor hatch. Ten rodholders plus three I added forward.
It sold us in 1999 !

 

[Fluke Whisperer]

View attachment 25804
this is the short cover, stretching from the bow to just aft of the cockpit seats. I would be removing the transom seat, under which are the fuel line, fuel filter, steering cable etc. What if I just add another small tarp and cover or even "cocoon" them ? If we ever get a big snow again it would be quite easy to shovel this out, much as I do with my pickup truck. As mentioned above the outboard should be left "out" anyway.
I hasten to add that the storage on this little boat is phenomenal. In view are two small hatches, the port livewell and an equally large starboard hatch. Cockpit console cabinet doors, two glove compartments, a large bow hatch and another smaller one, plus the anchor hatch. Ten rodholders plus three I added forward.
It sold us in 1999 !

I can't find any info about not covering the hoses, I see plenty of outboards left in the water during the winter and they are not covered, to be honest, all your doing is keeping the wet rain and snow off of them, the cold is still going to be there.
I would be more worried about ice forming in small pockets in the boat then the hoses being damaged, the reason why I cover everything up.

 

[Old Mud]

I 'm with the cover it all group. Guess i just look at it like covering half or 2/3ds would be like shoveling 1/2 of your driveway. The sun alone will do more damage than the snow.

 

[Loonzter]

I surprised no one seems concerned about the damage frozen water can do? How often during the winter does snow melt during the day and re-freeze at night. My concern is the expansion and contraction from ice on spider cracks in the gelcoat, fittings, hatch covers, there are so many things. Not covering the boat totally would bother the heck out of me every time I saw it covered with snow. Just saying

 

[pequa1]

I covered it all after all. My sea pro has a plethora of hatches and finally thought the same thing

 

[Fluke Whisperer]

Covered mine today, completely covered, I covered but not sealed the engine so it can breathe, I use to seal it up tight.
Now the moisture inside will be a lot less.
I'm hoping for a mild winter, no snow would ok in my book.

 

[pequa1]

I climb in through the stern opening all winter to exercise the teleflex. Never did switch to hydraulic lol. Moisture has never bee n an issue

 

[live bait]

Asked & answered. John

 

[BoatGuy]

I think people also cover the boat completely to protect the gel coat. UV rays will degrade your finish. So with the wind blowing sand. It just seems like it makes sense to protect the entire boat.

 

[Fluke Whisperer]

Asked & answered. John

Your covering of the engine will cause the inside to sweat, during the day, it gets really hot when the sun beats down on the motor, I use to do the same thing, now my engine has a lot more corrosion because it, I couldn't understand where the corrosion was coming from because my engine cover is pretty water tight, I Stopped when I read about it in this article . Outboard Expert: Five Lay-Up Mistakes to Avoid - boats.com

 

[pequa1]

I have always allowed the stern end of the cover to be opened all winter long so I could climb in and exercise the steering. Had to have the damn teleflex steering cable replaced a couple of times, an expensive repair on my little 99 Sea Pro dual console 180 as the motor has to be pulled for the repair. Used to try to lube it with an added on fitting then a fellow shooter and National Grid guy replaced my tilt tube motor a few years back and put me onto Aero Kroil, which is a really good lubricant, far superior to WD-40 which just displaces water and does little else. I can walk behind my boat in the driveway all winter long and without even untying the tarp, easily see in all the way to the bow, probably why I have never experienced any corrosion in my Yamaha C-90.

As for covering to protect the gel coat, the winter sun is so weak I think any damage to it, unlikely as I polish a couple times a season, occurs in June and July. For over 20 years old, except for dings from docks and drifting into a buoy or two, its still in pretty good shape. What is funny the port side registration sticker, facing the south, fades out in less than two seasons, while the starboard remains pristine.

 

[DarthBaiter]

I cover everthing because I put it under a huge cypress tree that sheds needles like crazy. That stuff get into everything.

Anyway, more cover the better, mine only barely covers the hull and I see the damage the UV does to my 20 year old black gelcoat every spring, and need to whip out my orbital and Aqua Buff for the new season.

 

[pequa1]

My "covering the whole boat" HFT tarp is letting in rain, but not snow or tree debris, so I guess its time for another one if I keep the boat past next summer. I have climbed in every 2 weeks to spray on some Aerokroil and exercise the teleflex and while I am doing that I hook up the battery to a trickle charger.

 

[Old Mud]

FWIW Kroil is the best you can get out of a rattle can. Pricey but good. That being said the best penetrating oil is home made. 50% Acetone and 50% ATF. There is science to support this but i can't find it off hand right now. But i can attest to it after having used it for 9 or 10 years.

I forgot the actual figures but im thinking at least 4 times better.