Winterize dinghy gas outboard in Seattle / PNW ?

[SJI Sailor]

Like many others in the PNW, we enjoy winter boating and kept our former C30 in the water year round. Winterization (in brief) was simply to drain the water system and set up low temperature heaters and a dehumidifier. It was fast to fill her with water and head out anytime we wanted.

As for the dinghy, we always had an electric outboard. It stored inside and didn't need any winterization. For the next boat, we're considering a gas outboard that would stay outside and need to be winterized.

So my question is: how much of a pain is it to winterize a gas dinghy engine in the PNW? It would be unpleasant to do the whole routine of engine fogging, etc., every time we take the boat out in the winter.

It inclines me to get another electric outboard ... but thought I'd ask first. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience!

 

[dbsea]

I have an 8hp Yamaha two stroke on my C30 dinghy, and we don’t winterize it. We also use it year round, but even if I’m not on the boat for 4 weeks, it’s never cold enough to have any negative impact. The thing is a tank and just keeps on running…

 

[Rebel112r]

If it is carbureated
you should run it with fuel off till it quits, but preferably drain gas from bowl. Treating fuel with additive helps. Leaving fuel in bowl over the winter is not a good idea. The jets in those engines are so small it takes takes almost nothing to plug them up.

 

[SJI Sailor]

Thanks, all! This would be a 4 stroke Yamaha 15hp (probably), with electric start and not carbureted, and very similar to Dave's use case.

Sounds like maybe just covering it will be enough.

I've wondered whether there might be some kind of shore powered heater wand, to place inside a cover for the rare extra-cold days. (It's very difficult to Google such things.) Maybe that is just my imagination getting away.

 

[Cutwater28GG]

If it’s the 2.5suzuki. You must run it dry and drain the bowl. The stupid epa rules mean there is a hidden / sealed vents that are easy to clog.

 

[watson1987]

I've been happy with my 5hp Tohatsu propane so far this year. One of the reasons I got it was I don't have to deal with winterizing as propane doesn't go bad and doesn't sit in the lines. I have 2.5hp Yamaha before this.

If you're thinking about a new engine, and you have longer cruises where electric doesn't make sense to recharge, it's a good consideration.

 

[Morelords]

We have the 4-stroke Yamaha 6hp outboard on our dinghy and have gone through the last two winters (each with arctic freezes down to the low double-digits, and even a night of high single-digits), haven't winterized it, and we've had no issues at all. It is mounted at the back of the cockpit on our R29 and our cockpit is fully enclosed; only the bottom end of the outboard is exposed to the elements. However, we don't heat our cockpit, so it's exposed to ambient temps. I probably should be adding a fuel stabilizer though...time to break out the operations manual!

 

[SJI Sailor]

Thanks again for the comments. After more reading and thought, here are my conclusions. (These are not recommendations to anyone else, just a reflection of where I've landed!)

1. Automobiles work fine all winter in the PNW, so we don't need to worry too much about outboard engines.

2. The main risk comes from cooling water that doesn't drain. Drain the outboard well, including lifting it vertically as much as possible (not just tilted) to drain completely. A vertical mount and/or hoist can help.

3. There are silicone engine heating pads and magnetic engine heaters that could be used under a cover. But I would worry tremendously about any cheap electric device, especially out in the elements, that is next to an engine holding gasoline.

4. When extremely cold, one might put it in the cockpit, if it's enclosed or covered to gain some warmth. (OTOH, now there is gasoline on board.)

5. No one has shared stories of having a problem in the PNW, but several have said they have NO problem.

So I've decided not to worry so much 🙂 I would still consider electric again for all the usual reasons but this reassures me about the winterization issue, at least. Cheers!

 

[BB marine]

The hazards of keeping a water cooled outboard outside during winter elements. None, if stored properly.
The outboard cooling system drains as soon as there is no water pressure from the water pump. ( engine shuts off) To insure full draining make sure the engine is stored in the vertical position. If I run an outboard during cold ambient temperatures I will let it drain vertically then full tilt then back to Vertical. This helps drain small amounts of water that may be sitting in pockets in the water jacket. If the engine is used in salt water and is not going to be used for a while I always give it a flush with fresh water. Most newer portable outboards have a easy install flush devise with a garden hose. No need to run the engine when flushing newer outboards with this adapter. This step is not necessary for winterizing it is a good step to do year round if the motor is going to be sitting for a while. Fuel stabile, There are many brands out there. Most outboard manufactures sell their brand , plus Stabile and Sea Foam are good products that help preserve the fuel, preventing additive evaporation and maintaining fuel stability. When storing a 4 stroke carbureted outboard it is not a bad idea to disconnect the fuel line or turn the fuel valve off if applicable to the specific model engine.Then run the engine to drain the fuel bowl. This helps in two way when storing the motor. It removes fuel from the bowl reducing the chance of fuel break down in the carburetor bowl and reduces the chance of fuel spilling out of the Carborator in the event the motor is tilted up or laid down. This is especially important if storing the motor in an enclosed cockpit. The final step I do when storing an outboard in cold ambient temperatures is inspect the lower unit lube for water. You don't need to do this each time it is used. It is a good Idea to do this in the fall of the year if you plan on using the engine or not during the winter. Gear lube replacement should be done once a year. If you do it in the fall this insures that during cold winter months gear housing freeze damage will not happen in the event the Lower unit seals failed and allowed water to enter the gear case. It is a good preventive measure to check for water and replace gear lube each year. The engine oil in theses engines normally is a multi viscosity blend so operation of the engine in cooler temperatures is not an issue. I doubt anyone will be using the dingy when it is that cold anyway.

 

[SJI Sailor]

As always, fantastic knowledge and advice, Brian! Good point about the stabilizer additives, I forgot to include those. And excellent comments about the seasonal maintenance. Thank you!

 

[glider4]

Just completed winterizing our 2.5 hp Suzuki dinghy motor. The motor is on its mounting bracket on the transom.
I do pretty much all that Brian recommended with one exception. The fuel tank on the motor was almost full (total capacity is 1/4 gallon) so rather than drain the fuel out or run the motor for 45 minutes, I just added fuel stabilizer, ran it for 2 minutes then filled the tank to full.
That’s standard practice for aircraft fuel tanks during the winter. With no air in the tank you don’t get as much, if any, water condensation like you might experience with an empty fuel tank. Yes, this means there’s stabilized fuel in the Suzuki’s carburetor over the winter just as there is in the carburetor of an aircraft engine.
I don’t think either option (empty tank or full tank) is the perfect solution. They both have their trade-offs. Just suggesting winterization with a full fuel tank is another option to consider.

PS: If you’re really worried about leaving fuel in the carburetor over the winter you can always shut the fuel line off and run the engine until it runs through the remaining fuel.