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Do I need to winterize my Malibu, if I store the boat in a garage that is heated 24/7


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I have my boat in Wisconsin, where it of course gets very cold. I have a new option of storing my boat at a friend's multi-unit garage. The garage is heated 24/7. So, do I still really need to winterize my boat if it is stored in a climate that will alway be at least above 50 degrees?

Edited by sarasetp
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Can you guarentee that it will be heated 24/7 all winter? If so, then no, you don't need to winterize it. We don't have back up power & heat around here. So that kind of gamble may or may not pay off. And it would be all to expensive for me to buy a new engine if it didn't. :Doh:

I don't think I'd be able to sleep all winter either.

Although it is a good idea to change the impeller, oil, filter & treat the gas.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Your really only talking about skipping the Flush step, the rest should be followed...

I personally would just take the extra 10 mins and flush the thing, its cheap insurance. At least for me, its 20 below for a month here, wouldnt take long to crack the block.

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I kept my boat unwinterized in my garage last winter with no heat. I had a thermometer next to the boat which I watched daily. Never got below 40 even when it was in the teens outside and I was prepared to put a heater in the boat if it did. I would recommend draining the water out of the block and heater though.

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I store the boat in my heated garage in Wisconsin, its next to the house and its checked every day. I still drain the engine, but I don't drain the heater or ballast. I don't like that lake water sitting in the engine, and in the rare case of heater failure I may only need to repair only the ballast and heater, much better then a engine block.

Fuel treatment is a must!

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It gets pretty cold where I'm at too,we lose power alot but usually only for a few hours.

I store it in a heated garage, and only treat the gas and drain the exhaust/blocks. I always do an impeller and oil change every year though.

I think i'd have to be out of power for at least 30hrs to change the ambient heating to well below freezing....and that's never happened in my life time.

You never know when you might get a crazy warm winter day, after all..gota use the dry suit every cuople years to pay it off.

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Winterization is by far the most important service for your boat, preparing it for winter inactivity and freeze damage.

Don't just park it in the garage.

-Paul

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Winterization is by far the most important service for your boat, preparing it for winter inactivity and freeze damage.

Don't just park it in the garage.

-Paul

:plus1:

Also remove the impeller. Don't want that thing getting that flat spot in it from sitting all winter.

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You can tell fall is nearly here by the arrival of the annual winterization threads. Should I winterize or not.....Should I fog the engine or not.....Should I add antifreeze or not...? The leaves will be starting to change any time now.

:cry:

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I will probably drain the engine, heater & shower on my Vride at least 20 times over the course of the fall, winter & spring. I have an on-board bilge heater & battery charger installed in the boat. The whole process of draining everything, plugging things in & covering the boat takes me about 15 or 20 minutes. I don't understand why anyone would not take the time to get this done.

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I will probably drain the engine, heater & shower on my Vride at least 20 times over the course of the fall, winter & spring. I have an on-board bilge heater & battery charger installed in the boat. The whole process of draining everything, plugging things in & covering the boat takes me about 15 or 20 minutes. I don't understand why anyone would not take the time to get this done.

do you not worry about the ballast?

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do you not worry about the ballast?

I cycle the pumps till they don't have anything left & let'em be. The design of the pumps on my boat is such that there is no way for water to really sit in there & freeze. The only way it could happen is if the water was in the hose next to the pump.

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