Tips For Protecting Your Boat's Motor While In Long-Term Storage
If you are getting ready to put up your boat either for the season or because you will not be able to use it for a while, you may wonder what you can do to make sure that the motor stays in good condition so that you do not have any difficulty firing it up the next time you go boating. If so, use the following tips to help protect your boat's motor while it is in long-term storage.
1. Make Sure It Has a Full Tank of Gas
Before you put your boat in storage, you may think that emptying the gas tank is the right thing to do to keep the fuel lines clear. However, if you put up your boat with an empty tank, you may be subjecting it to corrosion. When a tank is empty, it tends to collect more moisture from condensation. And, while the tank is made to withstand gasoline, it is still made from metal that is vulnerable to rust. If moisture becomes trapped inside the empty tank, you may find rusty spots and holes in it when you go to start up your boat. Instead of leaving it empty, fill the tank up with gas before you put it in storage. The gasoline will help reduce condensation and protect the tank's metal from corrosion.
2. Change the Oil in the Motor
Another thing you can do to protect your boat's motor is to change the oil before putting it in storage. If you have been using the same oil for part or most of the boating season, it most likely has contaminants mixed in with it, such as particulates, dirt, and even droplets of water. If this dirty oil is left inside of your engine for months at a time without circulating, the contaminants will eventually eat away at the interior metal and cause corrosion. Depending on the extent of the damage caused by the dirty oil, you may either have to flush the engine before you use your boat, or you may have to replace it entirely.
To keep this from happening, replace the old oil with fresh just before you put the boat in storage. Do not forget to replace the oil filter as well because any dirt or particulates present in its fibers will recontaminate the fresh oil.
Using the above tips can help keep your boat motor free from damage until you want to use it again. For more information about preparing your boat, contact a facility that provides boat self-storage services.
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