Leaving boat in storage for the summer- advice?

[Bayrat]

We are planning on leaving our 28' I/O cruiser in the pole barn for the summer due to another project that is overwhelming our time and budget. Boo! Anyway, this boat was professionally winterized, put away with 1/2-3/4 tank gas and stabilizer added. She is stored indoors. I am very concerned about the gas sitting in the tank for a year, among other things. Any suggestions about what we should do to ensure a trouble-free launch NEXT spring? Thanks in advance for the advice!

[BullGator]

If the gas came from a marina, you should be ok for a year......but if it was from an automotive filling station, it will go sour within 6-8 months.

You should use a 12 volt electric fuel pump and pump it out into your car, lawnmower, my boat....etc. .....I have 120 gallons sitting in a boat that I though would be laid up for only a year. Its been 3. Now, it isn't good for anything, and what do you do with it then...... Life tends to get in the way of even the best laid plans!

Other than that, if you keep it inside everything should be just fine.

[Bayrat]

Thanks, that was what I was afraid of. Gas was from an automotive station, def. has the ethanol, so I guess I'll have to get it out of there. It's a super nice boat, and I want to keep it that way. Thanks for the reply.

[NitroMusky]

You need to consider the gas in the lines/carb, not just in the tank. Once you pump the tank dry I wonder whether you'd be better off running the motor dry too or if that would have ill effects on the seals etc.(Maybe hook up to a portable tank that has ethanol free gas / stabil mix and run that into the motor?).

I'm sure someone else with more detailed knowledge on the subject will chime in on that.

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[rolmops]

Dump a can of a stabilizer called "Seafoam" in it, that will seriously extend the fuel life time expectancy.Seafoam will create a one molecule thick layer of insulating material that prevents the gas from reacting to the outside air. Also it is important to either have the tank full or empty, anything in between will leave room for condensation of water into the bottom of your tank and reacting to the ethanol.

If you intend to pump the gas out,make sure everything is grounded out and of equal electric charge. Static electricity is enough to create a spark and disaster. Heck I would not come near this process with an electric pump.

[Knotlost]

Believe it or not but drain the gas run the motor dry then put Transmission fluid threw the lines from the fuel pump and fill the carb with it. If you really want to preserve everything this will do it. Its a pain when you start it up again as you will need to drain out the carb and that means possably taking it off, but it will be in perfect shape when you do. All your seals and orings will be as good as you left them.

I know of guys who winteriz the boats this way every year and although I think its extreem they never have a problem with varnish, rust, corrosion, or dry rot.

The worst dammage it can cause is fouling your plugs if you dont drain it perfect so not a big deal. One guy just starts turning it over and dumps all the training fluid into the cylinders and when it all out and gas is comming through the carb he changes the plugs and starts it! It smokes like crazy and cleans the valves and exhaust out like new each time, and the boat has run good for 5 years of this treatment so far.

I know this is perfect for long term storage.

[jimski2]

At least occasionally, crank the boat over to prevent engine seizure, belts hardening, get oil to the bearings, etc. I have used gas over 5 years old in my lawn tractor and lawnmowers, stinks but there is no catalytic converter to screw up.

[Has Been]

Left mine in the barn for 5 years w/ half a tank . Took it out, drained the gas , ran that 25 gals in my truck & mower. Filled w/ 5 gals fresh & a $12 bottle of red stabil, pulled plugs ,changed & sprayed in some fogging oil in cyls,hit it w/ a shot of starting fluid, let it idle in my driveway w/ the muffs for about an hr. Runs better than ever.

[FLXTroutman]

this is a very interesting thread, wide range of advice, making a syphon with a long length of tubing from lowes or depot and removing the fuel is not a difficult prospect, just ask the guy who syphoned my truck gas at the boat launch while I was fishing.