Boat Haulout fixing her up for winter season ahead

[demco99]

Hey Guys,

Lucked out and got myself a permanent slip for the winter, so won't be storing on a trailer this winter and instead will be fishing/prawning right through the chilly months. Planning on hauling her out this weekend before making the move to the new permanent slip..

Few questions

1-When running the other day it seems the trim gauge "slipped", doesn't read anymore just sits at the bottom however the trim works fine. Worth fixing? How would I go about it?

2-Bottom Paint, Will just pressure washing her at the lift be good enough before slapping on a new coat of anti-fouling pain?

3- Trim Tab fluid - Don't know when the last time this stuff was changed as I just bought the boat last spring, it says on there to just use automatic transmission fluid. Hardly use them anyhow, I guess just oump the old stuff out and top her up?

4-Hydraulic steering fluid- Noticed theres a cap on the base of the steering wheel that can be removed to change this fluid. How often should this be done? What kind of fluid do I use?

Will be doing a few other small tasks such as changing the engine oil and applying my BC#'s, anything else I should take a look at while she's high and dry?

Any precautions I should take when it's cold and wet this winter and she's not getting as much use as the summer season(probably only once per week).

Thanks lads

 

[TenMile]

My thoughts:

1. Depends on the engine -- I/O or OB. On a Mercruiser I/O there is a sender unit. Major pain to replace however, it can be cleaned with WD-40 and reassembled easy enough. Personally if you had to change the sender, I'd wait until your next major gimble service as you have to remove the bellows to run the wire on the I/O. Just run it by feel.

2. Also depends on the type of bottom paint you used last time. If you use an Ablative paint like Interlux, a good cleaning of the old stuff is all that is required before recoat -- I find and it will last a couple of years. If you didn't or don't know -- blast, strip, sand, prime and paint my friend.

3. Trim tab fluid never needs changing.

4. Steering fluid doesn't need frequent changing either unless it's contaminated.

Other stuff:
- Anodes
- Check all thru-hull fittings for corrosion or cracking -- good time to grease the valves when the boat is out of the water.
- Check all bolts and structural connections for tightness and corrosion
- Fix any gouges/scratches at/below waterline
- WAX WAX WAX -- I've been lazy lately and have been using New Finish rather than a cut polish and it works well if the hull isn't oxidized

 

[demco99]

Thanks for the input.

How do fix gouges? Got a decent one when someone collided with me while trolling. Need to replace the anchor roller as it completely buckled as well as dig into the fiberglass at the bow a bit. Never done any kind of fiberglass repair.

The paint was ablative so I should be good to go with just a fresh coat after a pressure wash.

Good to know the trim tab and steering fluid don't need replacing.

The trim gauge issue is for a 200 4 stroke suzuki outboard so I guess that would change the repair. Not a big issue as I can tell more by feel and sound how she's riding when trimmed rather than looking at the gauge.

 

[TenMile]

For gouges best thing I've found is the 2-part epoxy putty. Works like play-doh. If the gouge is small enough, and hull is White you can match the colour pretty closely. Dries pretty quick for sanding and painting.

 

[Hookin'up]

Hey Demco, I'm doing the exact same thing as I just got a permanent slip as well,
as long as the bottom is pressure washed and clean you should be able to just re-coat at least thats what I was told by marine systems at the creek marina.
which marina are you at by the way, soundslike we may run into each other prawning this winter
Tim

 

[demco99]

I'll be at RVYC Jericho, somehow slipped my way through the 5 year 'seniority' waiting list! was at burrard civic all summer.. we should link up and drop the prawn traps together then fish winter springs. It can get lonely out there at Tunstall Bay when you're the only boat fishing on a brisk December morning!

One other question - the depth counter on one of my downriggers seems to be slipping. Hasn't been a problem for this cap fishery as I just have been dropping the ball to the bottom and bringing it up a few feet. Is there an easy fix to this or do I need to get it serviced by Scotty?

 

[Jockey]

Demco my trim guage went on my yamaha 4 stroke earlier this year - at least I thought it did.

It turned out all it is is a little spring loaded plastic part that moves up and down when the motor is trimmed. I cleaned and lubed the moving part and it was back to good as new.

With your boat out of the water tilt the motor up and look under there. You might find a little peice you can move back and forth. On the yamaha it was a black plastic ring on the left side. Wiggle the part and watch your trim guage, if it is moving when you move the peice you have found the right part. Lube that up and you will probably fix the problem.

 

[scott craven]

One other question - the depth counter on one of my downriggers seems to be slipping. Hasn't been a problem for this cap fishery as I just have been dropping the ball to the bottom and bringing it up a few feet. Is there an easy fix to this or do I need to get it serviced by Scotty?

Scotty will give you a new counter, just send them the old one or drop it at a Scotty dealer.
last time the fellow there even gave us a spare.

 

[Hookin'up]

I'll be at RVYC Jericho, somehow slipped my way through the 5 year 'seniority' waiting list! was at burrard civic all summer.. we should link up and drop the prawn traps together then fish winter springs. It can get lonely out there at Tunstall Bay when you're the only boat fishing on a brisk December morning!?

sounds good, I'm a prawn virgin so i have lots to learn, got a call today from the top shop and may not have the boat back for the weekend, then I have a few things to do as well,
hope theres still a bunch of springs hanging around for me.,
I'll do some research and see what I need for prawn gear and get it together in the next couple weeks or so,

 

[Sculpin]

sounds good, I'm a prawn virgin so i have lots to learn, got a call today from the top shop and may not have the boat back for the weekend, then I have a few things to do as well,
hope theres still a bunch of springs hanging around for me.,
I'll do some research and see what I need for prawn gear and get it together in the next couple weeks or so,

Good luck gidyup and go get em. Tasty little bugs they are.

 

[demco99]

Definitley! They may be my favorite thing to eat out of the ocean around here, apart from Manilla clams - I don't think we can safely harvest those anywhere around here though unfortunately.

 

[TheBigGuy]

If you have a cuddy/below deck cabin buy an electric RV\Marine passive heater for the wet winter months. You don't want the interior to get moldy\mildewy. Failing that, take all cushions or other items you don't want damp home for the winter. For an I\O motor you might want to place a heat lamp directed at the engine block in the motor well when the temperature goes below zero.

That's what I used to do when moored for the winter.