• Drain your fresh water tanks, including the hot water heater and winterize with non-toxic antifreeze (AKA Pink Stuff). Winterize all other plumbing including fresh and salt water pumps and drains, air conditioning, refrigeration, ice makers, including all water-using appliances, wash down pumps, toilets, filters and holding tanks.
• Change your engine oil and filter(s), lube and gear oil. Run and fog your gas engine per the manufacturers instructions. Drain all water from your engine. Winterize the cooling systems with Pink Stuff. Check all belts and hoses, steering and trim gear. Lubricate shift and throttle cables and linkage.
• If your boat is stored on land, remove the batteries, check the water levels, bring to full charge with a small portable trickle charger and store in dry place.  If you are in a boatyard and can plug in the boat for a day during the winter, batteries can be left on board with the charger ready to go. Just remember to charge them once a month or so and unplug the boat before you go home.
• Top off fuel tanks to minimize fuel contamination with water from condensation. Add stabilizer if you don't use ValvTect fuel to prevent ethanol separation and potential gum up in gasoline engines and to prevent algae in diesel engines.
• Remove, inventory, and store electronics that are not cabinet installed in a warm, dry place. Spray all exposed electrical terminals and junction blocks with a protective coating.
• Inspect and store sails, canvas, bimini tops, dodgers, vinyl curtains and cushions.
• Often the installation of moisture absorbing units and air treatments will help prevent the formation of mold and mildew while the boat is closed up for the winter. Try Kanberra, a blend of tea tree oil and natural ingredients which will neutralize and eliminate mold problems and associated odors.

Fill the Tank or Empty the Tank? 

Fuel additives can usually maintain and stabilize fuel for about one year. If you started the season with some fuel, used the boat infrequently, then added some new fuel, there is still a good portion of old fuel in the tank. Ethanol (added to fuel sold in theUnited States to comply with federal  EPA standards) in the fuel can draw water from the atmosphere and from condensation on the walls of the tank. It also acts like a solvent on plastic parts, hoses and gaskets. Additionally, it's sulfate salts can corrode metals in the fuel system, fuel injectors, carburetors, intake valves, intake ports and combustion chambers.     

When ethanol bonds to moisture, it separates from fuel and drops to the bottom of a tank. This is called "phase separation" and it causes two problems...  1: Because ethanol boosts fuel octane by about two points, when it drops out, it leaves fuel that is below the recommended octane for your engine. This results in hard starts, poor acceleration and loss of power. 2: It can actually create a situation where your engine is forced to run on water....not good !

So, use as much of your existing fuel as possible and then fill the tank for the winter. Using ValvTect fuel from the Cove Fuel Dock or Rex fuel station, which includes blended ValvTect fuel stabilizers, will maintain the fuel for up to one year. Alternatively you can add gas stabilizers and for diesel, a biocide to prevent bacteria, fungus and algae from growing.

Doesn't that give you a great excuse to go boating this weekend ?

Think We Make a Big Deal About Pumpkins?

The Pumpkin Boat Race at the Ludwigsburg Germany Pumpkin Festival has people racing each other in hollowed out pumpkins across Ludwigsburg Lake.

Known as the biggest pumpkin related event in the world, the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival draws in pumpkin enthusiasts from all around the globe. Every year they travel to the small German town to see over 500,000 pumpkins, from 450 different varieties, arranged in all kinds of different shapes, from animals to abstract sculptures.

One of the most eagerly awaited events of the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival is the pumpkin boat race. Giant pumpkins (some of them over 90 kg) are hollowed out and launched onto Ludwigsburg Lake, and contestants paddle their way to the finish line cheered on by crowds of onlookers.

For Pictures and videos... Click  HERE