Winterize Dilemma

You know the drill..

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swmpbgy1
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2017 8:06 am
Location: Smith Mountain Lake, VA

Winterize Dilemma

#1 Post by swmpbgy1 » Mon Sep 24, 2018 10:00 am

Good afternoon all...….

I have a 2017 Lowe SS210 with a Merc CT 90......When I put the boat away last winter, I had the 20 hour service completed with oil change and gear box oil change. Fast forward to today.....I have moved from West Virginia back to Virginia and have only maybe put an hour on the boat this season. I have a covered slip on Smith Mountain Lake and intend to use the boat well into November.....maybe another 5 hours of use at most. The slip has a lift and I will winter the boat there....My dilemma is....do I really need to change the gear box oil before winter hits????

Thanks...……
Swmpbgy1
Swmpbgy1..........
2017 Lowe SS210 RFL, 90HP Mercury Command Thrust
Smith Mountain Lake, VA

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steve1313
Posts: 679
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:33 am

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#2 Post by steve1313 » Mon Sep 24, 2018 11:01 am

No way! You'll be fine. And you'll probably find plenty of days into December and maybe early into the new year to get out on the lake! I love a nice winter day to get out on the lake. It's almost empty and it feels like I'm stealing a day!

Enjoy
Steve
"Serendipity" - 2017 Sweetwater 2286 WB Tritoon w/ 150HP Yamaha
Slipped at Lake Anna, Virginia
Primary Residence: Richmond, Virgina
Lake House: Lake Anna, Virginia

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Marc K
Posts: 742
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:35 am
Location: Eustace, TX

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#3 Post by Marc K » Mon Sep 24, 2018 11:19 am

steve1313 wrote:
Mon Sep 24, 2018 11:01 am
No way! You'll be fine. And you'll probably find plenty of days into December and maybe early into the new year to get out on the lake! I love a nice winter day to get out on the lake. It's almost empty and it feels like I'm stealing a day!

Enjoy
Agree! And I like the way that you put that......

Marc
Big and ugly but we love our 1999/2000 Crest II DL with a Yamaha F115

Bamaman
Posts: 3679
Joined: Fri May 06, 2011 1:44 pm
Location: NW Alabama--Tennessee River

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#4 Post by Bamaman » Mon Sep 24, 2018 11:37 am

+2--not needed.

Glad you're really taking care of your boat--keeping it out of the water.
'12 Bennington 24' SSLX Yamaha 150

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Coldbrew
Posts: 254
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 5:16 pm
Location: Bedford, NH

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#5 Post by Coldbrew » Mon Sep 24, 2018 3:10 pm

Just a little something from those of us in the colder climates: :fyou

:lol:
2014 Premier Gemini 201
Tow Vehicle: 2019 F-150
Home Port: Newfound Lake, NH

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Marc K
Posts: 742
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:35 am
Location: Eustace, TX

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#6 Post by Marc K » Tue Sep 25, 2018 6:01 am

:biggrin2 :lol3
Big and ugly but we love our 1999/2000 Crest II DL with a Yamaha F115

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smltooner
Posts: 2814
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 12:53 pm
Location: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#7 Post by smltooner » Tue Sep 25, 2018 3:02 pm

Welcome to the club, swmpbgy1, from another SML 'tooner.
SMLTOONER
Ted & Emily
2019 Bennington 21SL Tri-toon
2019 Yamaha 150 HP
Smith Mtn. Lake, Virginia

swmpbgy1
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2017 8:06 am
Location: Smith Mountain Lake, VA

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#8 Post by swmpbgy1 » Wed Sep 26, 2018 9:55 am

smltooner wrote:
Tue Sep 25, 2018 3:02 pm
Welcome to the club, swmpbgy1, from another SML 'tooner.
SML Tooner…...Thank you!! I've been away from SML for 20 years.....my wife and I are happy to be back.

Thank you all for the replies....I figured I would be good for this winter season, but wanted to hear from tooners more learned than I.....We will be on the water as conditions allow!! I love the marina we are in....Large slips and lifts.

Thanks again!!!!
Swmpbgy1
Swmpbgy1..........
2017 Lowe SS210 RFL, 90HP Mercury Command Thrust
Smith Mountain Lake, VA

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smltooner
Posts: 2814
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 12:53 pm
Location: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#9 Post by smltooner » Wed Sep 26, 2018 2:39 pm

swmpbgy1 wrote:
Wed Sep 26, 2018 9:55 am
smltooner wrote:
Tue Sep 25, 2018 3:02 pm
Welcome to the club, swmpbgy1, from another SML 'tooner.
SML Tooner…...Thank you!! I've been away from SML for 20 years.....my wife and I are happy to be back.

Thank you all for the replies....I figured I would be good for this winter season, but wanted to hear from tooners more learned than I.....We will be on the water as conditions allow!! I love the marina we are in....Large slips and lifts.

Thanks again!!!!
Swmpbgy1
SML has changed a lot in the last 20 yrs.
Which marina are you using?
SMLTOONER
Ted & Emily
2019 Bennington 21SL Tri-toon
2019 Yamaha 150 HP
Smith Mtn. Lake, Virginia

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ROLAND
Posts: 4248
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2009 4:29 am

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#10 Post by ROLAND » Thu Sep 27, 2018 12:18 am

swmpbgy1 wrote:
Mon Sep 24, 2018 10:00 am
.do I really need to change the gear box oil before winter hits????

Thanks...……
Swmpbgy1
Absolutely not.... you'll be fine...
Roland & Jo
2010 Bennington 20 Sfi
Yamaha 75 4 Stroke
Shreveport, Louisiana

swmpbgy1
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2017 8:06 am
Location: Smith Mountain Lake, VA

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#11 Post by swmpbgy1 » Thu Sep 27, 2018 7:29 am

[[/quote]
SML has changed a lot in the last 20 yrs.
Which marina are you using?
[/quote]

SMLT...…..

We are at WaterWheel……...you?

Swmpbgy1
Swmpbgy1..........
2017 Lowe SS210 RFL, 90HP Mercury Command Thrust
Smith Mountain Lake, VA

User avatar
smltooner
Posts: 2814
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 12:53 pm
Location: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#12 Post by smltooner » Sat Sep 29, 2018 8:40 pm

swmpbgy1 wrote:
Thu Sep 27, 2018 7:29 am
[
SML has changed a lot in the last 20 yrs.
Which marina are you using?
[/quote]

SMLT...…..

We are at WaterWheel……...you?

Swmpbgy1
[/quote]

We live on the lake full time.
We are on the Blackwater side, below Gills Creek.
SMLTOONER
Ted & Emily
2019 Bennington 21SL Tri-toon
2019 Yamaha 150 HP
Smith Mtn. Lake, Virginia

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Strake
Posts: 294
Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2014 5:17 pm
Location: Smith Mountain Lake, VA

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#13 Post by Strake » Sun Sep 30, 2018 7:58 am

Welcome back to SML !!!

I'd still use your boat through out the winter on nice days...... we have. I wouldn't change the lower unit oil until next fall with only 1 hour's use this year.

Enjoy it !

Richard
"Strake"
Richard and Angie
Smith Mountain Lake, VA
2015 Berkshire 233 RFX STS
Yamaha F200 LB

swmpbgy1
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2017 8:06 am
Location: Smith Mountain Lake, VA

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#14 Post by swmpbgy1 » Mon Oct 01, 2018 9:26 am

Let me ask another question while I'm thinking of it.....I have a Cabela's Pro Series Dual Bank Onboard Marine Battery Charger, that I keep plugged in while docked, will my batteries be ok throughout the winter?

Swmpbgy1
Swmpbgy1..........
2017 Lowe SS210 RFL, 90HP Mercury Command Thrust
Smith Mountain Lake, VA

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steve1313
Posts: 679
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:33 am

Re: Winterize Dilemma

#15 Post by steve1313 » Mon Oct 01, 2018 11:55 am

You'll be fine with that charging setup. In fact, you'd be fine without any sort of charger during the winter. My boat is on Lake Anna and in the past three years, I've never had the batteries near a charger and they are fine. The only winter "prep" I do for the batteries is to make sure the master battery switch is off, so there isn't anything that could be draining the batteries. I think the longest I've gone during the winter without running my boat was 4 months. I uncovered it, turned the key and it fired in a second or two. With a new motor and new batteries you could expect the same.

I personally think that boat owners worry WAY too much about their batteries losing charge. Today's batteries (especially AGM's) hold a charge a long time if they don't have any drain on them. Trolling motor batteries are obviously the exception and need charging. Starting and accessory batteries will be fine.
Steve
"Serendipity" - 2017 Sweetwater 2286 WB Tritoon w/ 150HP Yamaha
Slipped at Lake Anna, Virginia
Primary Residence: Richmond, Virgina
Lake House: Lake Anna, Virginia

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