Getting ready for the season

[jsonova99]

OK, back to business. This is my first new season with the boat, and I want to make sure that I'm covering all of the necessary maintenace. So far I have adressed the following:

1) Tune-up (cap, rotor, plugs, etc)
2) spark arrestor cleaning
3) new fuel filter
4) new motor oil
5) new tranny oil
6) new impellar

Can anybody think of anything that I might be missing

[JEREMY79]

dont forget to make sure your plug is good! ;)

[Hemey5]

Sounds like you got it all covered

[east tx skier]

I posted a winterization/dewinterization checklist in another thread (it includes annual maintenacne). It's pretty specific and was compiled using my manual and this board as a reference.

[Leroy]

Undo what you did, plus a few things. From our friends at Malibu.

[bradamerry]

Skins and carpet all first on the list for me!!!

[Leroy]

Also Kell sent me this one which I really like if you update with the info of your boat its very helpful to know. I print both procedures and make sure I do or at least know I didn't do all on both lists.

[east tx skier]

Kell's list is awesome. Probably covers it all, but just in case here's what I posted on the other thread.

[AirJunky]

Please don't bother... the waters been great so far.

[tex]

OK, back to business. This is my first new season with the boat, and I want to make sure that I'm covering all of the necessary maintenace. So far I have adressed the following:

1) Tune-up (cap, rotor, plugs, etc)
2) spark arrestor cleaning
3) new fuel filter
4) new motor oil
5) new tranny oil
6) new impellar

Can anybody think of anything that I might be missing

1)Stock beer cooler!

[BriEOD]

Kell's list is great!

[Kell]

Thanks BriEOD, East Tx Skier and Leroy, but I can't take any credit what so ever, other than organizing all the tips all of you have provided, especially those from JimN. :worthy: When I bought my boat in August of 2003, I didn't have a clue as to maintenance nor did I know anything about the various components of the powerplant let alone identify them, but I lurked on this board, read and saved information about maintenance and gathered info from other sources. I have learned so much from all of you over the last year.

Then one rainy day last fall, I decided to put it all in one document that would somewhat follow a logical order for winterization, so when a "newbie" comes on board such as myself, this document should provide some general guidance, and compiled with East Tx Skier's and Leroy's documents, we have a good knowledge base going. But as always, your dealer is the best place for maintenance for the non-DIY'er, IMO.

The list was developed specifically for a 99 MariStar, so if anyone desires the Word version, shoot me an email or let me know and I'll try and post it in this thread, so you can revise it for your specific model.

[sfitzgerald351]

Good lists. But the part about the tires bugged me a bit so I looked up what Goodyear recomends. Basically they recommend putting the trailer up on blocks and lowering the pressure to 10psi. But if you can't do that, adding pressure is the way to go apparently (which I didn't know).

HOW TO STORE YOUR TIRES (from www.goodyear.com)

The best place to store tires is a clean, cool, dry, sunless area away from strong air currents. Even though the rubber used to make tires is formulated to resist the effects of sunlight, ozone, and water, the life of a tire can be extended if exposure to these elements is minimized during storage.

* Stack tires flat so that the bottom tire will maintain its shape
* Wrap each tire with an opaque polyethylene covering to minimize the effects of oxygen and ozone. Most Goodyear retailers have storage bags made specifically for this purpose
* If tires are being stored outdoors, they should be raised off the storage surface
* If tires are stored while mounted on rims, they should be inflated to 10 psi
* If they are put in storage during warm weather, the initial inflation pressure should be about 15 psi to offset the pressure drop during cold weather months

HOW NOT TO STORE YOUR TIRES

* Don't store tires in an area that is wet, oily or greasy
* Don't store tires where they are subjected to direct sunlight or extreme temperatures
* Don't store tires near electric motors or other ozone-generating sources
* Don't store tires on black asphalt or other heat-absorbent surfaces
* Don't store tires on or adjacent to highly reflective surfaces such as sand or snow

STORING YOUR VEHICLE WITHOUT REMOVING THE TIRES

Ideally, a vehicle in storage should be placed on blocks to remove all weight from the tires. If the vehicle cannot be put on blocks, follow these steps for tire protection:

* Completely unload the vehicle so that minimum weight will be placed on the tires
* Inflate tires to recommended operating pressure plus 25%. Ensure that the rim manufacturer’s inflation capacity is not exceeded
* Be sure the storage surface is firm, clean, well drained and reasonably level
* Avoid moving the vehicle during extremely cold weather
* Move the vehicle at least every three months to prevent ozone cracking in the tire bulge area, as well as “flat-spotting” from the prolonged strain of sidewall and tread deflection
* Adjust inflation before putting the vehicle back into service

[BriEOD]

Good lists. But the part about the tires bugged me a bit so I looked up what Goodyear recomends. Basically they recommend putting the trailer up on blocks and lowering the pressure to 10psi. But if you can't do that, adding pressure is the way to go apparently (which I didn't know).

HOW TO STORE YOUR TIRES (from www.goodyear.com)

The best place to store tires is a clean, cool, dry, sunless area away from strong air currents. Even though the rubber used to make tires is formulated to resist the effects of sunlight, ozone, and water, the life of a tire can be extended if exposure to these elements is minimized during storage.

* Stack tires flat so that the bottom tire will maintain its shape
* Wrap each tire with an opaque polyethylene covering to minimize the effects of oxygen and ozone. Most Goodyear retailers have storage bags made specifically for this purpose
* If tires are being stored outdoors, they should be raised off the storage surface
* If tires are stored while mounted on rims, they should be inflated to 10 psi
* If they are put in storage during warm weather, the initial inflation pressure should be about 15 psi to offset the pressure drop during cold weather months

HOW NOT TO STORE YOUR TIRES

* Don't store tires in an area that is wet, oily or greasy
* Don't store tires where they are subjected to direct sunlight or extreme temperatures
* Don't store tires near electric motors or other ozone-generating sources
* Don't store tires on black asphalt or other heat-absorbent surfaces
* Don't store tires on or adjacent to highly reflective surfaces such as sand or snow

STORING YOUR VEHICLE WITHOUT REMOVING THE TIRES

Ideally, a vehicle in storage should be placed on blocks to remove all weight from the tires. If the vehicle cannot be put on blocks, follow these steps for tire protection:

* Completely unload the vehicle so that minimum weight will be placed on the tires
* Inflate tires to recommended operating pressure plus 25%. Ensure that the rim manufacturer’s inflation capacity is not exceeded
* Be sure the storage surface is firm, clean, well drained and reasonably level
* Avoid moving the vehicle during extremely cold weather
* Move the vehicle at least every three months to prevent ozone cracking in the tire bulge area, as well as “flat-spotting” from the prolonged strain of sidewall and tread deflection
* Adjust inflation before putting the vehicle back into service

Good tips...I always put mine up on an extra set of jack stands but I never thought of lowering the pressure.

[sfitzgerald351]

2 more questions:

1) What the heck is sea foam?
2) What do people do to get rid of the WD-40 or engine protectant they spray on everything in the fall? I did this the first year I had my boat, but it made such a mess in the spring (especially when some of the surfaces got hot you'd get a nice burn off which made me nervous in a closed space) and was such a pain to clean that now I only hit the electrical connections sparingly and ignore everything else. Surely there is a better way?

[NatesGr8]

I just wipe mine down with some clean rags.

[Bongo]

1)Stock beer cooler!

Lose beer gut. :(

Bongo

[Kell]

sfritzgerald351,

I think sea foam is a manufacturer of a product that is used to fog the engine.

http://stevenbigler.tripod.com/scoutco/id12.html
I don't use WD-40 to spray the engine/electrical components, as someone told me that it will leave a sticky residue over time. I've used West Marine's Engine Protectant and have not had a problem come summerization with build up or smell when burning off. I've never been able to find Penzoil Z-M Protectant or Marvel Myster Oil as suggested in my manual.

[east tx skier]

Scott, thanks for the tire tips. That deflationwas one of the things that I'd picked up on here a while back (I'm usually airing them back up once a month to drag it out to run it anyway on one of those occasional warm days.

Sea Foam may be akin to fogging oil, but that's not what I use to fog. It's an additive (fuel and/or oil) that will clean up the various systems. Basically, it'll blow all that carbon build up out of there. It's been around for about 50 years or so and was developed for marine applications. I've heard several people swear by it. I used it on my old carb before switching to the new one. Didn't solve my 4010 issues, but I'll probably throw some in when it warms up for good.

[tex]

Lose beer gut. :(

Bongo
My 4 year old tapped me on the gut yesterday and stated, "Daddy, do you have a baby in there?"

[east tx skier]

Ouch. Did you say, yeah, baby back ribs.

[rem_pss308]

Dont forget to grease your steering and rudder grease fittings!!!!!
I do mine once a year.