Winterizing Tips

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WINTERIZING YOUR BOATS, BATTERIES, AND ELECTRONICS
Take care to get your boat, gear and electronics ready for winter, so you'll be ready for spring.
November 2015

November is here in full force. Chilly, wintery temperatures and conditions have hit the country like a wave over the past weeks, especially in the northern states. Most anglers will be putting much of their gear into hibernation for the winter months. What should you do with your gear as the temperature drops?

Northern Climate Fishermen

Fishing line and other clutter can get stuck in the prop of your motor. Be sure to remove the prop from time to time for cleaning. Anglers in the north have already seen the first snowflakes and are beginning to store their boats for the season. Some have held out, waiting for another weekend of decent temperatures in order to hit the water one last time before the holidays. Whether you've started your storage steps or not, it's important to follow proper and timely winterization techniques in order to preserve the life of your gear and keeping things running properly.

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Fishing line and other clutter and get stuck in the prop of your motor. Be sure to remove the prop from time to time for cleaning.

"When spring comes, you want to be able to get right out on the water," said Joe Carlson, former FLW angler and owner of Grampa Joe's Marine in Harris, Minnesota. "When it comes to winterization, work towards being able to get right back out there and keeping your setup in working order."

Carlson says if you have decided you're done for the season, before you cover your boat and electronics, keep two tips in mind: keep it clean, and keep it dry. Drying out each compartment of the boat, and cleaning each crevice extends the life of everything you have.

"Start at the front of the boat and clean each item. Remove your Minn Kota trolling motor prop, and clean out fishing line and any debris. Do a visual inspection all around. How does the transducer look? Are your brackets tight? Is there sitting water anywhere? Address these before covering."

Jeff Koester, professional walleye angler and team member on 2014 Masters Walleye Circuit Team of the Year, agrees with Carlson.

"My number one thing is to make sure everything is dry," Koester said. "Humminbird fishfinders, Minn Kota trolling motors and Talon anchors are built well, but it's always smart to clean them off and dry them before you cover them up. As with anything on your boat, it's smart to get ahead of potential mold or mildew."

Winterizing-Article-Brackets
If you can, remove electronics and other tools from their brackets and store them inside.

Koester also suggests removing some items from the boat before storing. "Most electronics have a bracket that allows them to come off. I like to remove the Humminbird head and any loose tackle or items from the boat. Even the tiniest amount of water can freeze and cause big problems. Take your gear inside and store in a place that isn't exposed to the elements. That can be a garage, a closet or even just the corner of your basement."

Carlson and Koester also mentioned batteries as an important item to inspect. "Whether you have Minn Kota Precision or Digital chargers, or something else, you should take the grounds off, charge the batteries all the way up, make sure there's enough electrolytes in them and load-test them," said Carlson. "Weak batteries won't make it through a cold winter."

"Both batteries and electronics aren't hurt by extra insulation," said Koester. "I like to wrap some of it up with an old blanket or towel for a little extra protection from the elements."

One item both seasoned anglers agreed didn't need much work, was their Talon shallow water anchor. "Talons don't need much," laughed Carlson. "I'll extend them one last time out on the water to clean them off, but they're built to withstand."

There's Still Work to be Done for Warm-Weather Anglers

Anglers in warmer areas of the country are not out of the woods, despite not having to deal with the cold and the snow. Mike Krause, FLW Walmart Bass angler and Marine Manager of Roland Martin's Marina in Clewiston, Florida, points out that his fellow Floridians need to keep their gear in working order 12 months a year, and that takes extra effort to maintain. Unsurprisingly, Krause also praises dryness and cleanliness.

"There's always benefits to keeping your gear clean, especially electronics," Krause said. "Get a good screen and button cleaner for your Humminbird screen and i-Pilot and Talon remotes. Routinely check tightness on trolling motor and transducer connections. Also consider taking plugs apart once a month for cleaning so they make good contact."

Krause also suggests letting the professionals deal with serious internal electronics issues. "Do your research on anything you put on your boat," said Krause. "Your Minn Kota trolling motors and Talon shallow water anchor along with your Humminbird fishfinders are solid tools and investments. In the rare instance something goes wrong, don't take them apart. Take them to your dealer for top-notch service."

 

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Take Charge
Don't forget your battery when winterizing your boat
November 2015

Charger-Article
Prepping your boat for its winter hibernation is one of the best things you can do to protect your investment and ensure your fishing platform is ready to hit the water next season.

When it comes to "winterizing," as it's called, much attention is lavished upon the fuel system and outboard, and rightfully so. But there's definitely more to the story if you want to truly prepare your boat for the harsh realities of cold storage.

"While gas and oil are important, the electrical system is also critical to preserving your batteries and getting off to a fast, hassle-free start in the spring," says veteran angler and diehard boat prepper Scott Glorvigen. He should know. Based in northern Minnesota, where Mother Nature brutally dishes out some of the continent's harshest winter conditions, the veteran guide and tournament champion takes care to nurture his fleet's electrical systems throughout the mean season. "A lot of folks overlook their batteries, but doing do can be a costly mistake, in terms of dollars and time on the water," he says.

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On-Board chargers like Minn Kota's four-bank 440PC make it easy to maintain batteries throughout the year, including during winter storage. Neglected batteries can lose their firepower, suffer damage and even freeze up in bitter cold. In fact, run-down batteries can freeze at warmer temperatures than properly maintained power plants. For example, while an absorbed glass matte battery might survive a blast of 50-below air temperatures when fully charged to about 12.6 to 12.8 volts, its ability to shrug off the cold declines when not fully charged. Standard flooded batteries are even more at risk when run down, because their sulfuric acid and distilled water won't mix properly, allowing the water to freeze. This can weaken or even totally destroy the battery's ability to hold a charge and reliably dispense power, especially if the case cracks-leading to major replacement costs. "Prevention is the best medicine," says Glorvigen.

One option is removing the battery, moving it to a heated location such as a shop or basement, and maintaining it with a portable marine battery charger like the Minn Kota MK 210P , which offers two 5-amp banks for 10 amps of total charging power. Portable chargers provide power wherever you need it. "If you have multiple batteries, an easier solution is installing one of Minn Kota's Precision Onboard Chargers in the boat," says Glorvigen. "You don't have to wrestle with heavy batteries or deal with complex wiring configurations and connections, just plug it in.

Glorvigen also offers handy tips on surefire charging. "If you're using an extension cord, make sure its plug's pins match those on the charger," he says. "Also choose a cord with a rugged jacket to guard against moisture, oil and chemicals. And don't lay the cord anywhere you might drive over it, which could damage the wiring. Finally, above all, make sure the cord is rated for the charger's energy requirements." Power draws differ by device. For example, a household lamp might require just .5 amps, while an air compressor or shop vac may need 15 to 20 amps. Thankfully, Minn Kota simplifies the cord-selection process by recommending specific American Wire Gauge (AWG) ratings for cords used with each of its chargers.

Charger-Article-2"From there, it's a simple matter of choosing the right charge setting for your battery and letting the charger do its job," he says, noting that while you're tending to the battery, it's a great idea to clean off the terminal connections with a wire brush and check the fuses on the charger. While these precautions do add extra steps to the winterizing process, Glorvigen assures us that such simple and inexpensive maintenance goes a long way toward ensuring that you'll enjoy worry-free boating next spring, without wasting time and money replacing neglected batteries