Just became a boater - and seasons almost over in New England..

[sph130]

Just bought my first boat used mid August.. and the days keep getting colder in New Hampshire. You betcha im going to be fishing with my jacket and gloves on.. (But i probably should be ware of the frosts and the engine/stern drive sitting exposed during those cold nights ?? maybe yeah?)

well anyways.. thanks to all on this forum for my questions, comments good reads. I am sure my wife thanks you as well for consuming a good portion of my free time. She does enjoy the boat too but only on perfect days.

I'm outside with her (my boat) most days after work fixing this and that. Most of the quick stuff to get it running is done with. Cd player/2 speakers installed, nav lights fixed, engine cleaned, old gas swapped, vinyl duct taped for now - with white duck tape; not as red-neckish, and hull acid washed to get the slime/scum the poor boat had to endure from the previous owner.

I look forward to a wonderful winter where I will tackle re-upholstering, cleaning/repairing/polishing the gelcoat and finishing up the new wiring for the audio system with the follow up install of the remaining two speakers. Can you believe the 21 year old wiring for the speakers still worked? I think I am loosing some response because of it hence why I will be rewiring.

I wouldn't clean out the garage for her car but i'm for certain cleaning out the garage for the boat (Shhh good thing she doesnt read these forums).

Well happy boating for the remainder of the season in New England - Jealous of all the iboats forum users who live in year round warm weather.


Sean

 

[aspeck]

Re: Just became a boater - and seasons almost over in New England..

Put your boat in the garage for those colder nights and you will be surprised how long you can keep that boat in the water ... I hail from Central PA, and granted, you get colder there than here, but we boat till the water turns hard ... usually the end of Dec - the middle of January.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Just became a boater - and seasons almost over in New England..

I'm right on the mass/nh border. If you still plan on boating into mid/late october make sure you learn how to drain the engine properly!!! Heck it was cold last night, keep an eye on those temps, it only takes 1 night to ruin your engine.

 

[sph130]

Re: Just became a boater - and seasons almost over in New England..

Any good pointers on draining the engine?? (although something went on it in the water yesterday.. thinking its a carburator issue but Im no mechanic) Maybe ill bring it to the marina to have them fix it and winterize it..

 

[Tubingluvr]

Re: Just became a boater - and seasons almost over in New England..

Here in Michigan we also have a short season, but I run my boat as long as possible.
I drain the engine and exhaust and put a trouble light in the bilge on a timer so its on at night just in case it dips down at night.
I can usually run through mid to late October.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Just became a boater - and seasons almost over in New England..

I'm 15 miles south of Boston,
I'll be putting my boat in next week, first time this yr.
Just in time for the fall run of stripers.
I've got an 150 hp outboard and I don't care if it rains or freezes , long as I got my plasteeek jeezuz....

all together now...

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: Just became a boater - and seasons almost over in New England..

I run mine untill the lake freezes, usually mid November. The bad thing here is the ice usually doesn't thaw until early May. To sph130, it's better to become a boater late in the season then never at all.

 

[kwikk9]

Re: Just became a boater - and seasons almost over in New England..

I pulled my Whaler out on Labor Day. I was in the minority on our lake in southern Maine. We have many believers in the New England Indian Summer here and they will stay wet until after Columbus Day and probably extend their season with no problem. I'm not in Maine fulltime so I'm a bit cautious with the winterizing schedule.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Just became a boater - and seasons almost over in New England..

Enjoy what remains and look forward to next season. If the summer there was anything like here then you have not missed much so far this season !!!

 

[rbh]

Re: Just became a boater - and seasons almost over in New England..

The lake here is still warm enough to swim in for the next 3 weeks then its time to find a wharf.
We have tried to do canadian thanksgiving on the lake for the last couple of years, as long as its not going to rain, or snow.
rob