Any advice for noob boat owner?

[ElijahH]

Got a great deal on a '80s '16 Bass Tracker with a 50hp Merc and a Motor Guide bow trolling motor.

I've never owned this much boat and don't want to make any expensive mistakes. Any and all advice is welcome. 

At the moment I'm looking to get it ready for winter. Fishing is slowing down here in Ohio and its bow season!

It will have a cover and be in a walled car port, but what should I do maintenance wise? 

Thanks!

[Bruce424]

-ethanol free gas. and fuel treatment doesnt hurt either.

-routine maintenance like oil changes and lower unit oil changes aint that hard. do it before you are done for the winter.

-get some of those moisture absorbing packs and stuff them in all your compartments.

-i take my batteries out and inside my house. then keep them on a trickle charger...

im sure someone will also give ya some better tips

 

 

[MN Fisher]

40 minutes ago, Bruce424 said:

-routine maintenance like oil changes and lower unit oil changes aint that hard. do it before you are done for the winter.

-Don't forget the tune-up - spark plugs are pretty much the same whether it's a 10hp tiller, 50hp 2-stroke, 175hp 4-stroke, or your tow vehicle....regular check and replacement if needed is a must.

[Columbia Craw]

Get a bigger wallet

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, Columbia Craw said:

Get a bigger wallet

Break

Out

Another

Thousand

[GaryH]

1 hour ago, ElijahH said:

Got a great deal on a '80s '16 Bass Tracker with a 50hp Merc and a Motor Guide bow trolling motor.

I've never owned this much boat and don't want to make any expensive mistakes. Any and all advice is welcome. 

At the moment I'm looking to get it ready for winter. Fishing is slowing down here in Ohio and its bow season!

It will have a cover and be in a walled car port, but what should I do maintenance wise? 

Thanks!

Congrats on your new boat and best of luck. 

[moguy1973]

Oil change and lower unit oil change once a year, new water pump every 2 years (maybe every year if you run dirty water)

[gim]

Moisture is the enemy when it’s stored outdoors and it gets below freezing. Make sure you get all the water out of everything possible.

[Alex from GA]

Make sure your lower unit doesn't have any water and is tilted all the way down.  In fact you can drain it and leave the plug out.

[Bolar]

On 9/26/2021 at 4:28 PM, Bruce424 said:

-ethanol free gas. and fuel treatment doesnt hurt either.

-routine maintenance like oil changes and lower unit oil changes aint that hard. do it before you are done for the winter.

-get some of those moisture absorbing packs and stuff them in all your compartments.

-i take my batteries out and inside my house. then keep them on a trickle charger...

im sure someone will also give ya some better tips

 

 

It sounds like your done for the season.  Do all your motor maintenance, as recommend.  Next I would empty your gas tank.  Pour it in your car, mower, whatever you burn the fastest.  No sense wasting that gas. 

Next I would take everything out of the boat.  All gear and batteries.  Vacuum and clean the inside and out. 

After it's all cleaned up, open what hatches you can with the cover on.  Once it's put away with the cover on, make sure you stick your head in there regularly and look around.  Do this more than once a month. 

Your two biggest problems are going to be condensation and mice.  Maybe, just keep an eye on it. 

[WRB]

A cover boat outside become home to outdoor critters.

Tom

[schplurg]

Stick your plug on your steering wheel so you will see it, old skool style I guess, 

or

leave it in and keep a spare in case that one gets old.

 

I just talked to my Dad who built boats for many years. Told him how last weekend a co-workers Dad sunk a boat after launch just a mile from my Dad's house on the lake. 

 

The guy borrowed his good friend's lake house and his boat, launched the boat, drove it to the private dock, had dinner.

 

Owner calls and asks "Why did my neighbor just call me to say my boat is 85% underwater right now?" Didn't put in the plug. They paid to have a crane pull it out.

 

My Dad says just leave it in unless you're draining it. "Everyone forgets the plug once". Bring a spare. Makes sense to me.

 

Pretty sure it was a wake boat so not all bad news. I saw photos of it, I'll see if I can get one.

[Skunkmaster-k]

52 minutes ago, schplurg said:

Stick your plug on your steering wheel so you will see it, old skool style I guess, 

or

leave it in and keep a spare in case that one gets old.

 

I just talked to my Dad who built boats for many years. Told him how last weekend a co-workers Dad sunk a boat after launch just a mile from my Dad's house on the lake. 

 

The guy borrowed his good friend's lake house and his boat, launched the boat, drove it to the private dock, had dinner.

 

Owner calls and asks "Why did my neighbor just call me to say my boat is 85% underwater right now?" Didn't put in the plug. They paid to have a crane pull it out.

 

My Dad says just leave it in unless you're draining it. "Everyone forgets the plug once". Bring a spare. Makes sense to me.

 

Pretty sure it was a wake boat so not all bad news. I saw photos of it, I'll see if I can get one.

Oof. I wonder if they’re still friends. 

[K1500]

Many states require you to pull the plug before transporting. If you own a boat long enough you are likely to forget the plug. Bring an extra and perhaps practice reaching down and ‘pretending’ to install it on a warm day.

 

Have a pre-launch routine that includes double checking critical things (like the plug, motor support, rear straps, safety snap, etc.) are all squared away. Same goes for checking those things before you leave the launch area to go home. 

[Functional]

I keep at least 3 plugs stashed in different spots on the boat besides the one I normally use. Only takes one time to forget the main plug and the backup plug breaks when tightening it.

 

Also, if there seems like an issue dont wait for it to get worse. Find the issue and fix it, I promise the issue doesnt go away it only gets worse and more expensive.

[DaubsNU1]

On 9/26/2021 at 4:28 PM, Bruce424 said:

-ethanol free gas. and fuel treatment doesnt hurt either.

-routine maintenance like oil changes and lower unit oil changes aint that hard. do it before you are done for the winter.

-get some of those moisture absorbing packs and stuff them in all your compartments.

-i take my batteries out and inside my house. then keep them on a trickle charger...

im sure someone will also give ya some better tips

 

 

 

Great advice here...especially the ethanol free gas suggestion. I run nothing but ethanol free in all my small engines (ATV's, Lawn Boy, weed eater, blower, chain saw, power washer, generator). No fuel related issues in 30+ years.