Each year as the end of the season arrives, taking care of your boat and outboard should become a priority. Whether your tournament season has come to an end and you start hunting, or you are putting the boat away for the winter, some things need to be done to make sure your outboard will last as long as possible.
Even if you are not going to miss out on the excellent winter bass fishing and will continue using your boat, there are still some yearly maintenance tasks that need to happen. Right now is a great time to check it off of your to-do list.
Ryan Tripp, Finance Manager for Redding Yamaha Sea-Doo (RYS), is an avid angler himself and has a list of things that boat owners should pay attention to and take care of this time of year when the weather turns colder.
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Preventing Freeze
Most bass anglers around the Redding area spent their time chasing winter bass on Lake Shasta and the surrounding waters, so winterization is not very common for bass boats at RYS. But, they still provide this service.
“Most bass anglers I know fish all year long and normally just the recreational boats and boats at higher elevations that may want to winterize. The biggest thing for the bass angler is preventing freezing inside of the boat,” said Tripp. “It is simple things like making sure your outboard is lowered to drain all of the water. Also, making sure there is no water left in the live wells. We get some cold nights, and that could cause them to freeze.”
Another thing Tripp and RYS recommend for winter anglers is to remove your boat’s drain plug as an additional way to stop water from freezing inside of the boat. This simple task can prevent a big headache if a cold snap comes through.
Safety and Fishing the Rainy Season
Since most serious bass anglers aren’t going to let the weather get in the way of a chance to fish, Tripp stresses safety first this time of year.
“Nobody wants to fall in when it is 30-degrees out. I’ve done that, and it isn’t fun, so safety is important, and so is being prepared for anything on the water,” said Tripp.
Since this time of year often entails rainy weather and possibly snow, Tripp says it is an excellent time to check your bilge pump.
“I always make sure it is working properly because that could be a big problem if it malfunctions,” he said. “It is crucial to make sure everything is working when fishing during the winter.”
End of Year Maintenance
There are many things on an outboard that should be checked and replaced on schedule, and Tripp says that the end of the year is a good time to do it.
“The big things are obviously the impeller and changing the lower unit oil. For 4-stroke engines, changing the oil is something that needs to be done,” he said. “It is also a good idea to check and replace the spark plugs if needed.”
RYS has a service team that can help with any regular maintenance your boat may need.
Servicing an Outboard
Much of the standard end of the year maintenance is part of the scheduled 20 and 100-hour services recommended by outboard manufacturers, but Tripp still recommends a yearly checkup regardless of the hours on the engine.
“Yamaha recommends a 20 and 100-hour service, but it is important to maintain them every year even if it a new outboard that hasn’t reached 100-hours yet,” he said. “Oil starts to break down, and even though there are magnets built in to catch metal shavings, some can still get through. We recommend it every year regardless of how many hours you have on your outboard as a good preventative maintenance practice.”
About RYS
Redding Yamaha Sea-Doo offers plenty of services with everything from Yamaha ATVs, motorcycles, WaveRunners, and more. For the bass angler, they have Yamaha outboards as well as Ranger boats.
In addition to sales, they can service just about anything you may need with a factory-trained staff dedicated to providing excellent customer service.
Fishing during the winter months can be some of the best action of the year, and there is always a shot at a true trophy bass. By making sure your equipment is ready for the colder weather, you can ensure that all you have to worry about is getting your next bite. The team at RYS can help get your boat and outboard ready for this upcoming winter fishing season.
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