Long term boat storage.

[Westie]

Due to an impending divorce I may not be able to use my boat at all this year.
If it does come to that any suggestions on what to do to store the boat until next summer?

Last fall I did a complete winterization, oil change, gear lube change, fogged the engine and ran pink into the seawater side of the cooling system (I have a closed cooling half system)
I also drained the hot water tank and bypassed it, blew out the water lines then ran pink in them.

I plan on removing each plug and spraying fogging oil directly into each plug hole as an extra measure.

My biggest question is what to do with the fuel. Last fall I did put fuel stabilizer in it. I have about half a tank of non ethanol fuel (not many places put ethanol in the fuel here) in the tank now. The humidity here is typically very low, especially over winter so I never really had a concern with moisture in the tank.
Should I drain it completely before the layup?

What about leaving pink in the water lines for that long? will it leave a taste/smell in the lines that will never come out?

Anything else I should consider?

 

[JeffM]

We just recommissioned Chessie after a four-year layup. We left the pink in the system and had no issues when we refilled the system and flushed it. Extra oil in the engine is probably a good idea. Our biggest issue was freeing up the motor because I thought the fogging was enough.

We had a nearly-full tank of fuel and had to have it pumped out. The Clean Fuels technician I spoke to said that even with stabilizer gas doesn't last very long, so if you can drain it, I would.

We also put dessicants in the head, cabin, and in the cockpit under the shrink wrap. They worked well - we didn't have mold growth despite some holes in the shrink wrap.

Best of luck!
Jeff

 

[KC_Sundancer]

I wonder if you should just fill the fuel tank and treat it with stabilizer. That way, you are introducing some fresh fuel to your stabilized fuel and removing the possibility of moisture contamination, even it is low humidity. Draining the fuel would be difficult I think.

Don't know about the water lines.

+1 on filling her up close to full and more stabilizer. Leave a little room for expansion so you don't get fuel draining out the vent and down the side of the hull. It will destroy the stripes (a personal experience). Oiling each plug hole is a good idea - I do it every winter.
Water lines should be OK. When you pull her back out just sanitize the water system with 1/4 cup of bleach to be safe. Pump it through the system and let it sit overnight then flush it out.

Ours sat 1 1/2 years because of out-of-state work with no problems doing all of the above.