If I plan on using my boat for the majority of the winter, do I need to winterize it????

I have never winterized my boat, I live in North Texas and use it all  year. If you are planning on using it fairly regular this winter I wouldn't do anything except fuel stabilizer and make sure the water is out of the pumps and lower unit in case of a freeze.

definately a must up here unless you are pulling traps and using it constantly.  Good link.

http://bassresource.com/fishing/Winter_boat.html

If I plan on using my boat for the majority of the winter, do I need to winterize it????

If you live in the south and fish in the winter, you only need to use some common sense...  Keep your fuel tank full and use Stabil. (keeping tank full minimizes condensation, which can water down your gas over time)  Be sure to remove plug and get all water out of pumps, livewells, bilge and hull.  When you get home or to boat storage run the trailer jack all the way up to get any remaining water to the drain hole, trim your outboard all the way down and under to drain the water from lower unit and around hub seals.  Keep batteries (trolling and starting) from freezing with an auto charger... it will charge your batts and then cycle on and off to check/mantain charge level which will also keep them warm enough so they don't freeze.  Always leave a pair of gloves and a knit hat in the boat... you will not regret it!

This system has worked flawlessly for me in North and Northeast Tx.  (going on 15 years now.)

It seems in the north we winterize and in the south you just need to be winter savvy.

Flechero-great post on "savvy"

DD

It's easier to just keep fishin'  ;D

Thanks for the suggestions guys!!

LBH thanks for the links, I should have looked there first :-[

I still haven't got my boat back from Triton yet still waiting, impatiently.

Although it's supposed to get real cold here this week, 12 degrees for a low on Wednsday morning.