new boat owner

[brae]

Help, We own our first half cabin cruiser. #We are unsure when you put boat away - do you keep the motor up or do you lower it. # It has power tilt and we are unsure what the correct parking procedure is until we take it out again. # May be several weeks. # Please give advice.

[fishingrod]

I assume you have a outboard motor ?

If the boat is kept on a trailer, you normally store it with the motor down. All the way down if possible. But also make sure the boat hull has a slight upwards tilt so any rain water drains out.

If it is moored and kept in the water, you should tilt the outboard up as high as it will go to keep it out of the water.

[Darren_R]

If you have just flushed the outboard it is best to lower it all the way down for storge. When you lower it you will find that it will release a lot of water from the exhaust and elsewhere in the motor. If left up this traped water may start corrosion.

[2iar]

It also puts less stress on the transom when lowered down by moving the centre of gravity of the motor closer to the boat. I never bother, but you could even put a piece of timber under the skeg for additional support.

Good luck,
Mike

[brae]

Thank you all for your sound advice, it makes us more confident that we are doing the right thing, particularly the point about draining left over water after flushing.

This is a great facilty because when you are new to boating you feel that you have so much to learn.

Thanks Brae :)

[fishingrod]

If you have just flushed the outboard it is best to lower it all the way down for storge. When you lower it you will find that it will release a lot of water from the exhaust and elsewhere in the motor. If left up this traped water may start corrosion.

If you want to get really fussy, i find that if i leave the motor down for a few minutes after flushing .............and then tilt it up for a few minutes ............and then tilt it down again it seems to help release more water from all the internal nooks and crannys ?