Hi All,
Well, another year in the log book. Since Canada was closed we again only went out for 6 weeks, and find we're enjoying staying put longer, and this year the weather was downright amazingly dry in the PNW. At any rate, laying up Voyager on the hard. First is fresh oil change and filter. I'm not sure who I heard it from from 4 or 5 years ago someone suggested running a mix of fresh water with some SALT AWAY before I do the final step of running a gallon of RV Antifreeze through the engine. Anyone else doing this in a northern climate area? The reason I ask is my yard is now clamping down on any owner work, forbidding just about everything, from changing your own zinc to even putting cleaner wax on the boot stripe! When I run the Salt Away, it leaves a bit of foam on the ground that takes a while to dissipate , so next year not even sure I can barely get away with running the engine after layup with the bit of RV AntiFreeze. so, is the Salt away even necessary and or helpful? I can do my annual Pencil zinc while in the water by just closing the through hull and draining out the water from the heat exchanger, so think I can at least do that myself before coming in. Won't have a choice on the shaft zinc and will have to pay the hourly rate plus their zinc I'm sure. I also run RV Antifreeze through the fresh water system, as well as putting a little in the head. On spring commissioning I collect as much as the pump will deliver to reuse, mixing old with new, since it's occasionally freezing, but not like super cold in many areas. I also disconnect the negative battery cables and secure. I found if I leave the battery charger on, even though it's only a trickle, I'd need to drive 350 miles 2 or 3 times a year to check the fluid level, and even then, it was still decreasing the years I get out of the batteries. (I replaced the current Trojan T 105's in 2016 and even this year all cells tested 13 with the hydrometer and can go over 3 1/2 days before I am down 80 amp hours (with plenty of ice, and icy cold beer and frozen meats). Everything else gets washed, cleaned, waxed, checked and accessible electrical connections sprayed with Boshield. One thing I did stop doing was filling the transmission all the way to the top. Usually we're in storage 10 months one on board discussion talked about doing that when stored for a full year. The transmission is never a problem, running well, lubricated, and rarely needs a drop of fluid to stay full. This year running the motor a total of 93 hours and every week checked it and always full. last year needed a tea spoon. am I missing anything