Wakeboarding - April 01, 2018

Boat

Doctor

Q&A

By

Michael “Mick”

Hannock

BOAT

DOCTOR

BOATINGMAG.COM

APRIL 2018

BOAT DOCTOR ///Q&A

BOATINGMAG.COM | APRIL 2018 | 25

WE

TEST

STUFF

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT) FREEIMAGES.COM (CORKS), COURTESY TRU DESIGN PLASTICS LIMITED, COURTESY VALVTECT

A:

It’s typical for boats with low

freeboard, such as fl ats boats, bass

boats and others, to submerge bilge-

pump outlets while inclined on the

launching ramp. Once launched,

these boats sit level — or on their

lines — and the outlet through-hull

fi tting is above the water. Your cork

idea shows spunk, and works. Other

boaters install a check valve in the

discharge hose. These come in

several confi gurations; I like those

integral to a double-barb fi tting, as

made by Raritan, for their ease of

installation.

GLUG,

GLUG

Q:

Doc, I have an older flats boat,

and when I back it down the

launch ramp, water floods

into the bilge-pump discharge

outlet. I have been placing

a cork in the outlet, then I

remove it once the boat is

launched. Is there another

solution?

Ben Connors

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

PUT A

CORK IN IT

Repurposed wine

corks prove useful

for a variety of

DIY-boater

rea sons.

VALVTECT XP+ GASOLINE TREATMENT

I boat in an area where non-ethanol fuel is not available. I have been using

Valvtect XP+ Gasoline Treatment at every fi ll-up and during fi ve months of win-

ter layup for each of the past three years. Put another way, that’s 1,700 gallons of

gasoline I have treated without suf ering any ill ef ects of phase separation, octane

loss or a gunked-up fuel system. Simply use a ratio of 1 ounce of treatment to 10 gallons of gaso-

line. It’s available in 4-, 16- and 32-ounce bottles. $5.99 to $21.99; defender.com —Kevin Falvey

HIBERNATION

Q: Hey Doc. We are

snowbirds and take

our Sea Hunt, which

is powered with a 115

Yamaha outboard, to

Florida each winter,

so fuel deterioration

hasn’t been a prob-

lem. This year we are

unable to go south. I

filled the tank with

fresh, liberally stabi-

lized fuel, ran the en-

gine for 30 minutes

and completed the

normal winterizing

process. Assuming

we can use the boat

this coming season,

there won’t be a prob-

lem. My concern is

if it can’t be used for

two to three years or

longer. Can I just add

fresh stabilizer, run

the engine again and

be OK? It appears

virtually impossible

to drain the tank.

The only way might

be to remove a deck

plate in the sole that

provides access to

the tank sending unit

and try to pump out

38 gallons that way.

I really don’t want

to do that. By the

way, there isn’t any

way to either shut

off or disconnect the

fuel line from the

motor, although with

fuel injection this

might not be an issue

draining the carbu-

retor. Any advice will

be greatly appreciat-

ed. Thanks.

Karl T. Ratti

Landing, New Jersey

A: Hi Karl. Three

years is a long time

to store fuel. I would

not recommend

it. Although, if it

is stabilized and is

non-ethanol fuel, you

may be all right. If it

is ethanol fuel, do not

use it after storing for

so long. Pump it out

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