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Welcome to Winterization,
With the end of summer and winter rapidly approaching, it is
time to start thinking
about winter protection of your watercraft. Sport Boats USA has
several programs
available to assist you in protecting your investment. We are
bonded and insured
and have highly experienced Master Technicians certified in
Evinrude, Yamaha,
Mercury, MerCruiser, and Volvo Penta. Sport Boats USA uses
genuine manufacturer
parts. Our exceptional service crew can take care of you at our
locations
in Ozark or Shell Knob as well as at the lake with our mobile
service.
Contact us as soon as possible to schedule your winterization
before the first
big freeze. Print and mail or fax in the Winterization Request
Form or fill out the
form online to request winterization for your watercraft. To
help assure that you are
protected, if you have not received confirmation within 3 days
that your request
has been received, please contact us.
Please plan to allow at least two (2) weeks lead time for the
work to be done. The
sooner you schedule the more assured you can be of winter
protection.
For those of you who plan to trailer your watercraft to either
Ozark or Shell Knob
and would like to schedule your winterization for a specific
day, we are offering
scheduled “same day winterization service”.
If you need or would like service or fiberglass work done to
have your boat ready
for the 2010 boating season, schedule now to have us complete
the work over the
winter months and receive a 10% discount on labor. If required,
re-winterization
will be on us.
Your Sport Boats USA Service Crews
Make your appointment on-line. Use this .pdf file.
Get
your winterization form.
OZARK
CLICK HERE
Get
your winterization form.
SHELL KNOB CLICK HERE
To help assure that you are protected, if you have not
received confirmation within 3 days that your request has been
received, please contact us.
Contact; Ozark, MO
service@sportboatsusa.com
Contact; Shell Knob Service
skservice@sportboatsusa.com
E10 Fuel & It’s Effect
Due to increasing problems caused by ethanol fuels, we are
stepping up our efforts to protect your investment. We
recommend replacing water separating fuel filters on Level 1
and Outboard Winterizations (call for pricing). In addition, we
have done extensive research and selected the best products
available to use for off-season storage.
What is E10 fuel?
E10 fuel is a 10% blend of ethanol and 90% blend of gasoline.
Ethanol is a highly refined alcohol made from grain or plant
cellulose. Ethanol is added to gasoline because of the Energy
Policy Act (EPACT2005). Public law 109-058 requires the
increased use of renewable motor fuels.
What are the negative qualities of ethanol?
1. Ethanol is a strong cleaner (solvent).
a. Cleans varnish & surface corrosion from inside tanks & fuel
systems. The contaminants are then ingested by the fuel system.
b. Dissolves polyester resins used to make some fiberglass
tanks.
c. On some older boats, fuel lines are dissolved from the
inside by the ethanol.
2. Ethanol is hygroscopic (it has a strong attraction to
moisture).
a. Ethanol attracts moisture from the atmosphere when the fuel
expands & contracts with temperature changes.
b. When the percentage of water in E10 fuel reaches
approximately 0.5%, the bond between the ethanol & gasoline
molecules will break down and the ethanol molecules will attach
to the water molecules. This is called phase separation.
c. Several things happen when phase separation occurs
i. The ethanol & water molecules settle to the bottom of the
tank forming a distinct layer of water/ethanol on the bottom
and gas without ethanol on top
ii. The engine draws fuel from the bottom of the tank. The
water/ethanol mixture will not burn properly, if at all, in the
engine.
iii. The water/ethanol mixture is highly corrosive & can lead
to internal engine component damage.
iv. The remaining gasoline, without ethanol, will have an
octane level below the original E10 fuel’s octane level –
approximately 2-3 points lower.
d. Phase separation cannot be reversed. The only cure for phase
separated fuel is to pump out the fuel tank & start with fresh
fuel.
3. E10 fuel’s usable life span may be less than the normal
length of off-season boat storage.
4. E10 fuel burns faster, hotter, and makes approximately
18% less power than gasoline without ethanol.
What can you do to reduce the risk of ethanol related
problems?
1. Use fuel containing no ethanol whenever possible. Some local
gas stations offer higher octane fuels that do not contain
ethanol.
2. Store fuel tanks approximately 7/8 full. This leaves little
air space above the fuel, effectively minimizing the amount of
humidity the ethanol in the fuel will absorb from the
atmosphere. Storing completely full can cause some fuel
spillage out the fuel vent when the fuel expands with
temperature changes.
3. Change water separating fuel filters more frequently. If
your boat does not have one (most older boats do not), install
a 10 micron water separating fuel filter. Do not drain and
re-use old filters.
4. Use a good fuel stabilizer, specifically for ethanol, all
season long. It is best to add to fresh fuel when filling up.
5. Do not attempt to use fuels with ethanol content higher than
10%.
* SEVERAL WEBSITES OFFER INDEPENDENT RESEARCH INFORMATION ON
THIS TOPIC *
Water Pump Impellers
Sport Boats USA recommends changing water pump impellers at the
beginning of the boating season rather than at the end. Due to
the nature of the material, the impeller, when squeezed in one
position without use for an extended period, tends to conform
permanently to that shape as well as become brittle. |
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