That time of the year :(
 

I'm keeping my baby( wellcraft) down the shore and it will be harder to winterize her, I'm going to start her this weekend I'm going to fill up the fuel tank,stabilize the fuel and run her for about 15 minutes, every year I fog the engine but this year I don't going I will cause she will only be shut down for about 5 months, what do you guys think? Do you think I will have a issue come spring? Let me know thanks

I know everyone has their own way of winterizing their engines and getting their boat ready for a lengthy sleep. I fill my tank and put in the type or Stabil with the Ethanol treatment. Then I shut off the fuel and run my engine until she runs out of gas. That way there's no old gas in the carbs. I only spray fogging oil into the spark plug holes, then turn the engine over a few times to coat the cylinders. Never had any problems to speak of.

I bought an old 115 hp Mercury "Tower of Power" engine several years ago. It had not been run for almost 15 years, sitting outside on an uncovered derelict boat over the winters. I put in new spark plugs and new gas. Sprayed a little ether into the spark plug holes and cranked her over. Amazingly it started up with a little coaxing, ran rough for a few minutes and then settled down into a nice smooth purr. I used that engine for 2 years and then sold her for more than I paid for her in the first place. To the best of my knowledge that engine had never been fogged. So, while I know that fogging is good practice, and it's purpose is to coat metal so it won't rust, I wonder how much is hype to sell fogging products and how much is really necessary.

The reason I asked is ,think of this, my lawn mower I shut it down and all I do is treat the fuel and maybe fill it up,my snow blower I treat the fuel( Startron) shut off the fuel and run it dry,I started it a week ago primed it two pumps pulled the cord and started right up, so why am I doing fogging oil in my engine then it's hard to start in the spring cause of the oil? This year I'm going to fill up the tank add Startron run it dry and wait till spring in about 5 months ,I think I should be fine

There is oil mixed with the gas it's a two stroke engine

My only guess as to why you might want to fog a larger engine is that the cylinder sleeves (and in my old cast iron I/O, the whole block), there is more mass to stay cold longer and have more time to condense moisture, causing rust. Just a thought.