Getting ready for winter

It’s getting to be that time of the year – time to winterize and put away summer’s toys and de-winterize and get winter’s toys ready for use. Since I haven’t had the use of either my riverboat or my motorhome this past summer season while waiting for repairs on both to be completed after my storage building collapse, I don’t have to worry about getting either winterized since neither had been de-winterized last spring. I guess I’m just lucky that way!

Usually, when I write this type of column, I’ll go into a little detail about what you need to do to get your summer toy ready for winter. Unless you are a first-time owner of either a boat or motorhome/trailer, you should already know what needs to be done, or at least, know where to take your unit for winterization work. If you are a first-time owner, start calling around to find a facility to do your service work. Ask your fellow owners who they might recommend and what work they normally have done.

The critical thing for both boats and motorhomes/trailers is to be sure there is no water anywhere in the outboard or inboard motors or in any waterlines or holding tanks in the motorhome. I would also suggest changing the engine oil and filter, and the air filter, if needed, so that the unit is turnkey ready come next spring.

As far as winter toys go, snowmachines are about it for the normal person. Some folks use their ATV/UTV’s year around. Regular maintenance on them is necessary to keep them running in tip top condition, regardless of the season when they’re being used. Snowmachines don’t normally require any special maintenance conditions if you stay on top of keeping the drive belts in undamaged shape, the engine tuned, the battery, if it has one, properly charged, and lubrication where needed.

This is also the time to inspect your summer fishing rods and reels: cleaning them and getting the reels serviced, if necessary; replacing line; going through your lures and cleaning them, replacing bent or broken hooks or sharpening ones still serviceable; inspecting landing nets and repairing any holes in the webbing; repairing wading boots; and any other gear work as you deem appropriate. You can do this work over the winter, but don’t wait too long and forget to get something critical corrected.

While you’re starting to deal with your summer gear, you might want to begin an inspection of your winter icefishing gear to be sure things are in working condition when the lake surfaces ice over to a safe thickness.

Speaking about time of year, we’re into that period where hunting seasons are winding down or even being closed by emergency order as harvest quotas are being met. I’ve seen Fish and Game announcements where several goat hunts, a few caribou hunts, and some registration moose hunts have been closed because of harvest quotas being achieved. In fact, the Eklutna registration moose hunt, RM445, was closed this past Sunday evening for that very reason.

I had signed up for RM445 thinking I might make it out since it’s fairly close to home and has the ATV road access I needed if I was to get far from my truck. I never made it out for one reason or another, but mostly poor weather. I’ve already sent in my registration permit card stating that I didn’t hunt. I still hope to get out in that area because it’s a nice trip over the 14-mile road. I just must make sure I go on the days when ATVs are allowed to travel on the road.

I’m also going to stop mentioning how things are going with vehicle repair and storage building construction until the work for the particular unit is done and I have it back in my possession. I mentioned a while back about how the trusses would be installed on the storage building two weeks ago this Friday. It never happened. My contractor cancelled the truss delivery and work because he couldn’t find help to install the trusses. Given the way this year’s weather has been, I’m beginning to wonder if the building will be closed in before the first snow of the year.

I got a call from the paint shop doing the bulk of repair on my riverboat. MAYBE it will be done by the end of the month. This has all been very frustrating, but I am learning a whole new standard for patience!