For people living in Canada and who owns a sea doo watercraft, complete winterization is a must, if you want to be able to ride your sea doo again, when summer time comes. Being lazy or failure to follow the proper procedure may lead to battery failure, cloggy fuel system, damage to internal system, or worst of all, you may end up with expensive repairs later on. So it is better to spend some time and energy to get your sea doo ready for the freezing winter, or else you would regret later.
You may want to consult your sea doo company for the latest recommended procedures or technical updates. Otherwise, the steps outlined here below, generally works for most types of sea doo watercraft:
1. Take a quick look at your jet pump intake and outlet, to check for cracks or extreme wear and tear. If you happen to see any debris stuck onto it, you should clear them, and then apply a coat of anti corrosive lubricant on each area to ensure long term storage use. Inspect your jet pump by removing the impeller cover to make sure there is no collection of water there.
2. Check your fuel delivery system for sight or smell of fuel. Consult your sea doo local dealer, if you sense a problem with the fuel delivery system. You need to completely fill your fuel tank with fresh fuel. Also, you can add a fuel stabilizer to ensure your fuel and fuel system remains in good condition. This fuel stabilizer will prevent build up within the entire fuel delivery system.
3. Once a year, especially prior to the time of winter storage, you need to perform an engine oil and filter change. You can purchase an oil change kit from your local sea door dealer or online and perform the required oil change.
4. Sometimes dirt and contaminants may get into your sea doo exhaust system and you may be required to flush and drain your sea doo exhaust system. If you usually ride in sea water which has saltwater, then it is recommended to flush your exhaust system after each ride. I know, it may seem too much work to do it everytime after you ride. But if you want your sea doo to last for many more years, you need to work hard to keep it in great shape.
Start by hooking one end of a garden hose to the connector which is located at the rear port side of the stern of the water craft. Water tap should not be turned on yet. Only after starting your sea doo engine, then you can immediately open your garden hose tap.
Have your engine run on idle for about 90 seconds, and check to see that water is flowing out of the pump while flushing. Then you can shut off your garden hose tap but allow the engine to run @ 5000 rpm for another 5 seconds, before shutting off the engine.
This next step, you will be drying your exhaust system. Blow compressed air of 55 psi (379 kpa) into the same connector your garden hose was connected to earlier. Do this until you find no water coming out of the jet pump.
5. You will need to lubricate your internal engine and you have to refer to your manual for steps to get access to the internal engine components. Remove the ignition coils and spark plugs, and spray anti corrosive lubricant into the spark holes.
Next, you crank the engine by fully depressing the throttle lever and holding it against the handlebar. While you are holding the throttle, press the start/stop button to crank the engine a few times. This will distribute the anti corrosive lubricant to the cylinder walls.
Then, you can apply a small amount of anti corrosive lubricant to the spark plug threads, and reinstall the spark plugs and the ignition coils.
6. During the winter months of storage, you must remove your sea doo battery and keep it in a safe dry open air location, away from any flammable substances. Use a battery charger and charge your sea doo battery for a day or two as mentioned per your manual. If you find that your battery doesn't hold any charge in spite of you charging it for a day or two, then you know it is time to replace your battery with a new one.
7. Use a good cleaning product to clean the hull and body of your sea doo watercraft. You may need to scrub hard to get off any dirt, grime, water stains, marine organisms stuck to your sea doo hull or body. This is also the best time to inspect for any body damage to your sea doo watercraft's hull and body.
8. If you store your sea doo in your storage shed, you may not need to cover it with a breathable tarp. But if you lack space and you want to store them outside, use an opaque, breathable tarp to cover and protect it from sun rays, dirt, grime and dust. Don't use a plastic or non breathable material because that may cause mold to form in certain areas of the watercraft.
