Boat Maintenance during hunting season

[Phishead]

I just picked up a small Lund with a Yamaha 20hp. I plan to use it on the Columbia and east side lakes to hunt all winter. However it'll be sitting outside while not in use. I'm wondering how others are managing their boats during the winter in EWA.

do you pull your batteries when boat is stored outside? Will the cold drain them?
Any concerns with the outboard sitting in the cold weather for an extended period?
Do you drain the fuel and water after each use prior to storage?
Any other tips?

[lokidog]

Run your carb dry at the end of each day, unplug your fuel tank and let it run before you put it on the trailer (or before you pull it out of the water).  The cold won't drain a battery but make sure it is fully charged when it sits, in my experience, low batteries die a lot sooner than ones kept charged.  It probably wouldn't hurt to keep some Heat or equivalent in your gas tank to keep water from freezing in your lines.  Not sure what "water" you need to drain?   

[FC]

Make sure there is no water in your drive oil and store it with the motor tilted down so it can drain all water. I always stored my 4 stroke full of gas personally but opinions on that vary. Try and put a charge on your battery every 3 months or so and move it into the garage or something like that. Hit all your zerks with a grease gun to push out any water including the trailer hubs if equipped with bearing buddies.

[Pnwrider]

^^^ what he said. Also when hunting in freezing temps, leave the motor in the water rather than tilting it up when parked. I will put a little marine stabil in my gas tank during the cold months to help keep the ethanol from separating.