2002 Hurricane 226R OB questions

CloudMage

Hey guys, so i am new to owning a boat though i have been around them most my life. my family has pretty much given me a boat that has sat for the last 4-5 years unused. i am not to sure if it was properly winterized before storage. it was store on land next to a canal of brackish water 10-15 feet away. (gives an idea of how it was kept up until now) the covers blew off a year or 2 ago as well so everything has been pretty well full of water for god knows how long. the battery was toast (DUH) so i had to pick up a new battery so i could get the motor lifted for traveling. good news on the front was the button on the side of the motor worked perfectly so at least something is still good (yay). i dare not try to start the motor quite yet. i don't know much about outboards (this will be my first) but i'd make a decent auto mechanic so i am hoping i can figure it out.

so my plan was to change all fluids in the outboard motor. i also have to change the water pump impeller because that is the main reason it came out of the water and never made it back in. once i take care of that and change the oil. is there an oil filter on these Yahama 115? 

the next question i have is what can i do about the gas tank? is it removable? if not how would i go about cleaning it for use? or would i be better abandoning the mounted one for one of those portable ones? 

that's about all i really know to do so far. i am wondering if anyone has taken on a salvage such as this and may have some insight or maybe a check list i should run through before i attempt to fire up the motor. 

i will link up a photo album as well. some rough shots of how the boat is sitting as of right now at its new location.





















Thanks in Advanced for any help given!

HydroCanis

If that's a carbed engine, I would suspect goo in the float bowls. Certainly won't get worse by trying to start it, but they'll likely need attention to get it running right.