USING BOAT IN WINTER but protecting from occasional freezes

[nathan]

Hi all, we live in Austin TX and we sometimes get below 32F. We use the boat all winter ( mobius LSV 2007 model) for wake surfing. We have it stored in a shed with electricity but do not want to install a bilge heater if we dont have to.

If we use the boat weekends is it an easy function to drain the engine. ?

Are there any other things which should be Drained also?

If it is a 5-10 min process after use we will drain it each time, if it is a longer process then what alternatives are there to a 500 dollar bilge heater to maintain the temp above 32F in the engine compartment?

Any help would be awesome

Nath

[MLA]

Once you are familiar with all the plugs and hose that need to be pulled for proper draining, its about a 30 min job to pull and then replace. This of course doesnt count the time waiting for the water to actually drain. I would typically pull everything right there on the ramp as soon as the boat was pulled out. lets most of the water drain out of the bilge with the aid of the sloping ramp. Later on, I would button it up so it was turnkey ready next time we got a warm day.

[Woody929]

Somebody here has actually installed ball valves on the block to be able to easily drain it for this same reason, you might be able to search and find it, or they might chime in.

[Woody929]

Here was the thread: https://forum.moomba.com/showthread.php?24405-Researching-quot-quick-winterization-quot-options

[jester]

I also installed a quick way to drain the engine block for a quick solution. Below is the form and some photos. Quick install and easy to do.

https://forum.moomba.com/showthread.php?13182-Winterizing-main-issue-fixed


http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m429/j3stert/20140621_154022.jpg (http://s334.photobucket.com/user/j3stert/media/20140621_154022.jpg.html)

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m429/j3stert/20140621_154008.jpg (http://s334.photobucket.com/user/j3stert/media/20140621_154008.jpg.html)

[bergermaister]

Another nifty possibility I stumbled across today - would probably work in an RV as well.

You know how you'd never want to just leave a space heater running for fear of a fire?

Something like this might just do the trick. Comes on at 35, goes off at 45.

http://cadetheat.com/image/data/products/freezebuster/freeze-buster.png

http://cadetheat.com/products/thermostats/freeze-buster

[jmb]

It would be bad to get up in the morning and find out power was out all night. That would be bad