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Weather is suppose to be high 60s low 70s this weekend. I really want to take my boat out and try my new drysuit, the only problem is the low temperature for Monday is going to be in the low 20s. I keep my boat in a metal shed and worry that it will freeze up if I take it out. I don't have any electricity to put a heat lamp in. Should i take my boat out? If I do what can I do to prevent, it from freezing?
I would lean on the side that says no. I guess how cold is it supposed to get there and how long will that cold temperature last. If it only hits 28 for an hour then warms back up to 50 in the afternoon I wouldn't think the block and hoses would freeze solid enough to burst.Quote:
Originally Posted by snyderaaron
I have been thinking the same thing here in GA. I am about to buy a dry suit thanks to the wonderful advice on this website but still a little nervous it will get cold again and stay cold.
Looks like a high of 45 and low of 25.Quote:
Originally Posted by chadjitsu1
Personally I would hold off
Thats not what I wanted to hearQuote:
Originally Posted by chadjitsu1
I would have to agree and err on the side of caution
Is I take the drain plugs out of the engine and disconnect the hoses, will this prevent it?
Remove the J hose at your water pump and blow out the heater lines if you have them.
Is that everything, might try to pull it back to my garage too and hook up some heat lampsQuote:
Originally Posted by zabooda
What's more important? The drysuit working or the motor working? Save it for a day or two! The water isn't going to warm up as fast as the air is. If you have no means to put heat of some sort under the motor box to keep the temp above freezing you're playing with fire.
Of course you could also run 15 gallons of antifreeze through your motor via a fake lake too if you want? :)
Depends how bad you want it! With a direct drive I would say no problem- engine is easy to access- use it, drain the block, drain the water pump, blow out the heater and transmission cooler, good to go. With a V-drive the access is more challenging but if you read over the winterization procedures and get 'er dry then go for it (don't forget about the ballast system). temps mid to low 20s I would definitely drain it or run antifreeze through it.
V-drives aren't really that much harder to drain than direct drives, you just have to step up and over into the locker.
I have had some oops nights in the fall that went colder than 20 and all was OK. I wouldn't plan on it but I think you'd survive one night at 25.
If you want to take it out, plan on draining it. It will probably take less than 30 minutes but give yourself an hour if you've never done it. It's easy as long as you know how to use a wrench and a screwdriver. If an hour of work is worth a day on the water, go for it. Otherwise wait a little longer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gregski
I think Im going to try and drain it afterwards, and put two heat lamps on the block. Im never drained it before, but assume it would just be remove everything that the dealership already had removed, that I put it back to run it. Drain plugs out, hoses disconnect, J hose disconnect, the put the two heat lamps on it.
If i was you GO FOR IT!!!
When you pull the boat out of the water while its on the ramp, fire the engine for a couple seconds, this will blow out the water from the impeller pump. It wont hurt running for a few seconds right after coming out from the lake.
Then pull each block drain and let that drain, have the boat on level ground.
I would leave the block drains out.
If you have a boat heater then pull the lower line off at the engine so it can also drain.
Then you can add the lamps or what ever.
I can't think of a reason to mess with heat lamps if you are going to drain it.
X2 to all of the above. It will get you to learn how to winterize the boat in the fall. Not difficult.
One more question, my parents are going to let me keep it in their garage which is insulated. Would I need heat lamps then? My dad says it stays pretty warm and says it won't freeze. Any suggestions?
If it stays warm then you wouldn't need anythingQuote:
Originally Posted by snyderaaron
I kept my boat in the garage all winter which is insulated. He in Georgia it got in the single digits several days in a row but never really got that cold in the garage. We keep all our bottled water and soft drinks in the garage and they never freeze. Of course I still winterized the boat but don't think it was as important as for you northern guys.Quote:
Originally Posted by snyderaaron
Sounds to me like you probably wouldn't need them, but if you have electric to it which it sounds like you do you could even just toss a ceremaic heater out there. Get a plastic water bottle and set it on the boat- if you come out in the morning and its liquid then you did good- if it's frozen solid on the other hand...