When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

baylake

Seaman
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
55
Just curious, at what temp or how cold will you stop boating? How cold a winter to winterize? If I keep my boat in garage, do I need to winterize? I am in South Texas and we don't get snow or ice that often. Thanks.
 

chriscraft254

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Jun 4, 2011
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2,445
Re: When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

Is your garage heated? Does it get down below freezing there? Snow or ice isn't what will freeze your motor. Temperatures dropping below freezing for long periods or dipping way below for just a day can all freeze the motor. If you keep it in a garage, I wouldn't worry to much about it, buy a portable heater unit and put it in the garage or open the home door to the garage if it gets real cold. I will be winterizing in my area at the end of november to mid december. Just remember that trailering it in freezing weather is a no no if it hasn't been winterized!
 

H20Rat

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5,199
Re: When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

what kind of boat? makes a HUGE difference for the right answer...
 

baylake

Seaman
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
55
Re: When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

what kind of boat? makes a HUGE difference for the right answer...
Bowrider with I/O. I am getting my first boat soon (used as taking advantage of off-season price) and newbie to this. The weather won't drop below freeze that often, maybe couple days for winter. However, since no one can predict the weather, if the motor is not winterized, what is the best temp measure to fight those days? Portable heater? Heating blanket over the motor? I guess that I will need one for the out drive too.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
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Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,657
Re: When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

I don't get freezing temps in my garage until the outside temp drops below 10*F

You should be fine if you keep your doors shut, yes, park the car outside for a night or 2 if you have to.

Lower the outdrive to drain the water from it.

Place a thermometer on the fender of the trailer and keep an eye on it.

If the thermometer gets down to 34 or so, place a small ceramic heater in the engine box, or a couple 100 watt lights.


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southkogs

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14,783
Re: When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

If you're able to store it in the garage, you might not have to worry about it that much in TX. Just make sure you get all the water out of it.

We freeze a little, but not consistently. I'll winterize within the next 4 weeks down here - BUT i keep my boat in the garage and really don't necessarily need to. There are folks down this way who run year round.
 

Bondo

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Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,464
Re: When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

Bowrider with I/O. I am getting my first boat soon (used as taking advantage of off-season price) and newbie to this. The weather won't drop below freeze that often, maybe couple days for winter. However, since no one can predict the weather, if the motor is not winterized, what is the best temp measure to fight those days? Portable heater? Heating blanket over the motor? I guess that I will need one for the out drive too.

Ayuh,.... It only takes once below freezin' to Destroy yer motor...

DRAIN the water out of it, 'n the temp becomes irrelevant, as Air don't freeze...
 

Philster

Captain
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
3,342
Re: When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

Personally, I could not sleep knowing the only thing between me and the loss of my engine was some type of heating device, be it a light bulb, portable heater or electric blanket. Well, the book of "How I Cracked my Engine Block " was written by some wise-as$ Floridian who carved out bad Karma by mocking northern boaters, so there's no shortage of people willing to take chances. I believe the cover picture is the author holding a heater that failed and a weather report that showed the low temp was 'only 33 degrees for the area'.

The number of cracked engine blocks from freezing because people depended on something other than draining the water = thousands every year.

The number of cracked engine blocks because people properly drained them = Zero
 

Maclin

Admiral
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
6,761
Re: When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

Any "Plan A" depending on electricity is flawed. Many time the first thing to go in areas that get a surprise freeze is the electricity. Also, people kick cords accidentally, switches and breakers get turned on and off, breakers trip because all of a sudden there is a heating device that puts it at the limit.

Plan A should be DRAIN it.
 

Bamaman1

Lieutenant Commander
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May 15, 2011
Messages
1,895
Re: When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

I'd at least drain the water out of the engine block. Just about every Mercruiser short block sold is because someone didn't drain their block--as they'll not wear out under normal service life.

I don't use deep cycle batteries if they're not on a trolling motor. I'm sold on keeping a Battery Tender hooked up all year, however.
 

baylake

Seaman
Joined
Aug 18, 2011
Messages
55
Re: When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

The common theme is DRAIN the water out. So, Is that a good practice to DRAIN the water out of engine after use every time? What is the reason to keep the water in even not during winter? Thank you all for sharing.
 

Bondo

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70,464
Re: When to winterize? Do you boat in winter?

The common theme is DRAIN the water out. So, Is that a good practice to DRAIN the water out of engine after use every time? What is the reason to keep the water in even not during winter? Thank you all for sharing.

Ayuh,... The topic here is Winterization, hence the call to Drain it....

I suppose you could drain it after each use....
Just donno why you'd want too...
 
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