Boating in cold weather

[ryanr623]

Is there any problems that could arise, boating almost immediately after the ice thaws? I would think that running 40 degree water through a 200+ degree engine might not be a good idea. The reason i ask, is because the dealership that i bought my boat from, wont deliver it until i have a test drive, and technician service checkout report in my hand (compression etc) Which I am definitely OK with, however they obviously want to do it right when the ice thaws. What do you guys think?

1991 Regal valanti with a mercruiser 4.3 v6

 

[Don S]

Re: Boating in cold weather

First, the engine should never be at 200? unless it's overheating, and it should have a thermostat in it to control the water flow.
When I lived in Alaska, the water was always in the 40's, sometimes in the 30's.
Not a problem.

 

[ryanr623]

Re: Boating in cold weather

First, the engine should never be at 200? unless it's overheating, and it should have a thermostat in it to control the water flow.
When I lived in Alaska, the water was always in the 40's, sometimes in the 30's.
Not a problem.

Yeah i didn't even think of people living so far north, they have no choice. Thanks as always for the response!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Boating in cold weather

Yeah i didn't even think of people living so far north, they have no choice. Thanks as always for the response!

Ayuh,... As long as ya Drain everything at the end of the trip,...

I've boated in Cold weather, in Cold water, where We were backin' the trailer in, to break up the near shore Ice...
Air temps in the Teens...

Worse yet is havin' to break the Ice around a hull at a dock, to play "Icebreaker" to get it on a wagon in November....
The last boat I hauled down from the River last fall, had 200lbs of Ice still on it when I got to the warehouse...
That was mid-Dec...

 

[ryanr623]

Re: Boating in cold weather

Ayuh,... As long as ya Drain everything at the end of the trip,...

I've boated in Cold weather, in Cold water, where We were backin' the trailer in, to break up the near shore Ice...
Air temps in the Teens...

Worse yet is havin' to break the Ice around a hull at a dock, to play "Icebreaker" to get it on a wagon in November....
The last boat I hauled down from the River last fall, had 200lbs of Ice still on it when I got to the warehouse...
That was mid-Dec...

Wow that's crazy. Guess I got nothing to worry about except locating the drain plugs! So used to draining my 120. Good ole service manual will come through for me as always. Being that after I take it out of the water, we probably will only have a couple more freezes, just draining it should be adequate, wouldn't you say? I don't think ill refog or run anti-freeze thru her.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Boating in cold weather

just draining it should be adequate, wouldn't you say? I don't think ill refog or run anti-freeze thru her.

Ayuh,.... Absolutely, Mine spent the entire winter, Dry...

 

[Brentathon]

Re: Boating in cold weather

We waterfowl hunters in the Northeast know all about boating throughout the winter.........in fact, I plan to take my boat out of the water this weekend.....It's a 40 hp Merc outboard.