I'm about to remove the VST on my Mercury 2008 60 hp 4 stroke EFI Bigfoot and I was wondering if it is necessary to drain it first. The service manual says to do so, but I have to remove the lower cowl first. I keep my boat on a lift and don't own a trailer. Most of the work I have done so far has been from sitting in a canoe tied to the stern. Using this method to remove the cowl doesn't sound fun. Can I remove the VST first and then drain it?
