Weird winter storage question of the day

[ricohman]

My boat has been winterized (4.3 i/o) but I cannot put the drive down as it is being trucked back to the factory for a repaint. And they are not taking the trailer.
It has been getting cold here (-16) at night and it has snowed/rained.
With the drive being up, is there a chance of snow melting and filling the drive throught the prop? Then freezing and cracking something?
If my boat is still at the dealer, should I go a tape the exhaust outlet on the prop shut?

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Weird winter storage question of the day

Yes, it is "possible" that water could get trapped and freeze in the prop (it's unlikely to make its way into the drive though), and people do leave drives up without problem.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Weird winter storage question of the day

You can run the drive down, so it drains out the water, if any, and then run it back up, and put a trash bag over it. Also I would have not left the prop on anyway, I always take my prop off for inspection of the seal, and relube the splines.

 

[ricohman]

Re: Weird winter storage question of the day

You can run the drive down, so it drains out the water, if any, and then run it back up, and put a trash bag over it. Also I would have not left the prop on anyway, I always take my prop off for inspection of the seal, and relube the splines.

I lubed the splines and reinstalled the prop. Starcraft said to leave the drive on. I was going to remove it and keep it in my shop but they told me not to bother.
I called the local dealer and he said he will put a cover on it before it leaves. But in all his years doing this he has never seen anything cracked from a drive being up. But he did say rodents like to crawl in and nest so a cover is a good idea.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Weird winter storage question of the day

But in all his years doing this he has never seen anything cracked from a drive being up.

Sounds like he has limited experience then. Better beware.

My neighbor had his boat shrink wrapped by a local dealer and they didn't cover the outdrive. They pulled the battery, so he couldn't lower it when he got home. The telltale big spot of oil on the driveway next spring was proof that he needed a new outdrive. The dealer replaced it for him, but not without a lot of complaining. That same dealer cracked the block of another customer the year before.

 

[theBrownskull]

Re: Weird winter storage question of the day

Take a heavy duty garbage bag and tape it on and use zip ties also for extra hold during the trip.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Weird winter storage question of the day

Take a heavy duty garbage bag and tape it on and use zip ties also for extra hold during the trip.

+1!

And also pour a jug of RV antifreeze in there to Flush Out/Dilute any water that may already be in there.
Better safe than sorry. Cheap $5 insurance.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Weird winter storage question of the day

ya could just pull the drive off. it's not to hard to do. store it inside. know it won't be stolen. do your pm, check for water intrusion, check gimble brg, grease ujoints if necessary, lub coupler if necessary, check for spline wear, check alignment, etc..
ya can then do your pm on the drive at your convenience over the winter layup. new impeller, R&R gear lub, etc.
my self, i would be concerned about up in the winter. i see them do it at the local marine shops, but i think it's a bad idea.. it gets plenty cold here too. -10*F or less is the norm here in dead winter.
there are alternatives...