Winter fishing

[Jakem]

I am curious to the potential damage if I take my boat to ocean and it's min 10 outside. My brain says it's a bad idea. Any input...302 inboard

 

[Jakem]

Thumbs up doesn't help much

 

[Scott Danforth]

you may freeze your bobbers off.

if the water temp was -10, you would need a chainsaw to cut a hole in it to place the boat in it.

however water temp is above freezing. other than needing to flush and drain quickly in frozen temperatures, you will be dealing with frost bitten fingers and your bobbers may freeze off.

 

[Scott Danforth]

your boat will be fine.

 

[Jakem]

Lol I agree on freezing the old bobbers off.

 

[aspeck]

10 minutes with an inboard shouldn’t freeze anything internal. But is the boat stored inside or outside? If outside or in a non- heated area inside and the temps are below freezing, do you have a place to quickly flush and winterize after use?

 

[Jakem]

I park it in a semi heated garage but it stays warm for sure

 

[dingbat]

Ran an I/O in my early years of Striper fishing.

Late December into January was prime fishing season. Water temps 3 to 5 degrees. Air temp -3 to -7 degrees.

Just opened the block drains at the ramp and let it drain on the 1.2 hour drive home. FWIW: Motor was still “warm” to the touch by the time I got home. Lot of iron to cool down

 

[Scott Danforth]

For years, I would pull the boat from storage every first warm day in March to get ready for the season. as long as the temp was 40F, we would splash and head to JJs in Sister Bay Wisconsin dodging ice on the way. Often pulling up on the seawall as the piers were not out yet. snowmobile suits needed as at 40F, 30mph on the water, the temp feels much colder than it is.

 

[aspeck]

I park it in a semi heated garage but it stays warm for sure

Then you should be fine to get her home and then flush as necessary. I have an outboard that stays in a semi-heated garage. I use it for hunting and fishing in the winter, sometimes breaking thin ice on the lake to get to where we want to go. When on the trailer I get as much water out as I can and then head for home and back it in the garage ... no problem.

 

[Scott Danforth]

maybe pick up this https://www.amazon.com/HWZZ-Underwear-Electrically-T-Shirts-Batteries/dp/B09LCKQNFB/

 

[Jakem]

Turned out a really beautiful day