How to keep engine warm during fall?

[Woodsprinter]

How do you guys keep the boat engine from freezing at lift with no electricity during the fall? I know people just put bulb light in engine compartment to keep engine warm. my problem is there is no electricity...

[TrickyNicky]

How do you guys keep the boat engine from freezing at lift with no electricity during the fall? I know people just put bulb light in engine compartment to keep engine warm. my problem is there is no electricity...

Just want to piggy back this topic. I'm gone for a week at a time too. When days are still upn at 10-15 but nights go down to the occasional -10, I still want to ride.

[rodman]

Are you talking fall or winter months? It will take that block a few days to get cold enough to crack if it gets around 30. If you are getting below 30 I think you should hang it up the winter.

If you still want to winter it out put drain plugs in each side of the block, and drain them every night. Without electricity you do not have much of a choice.

[Woodsprinter]

I want to extend boating season as long as possible.

[Woodsprinter]

My lift has solar pad with battery. Wondering if I can hook up the light with them?

[tvano]

it's only a 10 minute job to drain down the block.

you would spend 5 minutes rigging a drop light!

[Levi900RR]

Maybe get one of these and put it on a timer??

http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/12volvismoun.html

[99response]

it's only a 10 minute job to drain down the block.

you would spend 5 minutes rigging a drop light!

+1 drain it down each time, and 10 minutes is slow once you are in practice and have all the tools in hand.

-Chris

[Woodsprinter]

I actually don't mind to drain down the block. Please give instruction. just unscrew brass hex screw on both side? Do I leave them open till I use boat again?

Edited September 3, 2010 by Woodsprinter

[eyepeeler]

+1 drain it down each time, and 10 minutes is slow once you are in practice and have all the tools in hand.

-Chris

Drain your block each time. I couldn't sleep at night knowing that all that protected your engine was a lightbulb that could burn out any minute.

[tvano]

I actually don't mind to drain down the block. Please give instruction. just unscrew brass hex screw on both side? Do I leave them open till I use boat again?

check out this thread.

[electricjohn]

I actually don't mind to drain down the block. Please give instruction. just unscrew brass hex screw on both side? Do I leave them open till I use boat again?

There should be a knock sensor where you think these brass plugs are. Don't forget the about the exhaust manifold drain hose either.

[rodman]

I actually don't mind to drain down the block. Please give instruction. just unscrew brass hex screw on both side? Do I leave them open till I use boat again?

You can buy petcocks loin in a radiator and all you have to do is open them when you are done. the next time you use the boat just close them.

[JeffS]

Let the boat set in the water, just high enough to be secure on the lift when it starts to get cold - you'd be amazed how warm the water will keep the air just above the water's surface.

Even if the air temp drops to 28 or so, the water temp probably won't drop below 50. In the area a foot or 18" above the surface, you are not going to see temps below freezing that near the surface. It's a big giant bajillion gallon heat sink. On a lift, you are a lot safer than you might think. By the time the water drops below 40 or 45 - you're probably not going to ski anymore anyway, unless you have a heated dry-suit.

Consider pleasure cruisers, tugboats, sailboats and other vessels that sit in the water until the snow flies. They are safe because the water temp is more important to the ambient temp inside their hull than the air temp.

[tvano]

don't overlook winter-proofing your shower and heater, too.

[soft2]

don't overlook winter-proofing your shower and heater, too.

I've froze my heater core 3 times. Unlike the motor it doesn't have a lot of mass sitting low in the boat with an insulated cover over it. I've never found a good solution.

As for the block, It takes about 30 seconds to start draining - just turn 5 petcocks: one on each side of the block, one on each exhaust riser, and one on the large hose at the front of the water pump. Some people argue that you don't need to drain the riser because it will eventually drain down through the block but I'm not so sure. There are fishermen that do this every day all winter in places like Boston where it gets really cold.