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Posts: 80
Location: Waukesha, WI | This year I want to fish until the end of the season and want to winterize our outboard arfter the season closes. My dad wants to witerize the boat as soon as possible to prevent the motor from freezing and cracking. Our boat is not garaged, it stays outside for the most part. I was thinking that if I were to wrap blankets around the motor this will insilate the motor enough not to freeze and crack. I live in southern Wi so it doesn't get as cold as you guys in the north but does get fairly darn cold down here. Open to any suggestions to help me keep the motor from freezing. 
Mike Warren |
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Posts: 2091
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Simply make sure you fully trim it down after pulling the boat out of the water and drain all the water. Shouldn't have any problems then. I fish until I can't chop through the ice and have never had a problem. My boat gets put away the first week or so in December here in central WI. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | Change the lower unit lube NOW, and follow the advice above, then you can forget the blankets and fish until ice-up. Winterizing is for wussies, I think GregM used to say. m |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | Muskies Vs Mike, just make sure that the lower unit is drained after every use. Even if you have to wait at the ramp to do so. Don't wait till you get home as the water in the lower unit might freeze enroute to home. The blankets are worthless unless you are providing some heat, which would make no sense as I don't think you can keep it warm enough. You may not have to change lower unit gear oil if there is no water in it. Might be a good idea to check as the two ways you can crack the lower unit is by 1) leaving water in the water pump cavity & 2) water in the gear case.
Other than that fish till the season ends or the lakes freeze up.
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| I drop the motor at the ramp and let the water drain. Been doing that for a long time with no problems.
I fog the engine with a Mercury product and don't forget to add some Dry-Fuel to your tank so that you don't have water in the fuel next season from condensation.
READ YOUR MANUAL....there should be winterizing directions in there, if not, visit the makers web site and ask them what to do. It's the information age for crying out loud! |
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Posts: 5874
| Not a problem. I kept boats outside in the winter for years, and had no problem. Just make sure you drain all the water from the mootr(s) when you leave the lake. Trim the motor all the way down, and let it drain completely. You may also turn the motor over a couple times with the kill switch off. I don't recommend starting the motor for a moment, as you can damage your impellor, even in a few seconds of running dry. Make sure you run Stabil through the motor the last time out, and change, or at least check your lower unit lube. Make sure there is no water in there, or it will freeze and could crack your case. Fog the motor if it is an EFI or carbed. If it's a DFI, do whatever is called for. I never did anything but the stabil in my Opti. It was only laid up for a couple months, though.
I doubt the blankets will keep from freezin any water that may be left. Again, just make sure the motor is drained completely by trimming it all the way down. |
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Posts: 829
Location: Maple Grove, MN | Another good idea is to add a can of Sea Foam to your gas tank. Sea Foam does lots of good things for your boat like cleaning out any water, stabalizing the fuel, helps remove gunk from the piston walls, and helps keep injectors and carbs clean. I keep Sea Foam in all my motors all year including the snow blower, lawn mower, power auger, and, of course, boat motor. Just adding about an ounce a gallon to the gas tank can make life so much easier. Everything starts and runs so much better.
I have a neighbor of mine who would never put any stabalizer in his snow blower or lawn mower. Every spring and first snow fall he would end up taking apart carburators to clean out the gook. So I gave him a can of Sea Foam and haven't had to blow his driveway out since. It used to be fun hearing the colorful language though..... 
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Posts: 106
Location: Des Plaines, IL | Has anyone ever put oil into the cyliders? My dad did it to his boats this year, just seems like a big smoke cloud mess in the spring. |
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Posts: 880
Location: New Berlin,Wisconsin,53151 | Don't put the boat away if your going to fish until the end of the season. You should change your lower end lube if you've noticed any discoloration of the oil in past years when changed. The Extreme One had the lower end of his Merc. bust open from water in the unit. It can be very expensive to replace this unit if you get a hard freeze.
Bruce |
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Posts: 5
| Good points made here. Fish until you need the ice auger. Heck, on the Mississippi river they break 1-2 inches of ice at the boat landings to get to the river channel (however that's tough on the transducers).
Here's an additional comment on the lower unit. You can pull the bottom screw only and check for water. If there is water, then you need to drain it all out (pull top screw too) and see your mechanic to replace seals. Keep this in mind, oil floats on water. If there is water in the lower unit, the water will come out first. If you pull the bottom screw and you immediately get good oil, you are good to go, keep fishing until the cows come home....jim
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| someone mentioned a few years ago on bassboatcentral.com
he puts a sleeping bag or blanket around his lower unit. then, down each side, he runs a 60 watt bulb along the lower unit..turns on the bulbs... |
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Posts: 5
| That's a waste of time and energy. It takes seconds to pull a screw to see if you have water in your lower unit. No water, no problem. I check my lower unit during the first cold snap and then change the oil before I put her to bed for the winter. Keep in mind that the odds are much better that you will NOT have water in your lower unit, but it is wise to check it rather than have the water freeze and crack the lower unit housing which will cost a small fortune to replace. |
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Posts: 5
| In addition, that sounds like a fire hazard too..... |
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Posts: 929
Location: Rhinelander. | A magnetic engine block heater placed on lower unit will keep it safe also.I don't think its nessesary but know someone that does that and he has never had a problem.
Pfeiff |
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Posts: 5874
| Not sure how that magnet stays attached. Aren't the lower units cast aluminum?
As was mentioned, covering with blankets or heating is a waste of energy. As long as the lower is free of water, you should have no worries leaving it in the cold. |
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Posts: 80
Location: Waukesha, WI | Thanks for the replys guys, you've been great help.
Mike Warren |
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Posts: 96
| I run anti freeze though the water system and have never had a problem. I took an old garden hose cut 30" above the male end. Put this on the engine flush dog ears.
Put a funnel on the other end. Have some one turn the motor and run it until it runs green. This allows me protect my engine and run my boat throughout the winter.
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Posts: 80
Location: Waukesha, WI | Changed the lower unit lube tonite drained it for 2 hours and the pushed some air through to get almost all of a old lube out. Filled the motor back up with new lube and every thing seems well. The lube that Idrained came out as a off white color is this normal? Also if I want to run the boat a couple more times will I have to change out the lower unit lube again before winterizing for good?
Again thank for the replys
Mike Warren |
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Posts: 226
Location: W. PA. | Off white oil means you had water in it. Get the seals replaced before the season starts. I doubt you will have to change it again, but make sure to check it. |
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Boat Winterizing Dilema!