Winterizing/Cheating a Little

[texsun]

I have always winterized completely before the first freeze in North Texas. My son is more and more the fisherman and we have a '96 Larson 174Sei w 3.0 VolvoPenta. I still plan on winterizing before first freeze but there are some pretty decent days in December and February to fish. Would it be adviseable to use the boat say on a 60 degree day and then come home and only pull the hose off the seawater pump and open block and exhaust drains? I would like to take him out but I'd like to not have to pull all the hoses as I usually do if it's not required. I guess I'm asking what's minimum requirement. <br /><br />I appreciate the Help!<br />Mark

 

[rbezdon]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

fine as long as you have gotten al of the water out if it gets below 32. Most of the guys here seem to like dry winterizing better any way. Lets face it, most of the stuff dome for winterization is either yearly maintenance cause it is a convenient time to do it or for long peiods of non use. The one thing winterization is REALLY about is preventing damage from water in the cooling system from freezing. If you get the water out your fine for a while, just make sure you get the points drained to accomplish this for all of the parts, poser steering cooler, hoses, lower unit water hoses, manifolds, what ever you have that has water in it.

 

[Don S]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

All you would be doing is protecting your engine from freezing, winterizing is the whole process of preparing the boat for long term (Winter) storage. People do it all the time. Just drain the engine/manifolds & accessories after use, and your all done till the next time you go fishing.

 

[garycinn]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

Since you will probably be using less fuel, put some gas stabilizer in during those months.

 

[mkast]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

I'm a real fan of using one or two 100 watt light bulbs in the engine compartment. Does North Texas have brown outs?

 

[texsun]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

Roger on the fuel stabilizer. No brown outs here & most winters are pretty mild. Mkast do you put light bulb/drop light on a timer and just leave it in the engine well or put in in there on the coldest nights? I've also seen some post about putting electric blanket in the engine compartment.

 

[mkast]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

Nothing as high tech as a timer, I plug in or pull the plug as I pass the boat.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

Do you have to worry about freezing in Texas???

 

[texsun]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

Late December,January,& early February make me worry. I guess I'm concerned any time the weather forecast is 35 degrees or below. I just enjoy my boating time so much that I don't want to mess it up if possible. I know some of you are going THIRTY FIVE. Dallas has got a lot of good weather and just a little cold/cool. <br />I appreciate all the help!<br />Mark

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

if you are worried take a 55 gal. drum and put it on a roll around wheeled dolly. Cut it down so the top will clear the sterndrive bottom when it is fully up. Lower the drive into the drum. add enough water and antifreeze ( 50 / 50 ) to cover the water inlet holes of the lower unit. Start and warm up the engine to normal temperature. Stop the engine and raise it up again. Move the drum out and put a CLEAN 5 gallon pail under the unit as you lower it. It has worked for 40 years in freezing NJ. ANY liquid in the block is safe as Hell. Don't touch anything on the hoses or thermostat. The drum solution protects everything in the engine. IF you have a seperate raw water pump pickup on the boat bottom. Do not use this system---------This system also works on outboards. Same way.

 

[Don S]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

My Gawd cyclops, he only wants to keep it from freezing. Air doesn't freeze and break blocks, draining is less work, and he can drain the system in a few minutes. Then when the next weekend gets there he can go fishing or boating without gallons and gallons of antifreeze every where. Besides, if you have a raw water cooled engine, the chances of your method working is only about 50% effective. <br />Check out all the posts here, then next spring check out all the "Cracked Block" posts that have used your same method. <br />I'm not saying your method doesn't work, it just doesn't work all the time.

 

[gregintexas]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

To Texsun:<br />Hey, I am in Carrollton as well and would love to chat and compare notes. Shoot me an email at txstars15@hotmail.com<br />Cheers!

 

[texsun]

Re: Winterizing/Cheating a Little

Thanks gang for the ideas/input. Although I wish some days I had the 4.3 I'm pretty lucky that the 3.0 is very easy to drain the block & manifold & seawater pump. I think, if that is sufficient, I can handle that. <br />I'm looking forward to enjoying a few extra days on the lake this fall/spring.<br /><br />Mark