How do I drain the water in my raised optimax 225s?

[dustydawg]

I have a 30ft Boston Whaler with 2 2002 225 Optimax outboards. It is moored just north of Seattle. The boat will remain in the water over the winter and will be exposed to occasional freezing temperatures. I typically keep the boat with the engines raised out of the saltwater. My concern is that the engines don't drain when they are raised. So...how do I handle this situation? Is there a way to blow or drain the water out while in a raised position? Or, is it better to drop the motors into the water?

 

[JUSTINTIME]

Re: How do I drain the water in my raised optimax 225s?

keep them in the water
the water will be warmer than the air

 

[dustydawg]

Re: How do I drain the water in my raised optimax 225s?

keep them in the water
the water will be warmer than the air

So...with this approach, I am assuming that the water inside the engine will drain to the level of the water outside...just keep them all the way down? I would prefer to keep them out of the saltwater for obvious reasons, but if I can't eliminate the water, then this is probably the only choice.

 

[JUSTINTIME]

Re: How do I drain the water in my raised optimax 225s?

yes water will drain to the level of water
u could always find a place to haul out and store
all the way down

i very sure the owners manual says this in the book

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: How do I drain the water in my raised optimax 225s?

be sure you have good anodes

 

[Dead Eye]

Re: How do I drain the water in my raised optimax 225s?

If I had that boat I would store it on land. Why do you want to leave it in the water? Are you using it year round?
Dead Eye

 

[dustydawg]

Re: How do I drain the water in my raised optimax 225s?

I may use it once a month if weather permits during the winter....also, covered slips are usually on a waiting list, so I hate to give mine up.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: How do I drain the water in my raised optimax 225s?

Well (if it survived our storm today that is!), my take is just leave them up. If the overpaid weathermen here in the PNW predict a cold night, just run down and stick them in the water for or day or two until the weather passes. If you want to leave them down, just run down there and get the scrub brush out at least once every 2 weeks. But as I have mentioned before here in other posts, our marina here in the south sound has probably 15 sailboats out there, kickers motors up year round filling up with rain, and never had a problem that I know of. It just does NOT get that cold above the 45 or better degree water, as compared to land. Sure ya get the cold breze, but I just don't see it as a problem. At least the 13 years I've been here seeing boats in the water