How cold is too cold for a boat?

[SM]

The next couple of days will see overnight temperatures as low as 15 degrees fahrenheit, the lake temperature is high forties. How cold is too cold to leave my boat in the water? In the past, I've left it in when the temperature has dropped to 25 overnight with no problems. Anyone have experience with colder temps?

[Boody]

SM,

We installed drain cocks in our lake boat, so we can leave the boat on the lift all year.  Takes just minutes to drain the engine, no more worries.

 

 

[Tuney]

I'd say definitely drain the engine. I've had a block freeze and crack on me at -5C which is warmer than what your expected low is. If you have a heater in the boat it might be a good idea to blow that out too - those can be damaged more easily than the engine

Some things you can do to prevent freezing is stick a shop light in by the engine to keep the heat up on those nights where it is going to drop a little below freezing. 

[Andre]

Is your boat at lake Louisa?

That.s a colder area then Montreal.Mine is still in and all i do is run the engine at temp in the evening to get the block warm.No problems so far and the block is still a bit warm in the morning.

Is that your new to you Malibu?

[SM]

Thanks for the advice, the shop light sounds like a good idea and it's something I can get someone else to do as the boat is an hour away from here. I'm pulling the boat out this week-end and will drain and winterize it then. The weather just turned unexpectedly cold and caught me off-guard.

 

Yeah André, that's the Louisa boat. It gets a lot colder there even though it's only an hour away. The "new to us" Nautique will be kept in the city, so you can come and ski with us next year. Sorry I didn't make it out to you this year, work is stupid.

[SM]

Hey Boody,

When you drain those plugs, do you also drain any hoses, like the one connected to the impeller?

[RichardDoane]

Make sure you pump out the shower as well.  We also put flush tees in the heater hoses, that way you can remove the caps, pinch one heater hose, and then blow out the heater core so it doesn't freeze.

[SM]

I think I'll be chipping ice off the balls before I ski this week-end.

[Deke]

Richard, can you explain the flush tee thing a little more? What parts do I need and how to do it?

-Deke

[Andre]

Scott

 Have someone run the engine tonite.Winterize mine late PM today and the engine was still warm from running it last nite...Is it on a lift?

Light bulbs do burn...

Suppose to get to -9 or -10c in your lake area...

 

[SM]

The boat's in the water which is probably better than on a lift. I think the bulb should be fine for two nights. Thanks.

[RichardDoane]

Most boats have 5/8" heater hoses leading from the engine to the heater.  We usually find the most convenient spot in the bilge to cut the hoses and install the flush tee's.  When it's time to drain, remove the caps, and  attach a garden hose repair adapter to one of the tees, and with about 2' of hose attached to it you can easily blow out the heater core.  Just pinch the heater hose between the tee and the engine as you begin to blow, so the air you blow goes forward through the heater core.  As soon as you start blowing, the water from the core will exit the other tee.  Pretty soon it'll just gurgle and you know you've got enough air space in the core to prevent rupture in case of freezing.  Not the BJ we'd all like to get, but my Mastercraft seems to enjoy it.

[Thomas Wayne]

Up here, where it actually DOES get cold in the winter, we go a little farther.  We drain the block and the heater lines, then pump RV anti-freeze into the heater core.  We also pull the top header hoses and pour a little RV anti-freeze into the manifolds, and the last thing we do is run the engine for a minute or so with the raw water pickup hose stuck in a bucket of RV anti-freeze.

No cracked blocks for us, thank you.

TW

[Marco]

We do the same as TW, but I take it one step further.  After I run the pink antifreeze through the engine, I drain it out again.  It has done it's job of clearing any water from the engine. 

Although the RV antifreeze claims "burst protection" to minus 50 F, the MSDS show a freeze point of 9 deg F.  I know that at that point it only begins to turn to slush, but with occasional temps dropping below minus 20, I opt to drain the antifreeze as well.  I know it is overkill, but it gives me peace of mind.

For the heater, our Malibu has a supply and return hose from the block to the heater.  I just disconnect both hoses from the block, blow into one, and the water comes out of the other.

[GAJ0004]

If it is early or late in the season I drain the block if I think it will drop below 40 degrees when the boat is not in use. If it starts to drop below 40 degrees, she gets put to bed... My boat will get winterized this Sunday before the Steelers, Browns game. GO Steelers! 

[robscholl-OF]

I just back my boat into my heated garage and call it good........

[SM]

A long time ago I left my boat in our heated garage. I went to Florida for a couple of weeks and came home to find out about an ice storm, power failure, and cracked block. Granted at this time of the year it's not an issue, we now always winterize the boat regardless of where we leave it. I'm on my way to the cottage now to pull out the course and the boat. We winterize it but typically we'll still put it in for the day right up until December. It's a hassle, but safe.

[robscholl-OF]

I was just being a smarta##.  Up here in the Seattle area, even if power went out and all, my garage would never get cold enough to freeze.  The real reason I don't winterize is, I don't stop skiing.  If it is 45 or above and not too much rain, we ski.......

[Agustafson]

Local Lurker here, Just wanted to mention that richarddoane installed the super easy and fast drain plugs to my Malibu last year!! Takes me about 3 minutes to drain everything and the install is super clean looking! I love that it gives me that piece of mind at night or if I'm away from home traveling that my boat is good to go for the next rip! Thanks again Zippy!

Now that summer is over in the NW I want to get out and ski more than ever rain rain go away.... AG and yes RADAR does ROCK!

[SM]

Just a follow up, the shop light in the engine box seemed to work. (Thanks Tuney) The temperature up there hit -9c one night and all was well. My buddies paddleboat was filled with pretty thick ice so it was definitely a risky situation to have done nothing. This coming week's forecast is to be warm day and night and I was tempted to leave the boat in but I'm more comfortable knowing it's in the garage.

 

Thanks again for the advice.

[robscholl-OF]

Hey SM, Overtons and other boat places like them, sell what is called an air dryer.  It is a metal box with holes in it and a heating element in it.  It works real well in the motor box and under the dash where heater core is.  The good part is it will never burn out like a light bulb, so as long as power does not go out, it will never fail.  I also use it to dry my boat out.  It works great and will never break. 

[SM]

Sounds good, I put my boat away wet, that would be useful. Thanks.

[thager]

I use a magnetic auto block heater when the temps are forecast to go below 32 degrees. Just stick to the oil pan or block and run an extention cord to the electrical source. Cost me about $ 20.00 at Auto Zone a few years ago. Gets me to Nov 1 in MN. On Nov 1st boat gets winterized and put in the shed.

[SM]

Does that heater create enough heat to protect the exhaust risers as well?

[RichardDoane]

Exhaust manifolds are usually the first to freeze, because of their exposed position.  Put a balance hose kit between the two, or drain valves for easy draining.  At $400 a side, you don't want to risk it.

[Boody]

Anyone dealing with the knock sensor on the sn196? I am going to try and put a t valve on it with a drain.

[RichardDoane]

We've been installing drains in the block holes where the factory mounts the knock sensors for years.  Just put a brass "T" so that the sensor sits on one end, and the drain on the other.  It's never affected the runability of an engine's F.I. system.

[thager]

SM,

 

Not sure about the exhaust heads but have not ever had a problem in 20 or more years. It warms the block in an enclosed space. Won't break like a light bulb and puts out more heat. I always watch the wx forecasts. The heater is fine for overnight drops below freezing. I'll tolerate mid 20's for a few days and leave it on the whole time. If I see an extended period of freezing temps I get the boat out.

[usaski1]

Anyone have or have knowledge about boatsafe heaters? Boatsafe says the 250w is good if its in the water, not good on the lift.  In central Texas, we got down to 13 deg. last winter. Though always breaks freezing during the day.  Think the 250w would be enough? Is the magnetic autozone heaters afe in a boat?  Not worried about power blips, as thats what they most are, Just blips. The lightbulb, that I've been doing for years works, but scares me.

 

[Dusty]

La Nina is coming...winterize the boat and wax your skis soon!

[RichardDoane]

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_I-Kt0bXum5I/TOv7aeb5X9I/AAAAAAAAAvs/VP_d71mkQtc/s800/MC.Winterize.jpgFrom Ski Buddies

 

It's never too late to winterize your boat !

[eleeski]

Is that what happens to your boat if you let it get too cold? I thought you had a 2010 MC.

Eric

[RichardDoane]

I used to own this boat back in 1992, it was my first MC

[eleeski]

Cold causes time warps? I didn't think it got THAT cold in Seattle!

Eric

[kona]

 

A few years back someone didn't get their sail boat out in time.  It stayed in the harbor all winter.

 

 

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn55/rjb427/sailboat-2.jpg?1290607391http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn55/rjb427/sailboat-2.jpg?1290607391

[wawaskr]

Isn't that Rick's '89 MC?  I skied behind that at Menzel day before Halloween.

[RichardDoane]

it is, he brought it up Tuesday am, but I owned it until 1995. I hope the engine and heater core are ok, it got pretty cold this week

[Agustafson]

Richard you should install the quick drain kit in that boat!! I love mine takes 2 minutes and saves me $$$ every year from having to take it to the dealer.. What's Menzel lake and where is it in WA? Decided to pass on skiing this week since the lake started to freeze, maybe this weekend!

[GAJ0004]

In Pennsylvania I put my boat away at the end of October. I like to have it winterized and dried out before the snow flies. November in PA can be like spring, or winter, very unpredictable.  You want to keep your bilge dry during the season too. It will save you lots of money on steering cables. By then the weather is to unpredictable to risk leaving the boat out in the cold. I may miss a week of skiing, but by then the water is getting down into the upper 40's where it is not enjoyable to ski anymore. If it is still out on the lift, I drain the block when it gets below 40 degrees, just in case the temp does drop enough to freeze at night. The exhaust manifolds are more likely to crack first. The first month in storage it sits in the garage engine cover open, and all the panels removed and open along with the plug pulled. The garage is insulated, and gets heat from the furnace, dryer vent, and hot water heater exhaust pipes running across the back wall from the house. It stays around 45 degrees most of the winter. I am very particular about my boat maintenance. I have had some people think I have fuel injection. Mine has a carb. It still looks and runs like a new boat. I have 1580 hours on it. I keep a close eye when things start to drop below 40 degrees..