Spring time fishing question

[Achucker]

So the time of year is here where temps are nice in the day but the nights are still freezing. In years past I would park my boat in my garage and park my pickup outside. Past years I stored my boat inside a quonset for winter but lost that this year so I bought a takedown shelter from Menards and it stayed in that all winter. I would like to park it in there this spring but I have a question...

What do I have to make sure is done to get all water out of motor and live wells so nothing freezes without totally winterizing it and makes problems?

 

[KDM]

I'd put a propane heater (think ice fishing) in the shelter on them cold nights facing your motor. Should keep the motor and bilge pumps warm enough to keep the water inside from freezing. Don't use your livewell or baitwells until it's warm enough.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Nothing too major: 1. Tilt your motor down to drain water out of lower unit. 2. turn key to fire motor for a second just to empty the system. 3. Make sure live well is empty and run your live well pump to make sure it's mostly dry. 4. Obviously, pull your plug to make sure all water is drained from boat.

That should be about it.

 

[johnr]

Hookers and blow have always kept me warm on cool spring nights. Figure out how to incorporate that into your routine

 

[wildeyes]

Same as ahab said the only difference is tilt all the way up let sit for water to stop running out then tilt all the way down until water quits running out. Now the motor start and stop I've never did that and asking a boat mech. says not to do that because it wears the rubber water pump impeller more starting without being in the water.

 

[Achucker]

Nothing too major: 1. Tilt your motor down to drain water out of lower unit. 2. turn key to fire motor for a second just to empty the system. 3. Make sure live well is empty and run your live well pump to make sure it's mostly dry. 4. Obviously, pull your plug to make sure all water is drained from boat.

That should be about it.

Fire motor and run for a second or two?:;:huh

 

[Callem'In]

I also do as Ahab. There will be water on the impeller after you take it out of the water to keep it from turning dry (think wiper blade on windshield. I have never had an impeller issue since my first boat in 1995.

 

[guywhofishes]

Fire motor and run for a second or two?:;:huh

yep

 

[Captain Ahab]

I usually just hit the key and shut it off as soon as it fires. Impeller would still be wet.

 

[Velva_zv21]

Guy I know that is a well educated mech said firing it for 2 sec is really not needed.... just raise and lower is all...and your good to go

 

[guywhofishes]

Guy I know that is a well educated mech said firing it for 2 sec is really not needed.... just raise and lower is all...and your good to go

maybe

makes me feel better : )

 

[Lycanthrope]

I usually take 10 or so of the little handwarmer packets you can get for your pockets and tape them to the motor in random places, mostly on the lower unit and then take some bubble wrap or old blankets and wrap the motor up in that pretty good. Use duct tape or bungee cords to hold the insulation on.

 

[BDub]

Running the motor for a few seconds is ok. Running your boat in the Missouri is what wears those pumps out. Sand is evil.

 

[SDMF]

If it's not busy at the ramp, pull just out of the water, drop the motor, pull the plugs and wait until the dripping stops. If the ramp is busy, do the same on the 1st place you can find to pull over with the boat pointed uphill.

The problem is when any housing (engine, pump, etc) is FULL of water and the ice swells and cracks things.

 

[guywhofishes]

I usually take 10 or so of the little handwarmer packets you can get for your pockets and tape them to the motor in random places, mostly on the lower unit and then take some bubble wrap or old blankets and wrap the motor up in that pretty good. Use duct tape or bungee cords to hold the insulation on.

you had me at bungee cords

 

[SDMF]

I usually take 10 or so of the little handwarmer packets you can get for your pockets and tape them to the motor in random places, mostly on the lower unit and then take some bubble wrap or old blankets and wrap the motor up in that pretty good. Use duct tape or bungee cords to hold the insulation on.

You should train your Mexican Vanilla bees to deposit softener salt to keep the water from freezing and then remove the chunks after they absorb the water.

 

[buckhunter24_7]

You should train your Mexican Vanilla bees to deposit softener salt to keep the water from freezing and then remove the chunks after they absorb the water.

Maybe we can all go in together on a semi load of hand warmers from Canada and save some $$$

 

[Retired Educator]

67 years old and learning things in this one post that I never knew. How did I get so lucky all these years by just pulling to boat out of the water, pulling the plugs and parking it wherever I had a spot that was open. Have never parked a boat in a heated garage. Would if I had an open spot, but never had room. Call me lucky.

 

[shorthairsrus]

Suppose to be zero this wknd. Leave boat in garage and get a second extension on auger

 

[SDMF]

Suppose to be zero this wknd. Leave boat in garage and get a second extension on auger

Auger extensions are over rated.