How cold before need to winterize?

[nipper]

It is supposed to get down to 33 degrees here in Indianapolis tonight, plus or minus a degree or few. I have a 1991 v20 cuddy with I/O. With temp. at/around 33 degrees, there may be a frost, but I would not think a "hard freeze." Should I be scrambling to get her winterized? Supposed to be in the upper 60's over the weekend and I would like to get her out for one last run down on the Ohio River.

[Destroyer]

Well, as we all know, water freezes @ 32F. So if it gets to that temp or lower you should winterize her OR warm her above that temp. Can you put her in a garage? How about a small electric heater? Remember, you don't have to get the engine hot, you just need to keep it above 32 degrees. Even one of those oil dipstick heaters truckers use should do the trick... If you drain your outdrive the only thing you have to worry about is the water in your block. (Unless you have fresh water cooling, at which time you need to find a way to keep that water above 32 also). Here's an idea....Since the whole thing is under the fiberglass engine cover, I would think that simply placing a small electric ceramic heater in the engine compartment should do the job nicely. Set it on low, put the cover down over it and let it run through the night. It should keep everything below decks in that area all nice and toasty warm. (I'm a firm beliver in the K.I.S.S. principal).

[RWilson2526]

If you are really worried about it you can also just stick a light bulb on a drop light under the cover. But I would think even at a few degrees below freezing over night assuming some 50 degree temps the day before you'll have to shed all the heat built up over the previous day and then will still need a fair amount of time to freeze solid.....you'll be fine. But like said if it makes you sleep better drop a light or heater in there for a a buck or 2 in electricity.

[Road King Cole]

Here is probably my wrong answer, take it for what its worth.

I keep anti-freeze running in mine, the only "freezable" water would be in the heat exchanger in which should be mostly drained, or I believe you could manually drain it as well.

I would think the temp would have to go well below freezing for awhile to cause problems with what little water is in the system, that is assuming you have anti-freeze in the cooling system.

Mine went below freezing last year before I winterized it and it was fine...

rkc

[phatdaddy]

when it gets below 75 degrees, we throw sweatshirts in the cabin.

[spareparts]

like I've said before, when we winterize, we switch from beer to burbon.

All seriousness, my old boss when I first started working on boats, told me to think about how cold it would have to get to freeze a bucket of water. He said to keep a 5 gal bucket of water on your porch, kick it each morning, the time you break your toe on it is the time your motor is frozen and busted. The point he was making, it has to get below freezing, and stay there for a while before it will freeze enough to bust a block, smaller items, like fresh water fittings and outlets will freeze quicker, but it still has to get below 32 and stay there for a while. Think about how long it has to stay below freezing for that bucket of water to freeze. If you are woried about it, the light bulb thing will keep you from freezing, make sure to use two bulbs, in case one burns out, and use incandesent, not flouresent or LEds, they wont make any heat( I've seen the results).

BTW, it was 82 and humid here today

[926bill]

Good post Nipper, I've been wondering the same thing. Up here on lake Erie some of the best fishing is yet to come. I live real close to the lake so it stays warmer longer but we still get frost. To the members out there, can I just lower the outdrive and drain and take the plug out of the back of the heat exchanger to drain lake water or just go to the light bulb for now? Thanks

BC