BigBendFishing.Net

Hi,

Kind of new to offshore fishing. I have a 115 hp 4-stroke and was wondering if I need to be concerned about the below freezing nights? I plan on fishing every 3 weeks or so through the winter so I don't need to winterize but I was not sure about the freezing factor!

Don't want to learn the hard way.

The only thing I can think of that you need to do is lower the motor completely when you load the boat on the trailer. This gets all of the water out of the lower unit exhaust housing. If the motor is tilted and there is water in the lower unit exhaust housing, and it freezes, it can crack the housing.

Ditto what TC said

TC- I share the same concern....

In addition to letting the motor all the way down, would it help to turn it over to kick out the rest of any stagnant water?

Do I need to cover the engine with a blanket on those freezing nights ?

If you covered it with a blanket, it would be a first.

On the nights that it will be 20 or lower, I clamp my shoplight to the lower unit with a 100watt bulb in it "same thing we used ta do when we had a water pump for the house"

Thanks for the help. I will do as recommended. Wish the wind would lay down, the grouper are waiting for me

WTFish -You and me both

Or......you could take it off and bring it inside, like some scaredy cats do their depth finders.

What I do and also tell customers is trim the motor all the way down and crank it up dont let it run long what it does is blows all the water out of the head water jackets etc it wont hurt water pump

Wlcome aboard Yamatech just how long is "not to long"? anything over 10 seconds is to long to me

I always trim my motor all the way down. Found out on a previous boat that leaving the trim up leaves the trim cylinders exposed and they can pit causing your trim cylinders to leak. When it is down they are protected.