Winterizing question / in salt water

[nwboater]

I have 25 plus years owning and maintaining diesel trawlers...but OB engines are new for me. My new to me TC255 is in a boat house...but the boat is too long by a couple of feet, so the lower units of my Suzuki 150s are exposed. How best to protect from freezing when moored in salt water? (I will be away from home for next 4-5 months).

I read on the forum where one owner pulled garbage bags over the lower units/props then lowered the motors down to their upright (running) position. I have flushed both engines but can not be 100% certain that some residual water remains. Any suggestions will be appreciated!
nwboater@whidbey.net

 

[Peter & Judy]

Personally I would not store my boat in the water for the winter. if you have a trailer, park it on land and avoid the damage that could be caused by longterm storage in salt water.

 

[T.R. Bauer]

You can do what you say if you want. But, if you walk the harbor in Homer or Seward in January, you will not see garbage bags around the engine lower unit with it sitting in the water. They're pretty much all up and out of the water. I use my boat in the winter months and after the outboards have drained and the boat is secured to the dock, I just tilt them up and walk away. If I'm going to be back in a couple hours, I don't even bother tilting them up. I've never had an issue. Your mileage may vary.....

 

[ssobol]

Potential issue will storing the motors tilted up and uncovered is that water can get into the passages in the lower unit (e.g. from rain) and freeze and crack things. The hub of the prop is also the exhaust outlet.

 

[tsturm]

You can do what you say if you want. But, if you walk the harbor in Homer or Seward in January, you will not see garbage bags around the engine lower unit with it sitting in the water. They're pretty much all up and out of the water. I use my boat in the winter months and after the outboards have drained and the boat is secured to the dock, I just tilt them up and walk away. If I'm going to be back in a couple hours, I don't even bother tilting them up. I've never had an issue. Your mileage may vary.....

32 degreeze F. or below, I leave the lower unit in the water, it sits in the homer harbor 10 - 11 months a year. YMMV! :thup :thup

 

[T.R. Bauer]

You can do what you say if you want. But, if you walk the harbor in Homer or Seward in January, you will not see garbage bags around the engine lower unit with it sitting in the water. They're pretty much all up and out of the water. I use my boat in the winter months and after the outboards have drained and the boat is secured to the dock, I just tilt them up and walk away. If I'm going to be back in a couple hours, I don't even bother tilting them up. I've never had an issue. Your mileage may vary.....

32 degreeze F. or below, I leave the lower unit in the water, it sits in the homer harbor 10 - 11 months a year. YMMV! :thup :thup

You can do that and as you know from just walking the docks that is not the most common practice. I always worry about the harbor pan ice creating problems, but I know that is a rare occurrence. I have been told by many that if you do tilt the engine up, it is imperative that the lower unit is not higher than the powerhead as water. I can see why. I prefer storing them down as the manual says, but I have stored up and down at the harbor in the winter. As long as they drain, it probably doesn't matter. Yup....YMMV

 

[gabi_ross]

You can do what you say if you want. But, if you walk the harbor in Homer or Seward in January, you will not see garbage bags around the engine lower unit with it sitting in the water. They're pretty much all up and out of the water. I use my boat in the winter months and after the outboards have drained and the boat is secured to the dock, I just tilt them up and walk away. If I'm going to be back in a couple hours, I don't even bother tilting them up. I've never had an issue. Your mileage may vary.....

32 degreeze F. or below, I leave the lower unit in the water, it sits in the homer harbor 10 - 11 months a year. YMMV! :thup :thup

Guys, I found a life hack for myself: I measure the water temperature with an ordinary kitchen thermometer of this type https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-be...ope that my philistine idea can help someone)

 

[Schuster]

I like the idea of putting plastic bags over the lower units to keep the sea growth off while they sit in the water protected from possible freezing. That however doesn't help the rest of the hull in the water. I personally put mine on a trailer for the winter. I don't like leaving the boat unattended in the water for any length of time as one never knows what the weather will deal out. I remember a few years ago it snowed hard and brought down the marina roof, so you never know. I guess that's why we carry insurance.