Winter Conundrum With OB

[Bob&Jilly]

In order to drain the water from the OB it needs to be down all the way. It would appear that this would preclude one from leaving a boat with an OB in the water all winter. Am I missing something?

 

[Submariner]

In order to drain the water from the OB it needs to be down all the way. It would appear that this would preclude one from leaving a boat with an OB in the water all winter. Am I missing something?

When we had Channel Surfing moored in a wet slip at Port of Everett, whenever a cold front would move in, I would just drop the lower into the water for a week.

Port of Everett was also great about sending out notices to us tenants that they were shutting off the water to the dock (due to freezing temperatures) which was my cue to drop the lower unit into the water. Once it warms up a week or so later, I'd raise the engine up out of the water again.

For those that didn't live as close to the marina as we did, we knew our dock neighbors and I'd take care of their outboards as well.

Everett Marina Froze / Our Ranger Tug R27-OB frozen in 1/4 inch Ice

 

[Bob&Jilly]

When we had Channel Surfing moored in a wet slip at Port of Everett, whenever a cold front would move in, I would just drop the lower into the water for a week.

Port of Everett was also great about sending out notices to us tenants that they were shutting off the water to the dock (due to freezing temperatures) which was my cue to drop the lower unit into the water. Once it warms up a week or so later, I'd raise the engine up out of the water again.

For those that didn't live as close to the marina as we did, we knew our dock neighbors and I'd take care of their outboards as well.

Everett Marina Froze / Our Ranger Tug R27-OB frozen in 1/4 inch Ice

Thanks, My question is does lowering the motor into the water allow it to drain?

 

[Bob&Jilly]

When we had Channel Surfing moored in a wet slip at Port of Everett, whenever a cold front would move in, I would just drop the lower into the water for a week.

Port of Everett was also great about sending out notices to us tenants that they were shutting off the water to the dock (due to freezing temperatures) which was my cue to drop the lower unit into the water. Once it warms up a week or so later, I'd raise the engine up out of the water again.

For those that didn't live as close to the marina as we did, we knew our dock neighbors and I'd take care of their outboards as well.

Everett Marina Froze / Our Ranger Tug R27-OB frozen in 1/4 inch Ice

Thanks, My question is does lowering the motor into the water allow it to drain?

1.​

• When you tilt the motor all the way down (vertical position) out of the water, gravity allows water to drain from the lower unit (gearcase) and cooling passages.
• Water cannot drain fully if:
  
  • The motor remains partially or fully submerged.
  • There is ice buildup around the lower unit.
  • The boat is stored in freezing water where ice can block drain holes or crack components.

2.​

• Even small amounts of water in the cooling system or lower unit oil can freeze, expand, and crack metal parts.
• This is especially true if you're storing in-the-water in freezing temperatures and haven’t winterized the motor properly.

 

[Bob&Jilly]

1.​

• When you tilt the motor all the way down (vertical position) out of the water, gravity allows water to drain from the lower unit (gearcase) and cooling passages.
• Water cannot drain fully if:
  • The motor remains partially or fully submerged.
  • There is ice buildup around the lower unit.
  • The boat is stored in freezing water where ice can block drain holes or crack components.

2.​

• Even small amounts of water in the cooling system or lower unit oil can freeze, expand, and crack metal parts.
• This is especially true if you're storing in-the-water in freezing temperatures and haven’t winterized the motor properly.

 

[Submariner]

Thanks, My question is does lowering the motor into the water allow it to drain?

In the Pacific Northwest, lowering the outboard into the water will prevent damage from freezing. Everett is at the mouth of the Snohomish river, its brackish water. The ice that forms is the top layer of freshwater. Seawater freezes at 28 degrees. But even when it gets down into the teens, the seawater won't freeze.

Basically, the boat is sitting in a bath of warm water (warm enough, to stay above freezing). Plus, with our tides, the water is always moving which prevents freezing in our waters. We also spend most of our winter in the high 30's, low 40's outside air temperature wise. So a couple weeks here and there of sub-freezing temp's isn't really cold enough to freeze the engine with the engine down in the water. The seawater stays around 42-45 degrees.

If the outboard were kicked up, it holds water in the leg on the lower unit, water that can't drain out. If the boat were on a trailer, or otherwise out of the water with the leg kicked up, rain water can collect and fill up in the propeller hub. That could freeze and crack the lower unit.

The recommendation is the same in seawater or out of the water, store the boat with the engine down during sub-freezing temperatures.

Channel Surfing has spent every year, for the past 5, in sub-freezing temperatures, at least twice a season. She's been on a trailer at the Yamaha shop where I had to winterize her in the parking lot as a cold front came in of 15 degree temp that lasted over a week. She's been at Dagmars, out of the water on blocks, through subfreezing temps. She's been in a wet slip at Port of Everett with 1/4inch of ice throughout the marina that cancelled my winter crab season (can't move a boat in the marina with ice present). I always drop the engine down whether in the water or not, during sub freezing temp's.

Challenges of Winterizing: Dagmar's Frozen Boat Adventure

 

[Bob&Jilly]

I am in fresh water which may be the difference.
Thanks

 

[Submariner]

I am in fresh water which may be the difference.
Thanks

A freshwater lake would make a big difference. It takes time for a lake to freeze so I guess it would depend on what lake, and what is typical for that lake. I wouldn't moor my boat in a lake over winter where I knew it was going to freeze if the lake had the possibility of getting to be several inches thick.

If you're referring to a freshwater river, again, it all depends on the temp of the water. Moving water takes a lot longer to freeze than standing water.