Freezing nights, but still skiing ?
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4700
Printed Date: June-25-2024 at 6:55pm
Topic: Freezing nights, but still skiing ?
Posted By: 79Tique
Subject: Freezing nights, but still skiing ?
Date Posted: September-04-2006 at 11:30pm
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I have a 79 Ski Tique with a Ford 302 Commander that I found on CC Fan this summer. I'm in Central Oregon and we have freezing nights with warm days in September. We are still skiing several days a week but the temps drop below freezing at night. I park my boat out side and am worried about freezing dammage. I have been dry starting the boat after I take it out of the lake just to flush out some of the water from the manifolds but I'm looking for any other ideas. Temps are getting in the 32-25 range just for a few hours each night do I need to be concirned? ------------- Work to live, not live to work. |
Replies:
Posted By: Tim D
Date Posted: September-05-2006 at 8:27am
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I know a guy who puts a light bulb under the oil pan, just like people do to keep their water pump for their house from freezing. With a car, which has a motor exposed to the elements more than an inboard, it takes several hours at 18 degrees to freeze a block. ------------- Tim D |
Posted By: The Dude
Date Posted: September-05-2006 at 11:03am
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I've dropped a trouble light in the bilge before. It definitely keeps the heat up, but I didn't sleep too well...would hate to see a fire start somehow. ------------- Mullet Free since 93 http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=717&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - 95 Sport |
Posted By: nates78ski
Date Posted: September-05-2006 at 12:58pm
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shouldnt worry about it if it's just a couple hours a night that it's below freezing, needs to be up to 8-9 hrs i believe for any real damage to occur. But like others have said, drop a light bulb under your motorbox for some insurance if you'd like.
Nate ------------- Nathan http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1463&sort=&pagenum=3&yrstart=1978&yrend=1978" rel="nofollow - My '78 Ski Nautique <a href="http://photobucket.com/Nates78ski" rel="nofoll |
Posted By: 79Tique
Date Posted: September-05-2006 at 2:46pm
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Thanks for the light bulb suggestion. I'll give a try on the colder nights.
Does any one know how well starting the boat out of water and running it a few seconds works to clear out water in the manifolds? Could I do dammage by doing this? ------------- Work to live, not live to work. |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: September-05-2006 at 2:56pm
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Running it for a quick second *might* not damage it, but it doesnt take long to fry an impeller. Theres really no advantage in doing so, as you wont remove an appreciable amount of water from your manifolds or block.
Like everyone else suggested, youre probably OK as long as you dont have several days of freezing temps in a row. Of course, it only takes a few minutes to drain the motor if it gives you peace of mind. ------------- |
Posted By: 79Tique
Date Posted: September-05-2006 at 3:05pm
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Thanks TRBenj thats the info I was looking for. ------------- Work to live, not live to work. |
Posted By: Tim D
Date Posted: September-05-2006 at 3:36pm
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The dry start is only going to blow water out of the exhaust between the elbow and the exhaust flapper. ------------- Tim D |
Posted By: The Dude
Date Posted: September-06-2006 at 12:26am
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TR: you're raising the bar of vocabulary use on this site with "an appreciable amount." Good thing guys like you are here to offset those of us who would say something like, "a bunch of" in that sentence. ------------- Mullet Free since 93 http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=717&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - 95 Sport |
Posted By: behindpropeller
Date Posted: September-07-2006 at 10:19am
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Just keep it in the water. The water will keep it warm.
Draining the whole engine is not possible, there are plenty of spots where water can pool. Tim |
Posted By: weitekampt
Date Posted: September-07-2006 at 10:06pm
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I bought a real cool set of valves that screw into your manifolds, block, and water pump J-tube. I bought them from ski-dim. They are great. Like the other guy said, it is impossible to get the water out of every crevice, but this should get the majority out of the manifolds and block. I am trying to rig up a way to easily pump antifreeze into the motor without making a mess. I am really wanting to pour just a tiny bit in each manifold and a 1/2 gallon in the block because we do ski into the fall too but don't want to do a full winterization. Gets expensive!
But check out the valves. They were about 50 bucks or so. Well worth it!!!! ------------- 1993 SkiNautique ProTec 2009 Boatmate trailer. 1240 hours on meter. http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1559&sort=&pagenum=2&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - 1993 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: ultrarunner
Date Posted: September-10-2006 at 12:48am
And burn up the impeller 
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Tim D wrote:Posted By: 79Tique
Date Posted: September-12-2006 at 11:26pm
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OK I'm giving up the dry start. I'll make sure there is not gas building up while the boat is off, and start using a light bulb on the colder nights. I can't leave the boat in the water at the public dock and I don't live on the lake.
Thanks everyone for the advice.  ------------- Work to live, not live to work. |
Posted By: jimbo
Date Posted: September-13-2006 at 3:39am
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On super cold nights (in Texas, dipping into the 20s, I've stuck a monkey light under the engine cover and never had a problem.
Lately I've been wishing for it to cool off 30 degrees or so 
OR is a great place to visit this time of year. |
Posted By: p/allen
Date Posted: September-13-2006 at 11:01pm
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If your curious to know what is going on put acup of water inside the engine cover somewhere and see what it does .
Pat ------------- Pat http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w146/72ccfan/100_5977-1.jpg - My 72 Skier Rock River Dixon,ILL. |
Posted By: 79Tique
Date Posted: September-13-2006 at 11:33pm
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Yeh OR is nice this time of year. It's starting to get a little cool (snow on our mountain pa$$es forcasted for this weekend)days are still warm enought to ski with a shorty though. ------------- Work to live, not live to work. |
Posted By: The Dude
Date Posted: September-13-2006 at 11:38pm
I'm ready for some cooler weather too. Spending the day in the boat on Thursday. Out on Galveston Bay. ------------- Mullet Free since 93 http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=717&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - 95 Sport |
Posted By: jbear
Date Posted: September-14-2006 at 10:50pm
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Dude: Know what ya mean....90's every day...sunny....little afternoon rain and then humid. Boy its tough here in FLA!
john ------------- "Loud pipes save lives" AdamT sez "I'm Canadian and a beaver lover myself"... |
Posted By: boat dr
Date Posted: September-14-2006 at 11:03pm
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La. about the same 90 in the day 70 at nite,will not winterize till dec.will pull the chute and ski till turkey day. Tim i always said and have observed 17 is the magic number,it will split a GM Vortec right at the balance shaft,manifolds are a little more forgiving.open the block drain valves,drain the ex. manifolds,dont take but a few min. and well worth the piece of mind,drop lites in the bilge,NOT IN MY BOAT,just drain the water,how hard is this.................. boat dr ------------- boat dr /diaries/details.asp?ID=4631 - 1949 Dart /diaries/details.asp?ID=1533 - 1964 American Skier |
Posted By: 79Tique
Date Posted: September-19-2006 at 12:25am
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Sept. 17th was our last day on the water for this season. I winterized the boat on the afternoon of the 18th, it was very sad it feels to early but the temps are getting cold (in the teens at night ).
Just want to make sure I did this right as this is my first Fall with the boat. I hooked water up to the pick up pump and ran the boat until it was at normal running temp. Then let it suck antifreeze until green was running out the tail pipes. I opened the block drain and made sure green was comming out of it too. Then I sucked R.V. antifreeze (pink stuff) into the bilge pump. Took the battery out and that's it. Is there any thing more I need to do? ------------- Work to live, not live to work. |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: September-19-2006 at 9:29am
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I hope you didn't use straight antifreeze and it was mixed. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: Tim D
Date Posted: September-19-2006 at 1:03pm
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Plain atifreeze will mix with water already in the engine. I use very little water mixture, then check the freezing point on that which comes out, but I run it/recycle until I get hot antifreeze. ------------- Tim D |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: September-19-2006 at 4:25pm
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not a very accurate method and you cannot depend on the mix being evenly distributed either. Personally it's not a very good way to winterize your motor and leaves a lot of room for the block to crack because it's not done right. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: Tim D
Date Posted: September-19-2006 at 5:49pm
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Yeah, 16 years doing it wrong and no problems. I check the freezing point of that which comes out dumba$$. Now I'm starting to sound like you. ------------- Tim D |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: September-19-2006 at 8:49pm
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i use to do some work for this marina in which they also stored boats in the winter and when it got real cold out early in the season the owner said he could hear the blocks snap if he was outside near the yard and he would just giggle knowing he had more work in the spring, i did a 2005 larson this year with 12 hours on it. even the manifolds were just about snapped in half. that was a 5k oops ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: The Dude
Date Posted: September-20-2006 at 12:46am
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I usually just pour a bit of brandy in the fake-a-lake and run it for a few minutes. Then I pour a little brandy in me, then a little more in the boat. One for me, two for her. ------------- Mullet Free since 93 http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=717&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - 95 Sport |
Posted By: 79Tique
Date Posted: September-20-2006 at 12:30pm
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My understanding about mixing the antifreeze is that you mix it with water because the antifreeze does a poor job of exchanging heat. In the boat it just needs to prevent freezing while the boat is is parked for the winter. I will flush it out next spring before the boat goes to the lake, the lake water will do all the cooling. Also I think straight antifreeze does a great job of lubercating and preventing rust. I know it must be mixed in a car for cooling reasons but does any one know a reason that it must be mixed in the boat for winterizing? ------------- Work to live, not live to work. |
Posted By: boat dr
Date Posted: September-20-2006 at 12:58pm
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79, that is a good question,the main component consists of Ethlene Glycol,this in itself will not freeze at any temp you guys have up there,we dont do any thing down here but drain,EVERYTHING,that has water in it,manifolds,coolers,risers etc. on the coast they fill the blocks w/anti freeze,but this is to slow down the rust monster,but he always wins.we only have fresh water this far up......... boat dr ------------- boat dr /diaries/details.asp?ID=4631 - 1949 Dart /diaries/details.asp?ID=1533 - 1964 American Skier |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: September-20-2006 at 2:44pm
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if your real cheap and want to save a buck or two use windshield washer fluid with a rust inhibitor...... i know guys that do eric ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: 79Tique
Date Posted: September-20-2006 at 2:52pm
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79Nautique said I hope you mixed with water and did not use straight antifreeze. My post above was in response to that. Is there a reason to mix the antifreeze other than saving a few cents? I also want to make sure that as long as I ran the motor long enough to open the thermostat that antifreeze is everywhere it needs to be. Any thoughtsd out there? ------------- Work to live, not live to work. |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: September-20-2006 at 3:38pm
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personally if you get the good premixed antifreeze from west marine, purple or green stuff your good to go, it's non-toxic, prevents rust, lubes and you don't have to drain it come spring just let it pump out when fogging and tuning up the motor for the season. Much easier then trying to get the mix right and I don't acgree that it won't freeze if used straight. Guess you could throw some in the freezer and try it out, if it gets slushy then it will freeze given enough temp. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: jimbo
Date Posted: September-20-2006 at 6:18pm
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We have this same discussion every year. If you are going through the trouble to add the anti-freeze, be on the safe side and mix it 50/50 unless it's the premixed or ready to use kind. It's easy. I leave the boat in the lift year round and don't do anything other than throw a light in the engine compartment if it's going to be below freezing for a couple of days. That doesn't happen that often here.
Antifreeze alone will freeze around 10F. Water of course freezes at 32F. As you mix the two, the Freeze Point drops until you have about 60% antifreeze/40% water. That's because of "hydrogen bonding". Or as one of my chemistry professors would say, the molocules holding hands...the water holds hands with the ethylene glychol. 
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Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: September-20-2006 at 6:42pm
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I sucks training the newbees every year, oh wait their not new,
Good info, wish I could get by with the light bulb in the motor box, you never know up north if it's going to be -10 for a week or 0 for the month. And the northeners across the border in the sticks, I can only imagine how cold and for how long it stays around, then again their boats are winterized already I guess. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: 79Tique
Date Posted: September-21-2006 at 3:00pm
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Wow, Thanks jimbo, so a 60/40 mix of water and ethylene glycol has a lower freezing point than just 100% ethylenr glycol. I had never heard that and am happy to know it. Thank you for the great explenation. I guess I need to drain and mix as I put in 100% antifreeze. ------------- Work to live, not live to work. |
Posted By: jimbo
Date Posted: September-21-2006 at 4:59pm
79Tique--depending on where you live, that might be a good idea. You might have problems if it gets below 10 F for a couple of days. At 50/50 you're good down to -35F. If you want to go through the ha$$le of mixing a 60/40 solution, you'll be good down to -65F. That's North Pole cold 
I'd just dump two gals of anti-freeze and 2 gals of water in a bucket and run it through the engine. By the way, don't forget to "fog" the engine, if you're putting it down for the winter. There are a number of post on winterization. Like I said, I don't do anything special. I seem to remember JIM in Houston posting something a couple years back about his method of winterizing. Involved hoping in the boat and cruising down to a beer joint I believe. |
Posted By: The Dude
Date Posted: September-22-2006 at 12:07am
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Jimbo, that is impressive info, but then you threw in the chart! That's strong.
JIH...that is killer funny. I'm glad you brought that up Jimbo. Jim, was that beer joint on Chocolate? ------------- Mullet Free since 93 http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=717&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - 95 Sport |
Posted By: jimbo
Date Posted: September-22-2006 at 4:29pm
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I guess I should give credit where credit is due. I got the graph from this http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF6/680.html - Article
Here's a couple of links on winterization: http://www.skiboathelp.com/tech/winterize.html - Ski boat help http://www.skidim.com/DIMwinterTechTips.htm - Discount Inboard Marine |
Posted By: 79Tique
Date Posted: September-22-2006 at 11:21pm
Now I'm fully living up to the "Newbie" title, what is fogging the motor? ------------- Work to live, not live to work. |
Posted By: jimbo
Date Posted: September-23-2006 at 1:36am
You wouldn't believe me if I told you! Click the Discount marine link above, then go to their site and look up fogging oil. 
I've never done it but I live where it's hard to breath after walking 1/2 mile in August 
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Posted By: jimbo
Date Posted: September-23-2006 at 1:45am
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http://www.skidim.com/products.asp?dept=1040 - FOG
I've also heard that it's wise to tape up the exhaust flaps so rodents don't set up shop. Down here, we just have to worry about: 
http://stephenville.tamu.edu/~fmitchel/insects/bymudd_s.htm - Click for Closeup |
Posted By: 79Tique
Date Posted: September-23-2006 at 12:24pm
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I see. Thanks for all your help jimbo. The temps end up getting down to zero once or twice a year in my area so I'll be putting in the mix, and it sounds easy so I'll fog too.
Thanks again. ------------- Work to live, not live to work. |
Posted By: weitekampt
Date Posted: October-04-2006 at 10:31pm
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does anybody else use the pink rv/boat antifreeze? I thought this stuff was designed for boats because it is safe for the environment. I sure don't mind using regular car stuff, but I hate dealing with it in the spring!
So is this pink stuff safe to use or not? thanks! ------------- 1993 SkiNautique ProTec 2009 Boatmate trailer. 1240 hours on meter. http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1559&sort=&pagenum=2&yrstart=1991&yrend=1995 - 1993 Ski Nautique |