Pool # 4 winter boat preparation

I am planning on taking my boat to pool #4 in the not too distant future, and I have a couple of questions that hopefully can be answered. I have been there many times just never when the temps are below freezing with my boat. First do I need to plug my livewell intakes? Second I was told that if the temp was maybe 20F or colder it is best to keep the motor running because it could freeze at, or just above the water line. Is that the case? I have been out there in others boats, and they didn’t block any intakes, but did leave the motor running. I did notice plenty of people that shut their motors off though, but it wasn’t that cold maybe 25F. Just trying to make sure I don’t do any damage. Boat is worth way too much to be stupid about something and break something. The other concern I have is that my Evinrude takes a long time to drain the water out of it when I pull the boat out and lower the motor to drain. It easily takes four times longer to drain than any of my previous Mercury’s or Yamaha. That I think would only be a problem if the temp was around 0 or colder, but I won’t be out in my boat if it is that cold. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Just take me along and I’ll make sure nothing breaks.

How about Thursday?

From past experience, having the ability to hose off your trailer and boat prevents the road salt from damaging every piece of metal prone to corrosian: think trailer jack, dings in trailer paint etc.Good luck and have fun!

Working Thursday dang it…so I’ll tell you what I know here…which ain’t much.

I’m not sure what type of boat or live wells you have but it doesn’t hurt to plug them. In fact keeping water out your boat is always a good thing.

Keep your motor in the water. When folks lift it up and out that leave freezing a good possibility. As far as running your motor the whole time, I only have resorted to that if I had a hard time starting it in the first place. Whatever water is in your “telltail” will thaw out sooner or later. If you have a somewhat newer Yammi, the warning horn is your main concern. That and keeping your hands dry. Stay away from minnow if possible, plastic are generally better this time of year anyway.
Get one of those fish holders from Dean. Yeah, I know they are made for catfish, but they work great for walleyes when you want to keep your hands dry.

Once you pull your boat out, and drain the trailer ect before going up the ramp, tip you’re motor all the way down.
When it slows to a trickle, head up to the bait shop and lower it down again before going in and have some coffee, left over cookie crumbs and tell Dean how you did.

By the time your ready to go, the motor will be drained completely.

Most pull their transom plug to just to ensure it’s dry.

What am I forgetting?

Wear your PFD’s and try the BK Semi Pro Electric Blue Paddle Tail.

Good Luck!

I like to turn the motor over too on dry ground just a few secounds spits any water out. Don’t use the live well other than a ice box! Make sure batteries are charged they drain much faster in the cold temps. I don’t like to go unless it is at least 25 with little wind or it makes for a not so pleasurably day. I will be down a few times next week i’m sure.

Temps hit the low 20’s a couple years back on our annual march trip, and had one recurring problem…..the MinnKota got frozen in stow position over night, and had to wait for some late morning warming, before I was able to break it loose. also froze once or twice during the day, too. Not sure how you combat that, except to dry the shaft off with a towel real well, right before pulling it in. Also took a few minutes for my V-max to start spitting water first thing in the morning…typically kept the boat in the water overnight, with lower unit fully submerged, but figure that the freeze in the line was somewhere above water level. And then there were the unpredicted snow squalls or snow-bursts right after dusk….better know the river well to get back to camp, and have that GPS in good working order. Spot light can come in handy too. All in all, though, most certainly worth the hassles, just be extra cautious in everything, to stay safe. Good luck…..wish I could go too

Just got back in from fishing most all of the afternoon. Didnt have any motor problems and I shut it off at every stop. Just make sure to let it warm up for a little bit before you take off at full throtle. As far as blocking off the intakes, that is up to you. If they are easy to just put a plug in them than i would do it, otherwise like on my boat I have screens and such making it hard to plug them. I have yet to do it over the course of the years and havent had any issues. Pull all plugs while boat is still on an incline and even dump a little rv anti-freeze into the livewell, and the back of the boat by the bilge pump or close to the drain plug.

Have a good time, and I will probably see ya down here!!

See you Thursday. Be sure to send your friend featured in your avatar over to say “hi”.

Jason I have fished by you a few times down there this fall. You were three way rigging, and I was jigging going the other way. If anyone fishing down there see me say hello. It would be nice to put a face with the names on here. I have a White and Maroon Ranger 621 with an Evinrude. Charles

Quote:

---

What am I forgetting?

---

Cookies for Dean.

I’ll be down mid-morning through dark. See ya’ there!

I like to have a torch head and a can of mapp gas in the boat. It has come in handy to help deploy the bow mount.

I’ve never had to resort to that. On the other hand, I may only deploy the troller once or twice a day….the rest of the time, it stays in the drink.

One thing that does help is to wipe the shaft of the troller with a dry towel when you raise it up. Cuts down on the ice that builds up between the shaft and the collar.

I have been to P-4 several times in weather as cold as zero, but the water temps have been no lower than 39-40 degrees. I think you pretty well have it covered. After pulling the boat out of the water, trim the motor completely down and run it for about 10 sec, let her drain. That is all I do with my FL 115 Yamaha. It would be a good idea if you could get your boat to a heated area when you return from the river to make sure everything does drain completely if you store your boat in an unheated environment for the balance of the winter.

A couple of armorall wipes and a few squirts of WD-40 or spray silicone Will help with the freezing problem. Also pull the troller so the prop is out of the water and let the water drain out before you click it into place. We’ve never had a problem with our merc starting, heck it likes the cold better then warm weather. It may not always “pee” but if its that cold the water running through the cooler will melt the ice in the line once it gets cold enough.

I for one really dislike starting the motor out of the water, impellers I don’t think are made to run dry, and it shortens their life, but I know lots of people do it. I actually raise and lower the motor all the way up and down 3-4 times and so far I’ve not had an issue ever with freezing anything, not to say I’ve done more than maybe 20 trips in wicked cold. YMMV

Actually the one thing I’ve overlooked in the past, that luckily hasn’t caused any problems is the water pressure and speed gauges, they actually run water all the way upto and behind the dash, I think in a perfect world I’ll cut into that line and install a “T” valve with a drain to make sure I can get all the water out of that line, I know I’ve froze it before on the water, luckily without a problem, I think raising and lowering the motor a couple times helps drain that line out. All that being said, probably just as easy to cap that line for winter, my water pressure has been great, and I only use my GPS for speed.

I leave the live well on recirc with some rv antifreeze, better safe than sorry. Fish go into the cooler or something other than the live well.

Keep can of deicer in the boat, spray the trolling motor shaft to prevent it from freezing up plus will unfreeze the thing when frozen up.

I’ve plugged the intakes on my Ranger. The cork from a wine bottle works perfect. (Rear transome below water intakes) You will want to plug the water overflow from the inside of the livewell/baitwell too. Use a standard transome plug for that.

-J.

Good tip on the de-icer. Have to put that on the list.

Quote:

---

I’ve plugged the intakes on my Ranger. The cork from a wine bottle works perfect. (Rear transome below water intakes) You will want to plug the water overflow from the inside of the livewell/baitwell too. Use a standard transome plug for that.

-J.

---

I allso plug all my intakes and outlets. For my screen inlet for my baitwells I picked up a second one that I coated with 3M marine silicone and install that one in winter. I dump RV antifreeze in my livewells and bilge to keep any water from freezing and cracking my pumps and valves. I just tilt my outboard all the way up and down 2 times and I am good to go.

Have fun

I knew I should have been a wine drinker Maybe I can finish off a bottle of Martell XO that has a cork in it. May be kind of a fancy cork to plug the intake on the boat though

Quote:

---

I’ve plugged the intakes on my Ranger. The cork from a wine bottle works perfect. (Rear transome below water intakes) You will want to plug the water overflow from the inside of the livewell/baitwell too. Use a standard transome plug for that.

-J.

---

Quote:

---

I knew I should have been a wine drinker Maybe I can finish off a bottle of Martell XO that has a cork in it. May be kind of a fancy cork to plug the intake on the boat though

Quote:

---

I’ve plugged the intakes on my Ranger. The cork from a wine bottle works perfect. (Rear transome below water intakes) You will want to plug the water overflow from the inside of the livewell/baitwell too. Use a standard transome plug for that.

-J.

---

---

That is one AWSOME cork… Just a note to remove mine in the spring I use a screw in type wine cork puller. I tap my corks in with a small hammer.

I didn’t see any info on oil injection problems. I burned an older Evinrude up because the mechanic said the oil gets as thick as tar and I ran the motor too lean. he suggested mixing a bit of oil directly into the gas tank. Does anyone here recommend it or do it? I really don’t want to burn up my new merc.

I run a full synthetic Amsoil in my Opti never a hickup. Full synthetics are much thinner oils so the pour point is lower so cold is not an issue with them.

I switched to the Amsoil synthetic as well. Lots of optis and HPDI’s running around all winter without a hiccup.

I run AMS too never an issue. You could also change the weight oil for winter. Most vehicals offer a winter oil atvs and cars too.

Good thread as I’m heading for pool 4 the 13th of March and I doubt it’ll be sunny and 60, thanks for the info.

I do have a problem though, I don’t think my favorite wine MD 20-20 has ever had a cork..???

Also I seem to have a pick up that dumps water into the live wells when under way, not sure how to plug that one.
Its on a Alumacraft 185 TS if anybody has figured it out?

Maybe a glob of silicone and pry that out when it gets warm??
Al

Quote:

---

Good thread as I’m heading for pool 4 the 13th of March and I doubt it’ll be sunny and 60, thanks for the info.

I do have a problem though, I don’t think my favorite wine MD 20-20 has ever had a cork..???

Also I seem to have a pick up that dumps water into the live wells when under way, not sure how to plug that one.
Its on a Alumacraft 185 TS if anybody has figured it out?

Maybe a glob of silicone and pry that out when it gets warm??
Al

---

Make sure the area is clean and you should be good to go. Don`t use the 3M marine silicone it is so sticky ( like glue ) you`ll be pikin it out for ever.

Allen, if it’s above freezing while your out fishing, just make sure it’s drained as soon as you get out of the water.

…and please drain boats and trailers at the end of the ramp in the water before pulling out. Saves Deans back from salting and chipping.