Only thing I can add is if you leave your boat out side tip the engine down or put plastic over the prop. Water builds up inside the center exhuast of the prop. Can freeze and crack the lower unit.
I never start the engine after pulling out trim the lower unit all the way down and let drain. Keep a fuel treatment in the tank at all times.
One more question…. this winter I’m running a boat that has a Yamaha T8 kicker on it. What do you guys do with your kickers when it’s below freezing and you’re not going to use them. For example, you use the main motor to get to the fishing spot and then you use your trolling motor to vertical jig. The kicker hub seems to get splashed with water and tends to get a wave over it when you drop off plane. Do you lower your kicker into the water to keep the water in the hub from freezing or isn’t it a concern. Also, if you were to run a long distance with the main motor, I would think that any water in the hub or water pump of the kicker could freeze if it’s cold enough.
Just wondering what I should do this winter.
Thanks,
Boone
I would try West Marine or a Sailing Store. I think there is a West Marine Store in Minnetonka. I have a Mustang that I have had for ten years and it is still very warm and comfortable.
Thanks for the ramp advice. I am one of those guys that never thought of letting the trailor drain before pulling it out of the water. In the future I will let it drain.
I was out with Rickyfishes on Sunday, and did alright for the conditions we were fishing.
The question I had was is there any reason to be concerned when the “pee hole” for water freezes solid and does not allow the motor to circulate for cooling. I know the motor will problably not overheat with the amount of running we did, but can that damage the impeller, or water pump on the boat by spinning without moving any water? 
Cabela’s has a nice variety of battery tenders. You can spend anywhere from $30-$100 or more depending on your system. They work great. Plug your boat in and forget it. Make sure to keep an eye on the fluid levels and have adequate ventilation.
I love to play in the frigid water, but will have to settle for some redfish in the gulf this holiday season.
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is there any reason to be concerned when the “pee hole” for water freezes solid and does not allow the motor to circulate for cooling.
The water that comes out of the pee hole is just a visual indicator. When it freezes, water still circulates through the motor. It’s just the water in that small indicator tube that is frozen. No problem running it that way.
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What do you guys do with your kickers when it’s below freezing and you’re not going to use them
I go through the same routine with the kicker as I do with the main motor. Lower it all the way down to drain and turn it over a few times.
Jon, if the water isn’t coming out how can it be flowing? Isn’t the idea to bring cold water is and pump hot water out? I had a problem with sand clogging the discharge and the reduced flow caused the motor to overheat pretty quickly in the summer (learned the hard way). Maybe I just need a little clarification on this. 
The water is discharged through the prop. The pee hole is just an indicator that water has been pumped to the top of the motor. It’s only a tiny percentage of water moving across your motor.
-J.
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The water is discharged through the prop. The pee hole is just an indicator that water has been pumped to the top of the motor. It’s only a tiny percentage of water moving across your motor.
-J.
Up on Mille Lacs a few years ago, my 225 Opti’s warning horn went off when the pee-hole” was blocked with ice. There may be a pressure sensor in that motor that detects the amount of flow at a certain area of the cylinder maybe?
Although, my old EFI motors ran for several hours without any water pump stream coming out of the motor.
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The water is discharged through the prop. The pee hole is just an indicator that water has been pumped to the top of the motor. It’s only a tiny percentage of water moving across your motor.
-J.
Up on Mille Lacs a few years ago, my 225 Opti’s warning horn went off when the pee-hole” was blocked with ice. There may be a pressure sensor in that motor that detects the amount of flow at a certain area of the cylinder maybe?
Although, my old EFI motors ran for several hours without any water pump stream coming out of the motor.
I’ve had my motor’s pee-hole plug with sand twice and freeze once this year. Each time I ended up running my kicker to “limp” my rig back to the dock for fear I would melt-down the motor. 
I never thought posting this topic would provide so much valuable knowledge.
Thank you IDA 
As far as being plugged with sand, when it happens to us we, very carefully, push the bottom-end of a bottom bouncer into it. We repeat it as necessary until it starts peeing good again.
Thanks for the info guys 
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