Leave leg in the water or out?

[LouDogII]

I'm a new boater. I have my boat in the water at a marina. I've got a Mercury outboard (1998, 115hp, 2-stroke, 2 by 2)and I'm scared to raise it out of the water without a fresh water flush. I've heard different opinions as to what I should do..I'd like to get a consensus from you guys.

Do I:

1. Leave it in the water and change the zincs more often.
2. Raise it and flush it. (Can I do this with the motor raised? I have access to fresh water and I have a flush clamp...I just don't know if it's okay to run the motor raised up!?)
3. Raise it and periodically drop it and let it run to prevent the seawater from drying and plugging up the cooling system.

I work out of town and I'm only home every other two weeks. Is it okay to leave it up out of the water for two weeks at a time?

Along the same lines, how often should a fibreglass hulled powerboat be pulled out of the water and cleaned? Is there a product that lengthens the intervals? A special wax, etc?

Thanks in advance for any help.
Scooter

 

[Mr. Dean]

The primary reason of raising the motor is to prevent marine growth, barnacles ect. inside along the cooling system. My advice to you would be (seeing that it's left for extended periods) would be to raise and flush. This should have no impact on the motor as long it has a steady feed of water at the intake.

As for the hull...You really should look into bottom paint or at the very least pull it out every two weeks when you get home and pressure wash the bottom side (might as well leave it on the trailer then). If it were mine I'd paint it. You can do a search on this site for bottom paint to get more info.

Hope this helps.

Some like it rough...
Others just puke!.
Mr. Dean

 

[Kisinana]

Definitely raise the leg. Since it is in a marina there will be all kinds of electrical distortion going on and this will corrode the leg. On the back of my 1998 135 V6 Merc there is a fitting to connect a garden hose directly. It is right beside the small hole that shows you have water running through the block when running the motor. By connecting a hose to this port it will backflush through the manifolds and out through the leg. Not quite as good as putting the cups over the intakes and running the motor but almost. Beauty of using the hose port is that you do not run the motor while doing it.

On the second topic of waxing, I use 3M marine wax and gel coat cleaner. I get a full year out of it and I do use my boat a lot. I probably could go 2 years but I have a heated garage and it is a good winter project.



Edited by - Kisinana on 04/27/2005 15:40:22

 

[LouDogII]

Thanks Mr. Dean and Kininana, I'll take it under advisement. This sure is a great site, I've learned alot from you salts.

Scooter

 

[wolf]

Very interesting i have heard pros and cons about this and after talking to my marine mechanic friend he is still undecided because if you do raise your leg out of the water and you do not flush it even once you will have salt build up in the cooling tubes of your motor but if you leave it in the water it cant crystalize.

But then as you guys have both said zincs get eaten but zincs are cheap compared to a engine getting plugged with salt build up. I have an inboard so i have no choice but i replace my zics about every 3 months more when i am in town here (vic) there is lots of electrical in the harbour. marine growth will get into where the water pick up is (barnicles, and muscles) but it will not go up into the engine they need sunlight and constant flow going over them thats how they feed they like the pick up area because it is easy to attach to.

it is a personal thing i guess walk down a to a marina it probably half and half

Wolf



Edited by - wolf on 04/28/2005 17:27:45

 

[Charter Tofino]

I bring my leg out and my cooling does sometimes get salt crystalizing in it. Out problem is easily fixed by sliding a small cord up the cooling vent and then flushing it.

 

[the runt]

I'm hearing those new engines are really protected against corrosion,Although i'mold school i flush mine.

thanks the runt

 

[Mr. Dean]

When the sea water dries up the salt gets left behind, not only in the pick up tube but also in the heads, thermo housing by-pass, everywhere. You must flush everytime it comes out of the water or you'll run into BIG problems. The salt doesn't neccisarily get cleaned out on the next trip. Believe it or not, there are back eddy's inside the cooling system. Things will eventualy get plugged up. Cooling system will fail...

The best flush is done w/ the rabbit ears on the intake w/ motor running. A few minutes is all it takes.

Had a buddy learn the hard way. OUCH.

Dean

Some like it rough...
Others just puke!.
Mr. Dean

 

[Intrepid]

On the hull topic, if you put a good anti-fouling bottom paint on the boat you should be able to go a year without pulling the boat out of the water and re-doing it. In some cases, if you use the boat frequently, you can extend that period to two years, as speed on the hull at regular intervals will help keep it clean. Anti-fouling paint is expensive, about 30 bucks a quart. I have a 20-footer and it takes just under two quarts each time.

 

[Intrepid]

On the hull topic, if you put a good anti-fouling bottom paint on the boat you should be able to go a year without pulling the boat out of the water and re-doing it. In some cases, if you use the boat frequently, you can extend that period to two years, as speed on the hull at regular intervals will help keep it clean. Anti-fouling paint is expensive, about 30 bucks a quart. I have a 20-footer and it takes just under two quarts each time.