cold weather outboard use

[sly_karma]

Was thinking about some fall/winter fishing for rainbows on Okanagan Lake now I have a suitable boat. I'm familiar with the usual procedures for storing a boat over winter, but what precautions should I take so that it can be launched and fished occasionally? Engines are OMC V4 140 2 stroke and Merc 9.9 4 stroke. I have covered unheated storage for the boat.

 

[JAC]

i fish on okanagan lake all winter as for the outboards when i pull the boat out at the launch i lower the outboards for a min or two to let the water drain thats it. There is really nothing you need to do the 4 stroke will be a little tougher to start just use the choke. Watch for water getting into your boat and pooling and freezing. Water pooling and freezing around you bilge pump and then you have know way to get the water out. If you have any livewell or washdown pumps those should be winterized with rv antifreeze and turn the raw water valves off to keep the water out of them in the winter. Make sure your travel with your outboard up pretty high in the winter with the rocks on the road it will really beat them up. If your making any mountian pass trips i would cover the boat and more important the windshield. I have made a trip to nakusp and back we had to chain up on the way there 13" of snow. On the way back it was melting and slush covered with rocks. It took me a week to clean the boat out and the window and bow where chipped pretty bad.

 

[trendsetter]

Good advice from JAC, also make sure you change the oil in both lower units before the first freeze. If there is any water in either gearcase then you need to fix that before using it in the winter. Otherwise it will freeze and crack the lower unit or blow out the seals.

Also let the motors warm up at idle for a few extra minutes before running at high speeds.

 

[spring time]

make sure your tell tales, from your water pump are working sometime they get ice build up where it comes out

 

[sly_karma]

Thanks all.