Tips for winter fishing with an inboard

[Sea lyin’]

Fishings heating up on the local lakes and I’d like to get out there and give it a shot. Problem is my new to me boat has a raw water cooled inboard and night time temps are always below zero. Sometimes 6-7 below so I’m leery of using it. What’re you guys who winter fish with your inboards doing to keep it from freezing overnight? This is my first inboard and Im so paranoid that even though I had it winterized at the shop, I did it again myself to make double sure. And I have a low watt light hanging under the doghouse throwing some heat at the block. I fish dawn til dark so rewinterizing it every time I go out isn’t feasible. Anybody have some tips to save me a busted block? Besides the obvious....buy another boat with an outboard lol

 

[Gong Show]

I have a clamp on light fixture with a heat lamp. I think it is 200 W or something.
I direct it at the oil heat exchanger to keep the fluids warm, the heat is then circulated through the engine.


Woods 0169 18/2-Gauge SPT-2 Clamp Light with 8.5-Inch Reflector, 150-Watt, 6-Foot
CA$19.39
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[ab1752]

Mine is moored in a shed and has fwc. On the raw water side I installed an expensive copper valve in line with the fresh water pickup. This means I can run rv antifreeze through the manifolds on the raw water cooled side, as well flush it with saltaway or fresh water at any time with a flick of the valve. Right now it is full of saltaway as I hit it after each run so while I'm not sure of the freezing point of that blue goo, I think it will have no problem withstanding any freeze we get around here.

 

[Zuktaylor]

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[walleyes]

Gentlemen I know very little about inboard engines so forgive me if I’m way off base here. But is there anyway way to tap into a rubber line on an inboard say about a 1” line. if there is has anyone ever tried an inline circulating block heater. We use them on vehicles sometimes and on equipment. They use very little power and circulate and heat the fluid. They are bullet proof pieces of equipment. On older vehicles we used to tie in to the heater hoses as it was quite easy. CT sells a type of them but there are a few different types.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/circulation-engine-heater-0303295p.html

 

[Sea lyin’]

Gentlemen I know very little about inboard engines so forgive me if I’m way off base here. But is there anyway way to tap into a rubber line on an inboard say about a 1” line. if there is has anyone ever tried an inline circulating block heater. We use them on vehicles sometimes and on equipment. They use very little power and circulate and heat the fluid. They are bullet proof pieces of equipment. On older vehicles we used to tie in to the heater hoses as it was quite easy. CT sells a type of them but there are a few different types.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/circulation-engine-heater-0303295p.html

I thought about this. I was thinking the frost plug style block heater might work. But then I thought that being a raw water system any water might eventually
boil away and burn out the heater.

Might be good on a closed system to give the engine a head start on warming up and throwing some heat though?

 

[ab1752]

Not sure that would work as water moves through the manifolds from the raw water pump. So unless you have a way to cut off the raw water inlet let we do with that valve, you don't have that many options. The valve is a huge help btw and newer volvos have it stock. What power is in your boat exactly?

 

[Sea lyin’]

Not sure that would work as water moves through the manifolds from the raw water pump. So unless you have a way to cut off the raw water inlet let we do with that valve, you don't have that many options. The valve is a huge help btw and newer volvos have it stock. What power is in your boat exactly?

mine is a Mercruiser 165. Where did you get your valve?

 

[ab1752]

mine is a Mercruiser 165. Where did you get your valve?

I actually bought my way out of this one and the shop I work with installed it. I can take a pic sometime soon as I can get down there, I managed to crash heavily last weekend on my mountain bike and totally roached my back and hip. Hope to be in better shape next week. Its just a big brass 2 way valve with standard hose fitting for the flush side. I think they likely picked it up from Martin marine.

Cut the hose, add the valve with double clamps and never forget to switch it back to raw water haha

 

[Sea lyin’]

I actually bought my way out of this one and the shop I work with installed it. I can take a pic sometime soon as I can get down there, I managed to crash heavily last weekend on my mountain bike and totally roached my back and hip. Hope to be in better shape next week. Its just a big brass 2 way valve with standard hose fitting for the flush side. I think they likely picked it up from Martin marine.

Cut the hose, add the valve with double clamps and never forget to switch it back to raw water haha

No worries. I’ll have a look around online and see what I can find. Hope you heal up soon.

 

[Newf]

On my little diesel I Tee'd into the raw water line between the seacock and the strainer. I have a permanent 2ft section of hose attached to the Tee. I trailer my boat so after every use in the chuck I flush the raw water system with fresh water with this hose in a bucket of fresh water that's being filled from the garden hose. Take 5-10min max. I then open a drain on my exhaust elbow/riser. For the winter when temps are going to be low I install a 110V heater in the doghouse that I can set to kick in when temp drops to +3. If I'm going to be away from the boat for any more than a few days I use the 2ft hose, stick it in a bucket of plumbers glycol, close the seacock and fire up the engine for about 15 seconds and fill the raw water system. Heater no longer required when I do this.

 

[ericl]

You might get away with a magnetic engine block heater.

 

[Sea lyin’]

You might get away with a magnetic engine block heater.

Right? It’s obvious now. Lol. Cant believe I didn’t think of it before. Thanks for the idea

 

[ab1752]

No worries. I’ll have a look around online and see what I can find. Hope you heal up soon.

Here's the water inlet hose where it attaches to the ps cooler, just before the valve was installed. My amazing art work shows where it was cut.

Thanks, don't quite bounce off the deck as I once did...

 

[Sea lyin’]

Nice. Thanks for the pic. Lol I’m getting older too. Used to be able to walk off anything but a broken leg but these days seems like I’m feeling every injury I ever had.

 

[ab1752]

Nice. Thanks for the pic. Lol I’m getting older too. Used to be able to walk off anything but a broken leg but these days seems like I’m feeling every injury I ever had.

Right on just picture a big brass valve with double clamps and the alternate inlet being a hose bib and you're there.

 

[chromatose007]

Exothermic hand warmers in bulk...

 

[Wild Bill]

If you can get to the bottom of the pan easy enough and you can get it clean I like the stick on silicone pan heaters. you can get in different wattages. like this
Car Engine Oil Pan Heater Pad Silicone 175W 110V Sump Tank Heater Reduce Wear | eBay