How about this for cold weather protection?

[medic3538]

My area allows for boating basically year round, but we do have nights where it can get into the high 20's. I keep the boat trailered when not in use.

I was thinking of rigging up a funnel into smaller tube deal that would run into the little hole that is at the top of the block where the blue cap is located to open the drain to drain the water out of the block.

I would then pour in the 50/50 antifreeze into the block instead of setting up an 5 gal. bucket to hose w/ rabbit ears to the outdrive and running the engine to suck up the antifreeze.

The outdrive pretty much drains everytime I pull out of the water, so I am thinking I dont need to run antifreeze up into the engine this way.

Any thoughts on this idea?

 

[medic3538]

I guess I have come up with a bad idea as there has been no comments, I spoke to the Sea Ray tech the other day and affirmed that I would be safe in doing this.

If anyone has any questions about what the tech told me, or if I haven't explained what the idea was well enough, feel free to post on this thread.

 

[Taradise]

just to be on the safe side, I would suck the antifreeze up thru the rabbit ears...better safe than sorry...just my $.02

 

[Kurt]

You are obviously very excited to the point of a small child with a Big Wheel or something! I was like that too when I bought my new boat so I just stuck it in storage and tinkered with it a lot. I dared not risk the boat being winterized as temps in MO can change in a days time.The only thing I would also do is drain the fresh water system and just leave it winterized if you must continue to go out. I start getting boat crazy in about late Febuary. So I feel your pain. The wife and I are already making plans for next season which starts around April 1st

 

[medic3538]

You are obviously very excited to the point of a small child with a Big Wheel or something! I was like that too when I bought my new boat so I just stuck it in storage and tinkered with it a lot. I dared not risk the boat being winterized as temps in MO can change in a days time.The only thing I would also do is drain the fresh water system and just leave it winterized if you must continue to go out. I start getting boat crazy in about late Febuary. So I feel your pain. The wife and I are already making plans for next season which starts around April 1st

Good call on that!! Thanks for the response. You hit the nail on the head with the big wheel thoughts.

O.K., yeah, I did run the RV/Boat antinfreeze through the fresh water system till all outputs ran pink. We were considering adding 10 or so gal. of H2O to the fresh water tank to use the head (cause it's fun and it's cold for the girls to squat in the water), but I would then have to drain the excess and pump the holding tank, then re-trerat the fresh water system, so that vcould start getting expensive. We would however have another excuse to take the boat out to get the holding tank pumped out.

Anyway, good suggestion and thanks K.

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

Are you sure the little blue cap will get antifreeze to all of the passages on the block? I would think you need to run the engine up to operating temp to get pass the thermostat..

 

[chollyjohn]

Two things here I can say from my own experience. You are right the outdrive will drain itself. I cut in a t-valve to the rubber hole inlet pipe to the raw water pump. Yes I do the 5 gallon pink antifreeze and use this bypass to fill the engine with the antifreeze. I prefer this system since you know the protection is throughout the engine. I caution you about using the blue plug method since I could not be sure all areas, especially the pump assemply is winterized. The blue cap is usually just to drain and not a backward fill.
I used to winterize my pressure water system if I didnt diconnect the line prior to the pump and drain all water. If you need to use the toilet, get a water container and mix 50/50 pink and water to flush with it. If you have a porta potti that holds water int he upper section, then fill that portion with the 50/50 mixture. The girls will be happy campers!!!
BTW I need to find out where this MO is? Sounds like a neat boating area to me aned wonder if they have those bow first pull in slips.

 

[medic3538]

Are you sure the little blue cap will get antifreeze to all of the passages on the block? I would think you need to run the engine up to operating temp to get pass the thermostat..

Ahhh, yes. Good call, oh well, so much for that idea. Thanks for saving my themostat!!!