Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Keeping my boat's engine block from freezing/cracking tonight - any advise?

Hi all,

I live in Northern Colorado and typically for maintenance free storage I wouldn't consider getting my 18.5 Searay summerized until May. But because we want to get out and try some fishing early this year, we took the calculated risk and just had it summerized.

It's sitting covered in a semi-not-so-well-insulated garage. We're expecting some mid 20's tonight and tomorrow night.

Does anyone have any tips for how to temporarily warm the engine compartment to make sure I don't crack the block?

Like I said, the boat was just summerized so I don't necessarily want to drain the block, but just warn up the engine compartment enough to keep the water from freezing. I've read that any spark-producing heater could ignite fumes in the compartment, and that the only USCG approved solution is an approved bilge heater.

But I was thinking more like a heavy blanket

Any feedback or creative solutions would be appreciated!

thanks,

--Duck911

How about a small electric heater or a heat lamp in the general area. Shouldn't take much heat to keep from freezing to a level that would harm your engine.

Insulation will not keep anything from freezing without a source of heat under the insulation.

Outbaord, inboard?

How about a light bulb in the engine compartment?

A guy might be able to use a set of "muffs" and pump some RV antifreeze into the engine.

Heat lamp inside the engine compartment if it's an I/O or an inboard.

+1

Simply insulating the block with a blanket won't do much good. You've got to introduce heat into the area and thenuse the blanket over the block to retain enough heat to keep water in the block from freezing. A simple light bulb on a drop cord should be enough if you cover the block and leave no gaps for cool air to get in.

Sell it quick!

It's an inboard.

I have been warned not to use any typical heaters or light bulbs directly in the engine compartment due to the risk of fumes igniting. The last thing I want to do is burn the house down and the insurance inspector finds a non-USCG approved heating device in the engine compartment.

Looks like I might be stuck with heating the garage interior...

same with an outboard, just build a scaffolding of some sort, throw your blanket over it and tuck heat lamp inside.

you'll be fine

If the garage is totally enclosed but simply not insulated, it will not take a lot of Btu's to keep it from freezing with outside temps above 20 degrees.

One or two, 110 volt 1500 watt heaters and a fan to prevent the warm air from collecting against the ceiling should maintain the garage at 32 or above, unless it compares in size to Jay Leno's garage.

Mid twenties is not that big of deal. It takes a while for things to freeze at that tempurature and it's not going be cold for very long.

Hook up a hose, fire it up, let it run for a while - then throw a blanket over it.

If you still have worrries put a small elctric heater in the boat, or near it, away from any source of fuel or vapors. Along as it's above 32 degrees in the garage/boat - no problem.

edited to add: Plug in a fan along with the heater and there's no way you'll start a fire then.

I've used a 100 or 150 watt light bulb lots of times in the past with zero problems on single and twin-engine I/O's.

Go fishin....keep it running.

The heater sounds like a good idea with a heavy canvas tarp over it to help capture some of the warm air. Any way to put anti freeze in the coolant? Why not do so?

My brother winterized his I/O last fall with a 5 gallon bucket fitted with a fitting, some hose, and a set of muffs. He used some antifreeze and the boat sucked it right in. Very simple and took no time at all.

I think it took less than 2 gallons.

+1

I found a nice radiant heater with built in fan at Wally-world for $15. I then cracked open the engine compartment and figured out how to drain the block. On my engine they mounted two drain hoses right at the top of the engine. They quick-disconnect, then you just dip them below the block and drain. Pretty simple!

The outside air temp is currently 33 degrees and it's snowing. The thermometer in my garage reads about 55. I have the engine cover removed and the heater about 2 feet from the engine, blowing warm air across it. I have a small themometer in the bottom of the bilge and will check it in the next hour to see how warn the general air temp is around the block. Because the heater's fan is blowing across the engine and it's not in a confined space, I have very little worry about igniting vapors.

In the end, I believe that my $15 and draining the block will be a perfectly acceptable solution for the few cool nights left this spring. Going forward, I will be looking at a proper bilge heater.

thanks!

--Duck911

Don't know what you have down below but make certain your fresh water lines are emptied. I made that mistake one winter on my Searay and it was costly. But then because of size and weight I left her in the bay all year.

I think your engine will be fine with your portable space heater and a blanket or 2. Just don't use Mama's good down comforter.