- Messages
- 3,223
- Reaction score
- 2,516
- Points
- 372
- Location
- Acworth, G.A.
- Boat Make
- Yamaha
- Year
- 2014
- Boat Model
- AR
- Boat Length
- 24
So, as I was winterizing my boat this past weekend I had an interesting experience.
I have heard some folks argue that the cooling system is self draining and doesn't need to have RV antifreeze run through it (for those of us living where it gets below freezing).
To winterize my boat I use a 5 Gal bucket, FloTec sump pump, and a large catch basin that I had use to mix mortar in at one point.
The catch basin is perfect as it is rectangular in shape and is long enough to catch anything falling out of both the intake and exit of the pump.
Onto the interesting part. . . . . I loaded the 5 gallon bucket with exactly 4 gallons of r RV antiFreeze and inserted the pump.
Started the motor, turned on the pump ran it down to about a half gallon at which point I cut the power to the pump then fogged the engine until it stalled.
The catch basin catches a LOT, but certainly not everything. So imagine my surprise when I took what was in the catch basin and dumped it into the bucket to re-use for the port engine and it overflowed the 5 gallon bucket.
I did the same thing on the port engine and overflowed even more.
This leads me to believe that there was water up in the engines that did not "self drain" by gravity.
Which, if accurate (not sure what else this could be) means that it is absolutely imperative to get antifreeze in there if there is even the slightest risk that you will experience freezing temperatures.
I have heard some folks argue that the cooling system is self draining and doesn't need to have RV antifreeze run through it (for those of us living where it gets below freezing).
To winterize my boat I use a 5 Gal bucket, FloTec sump pump, and a large catch basin that I had use to mix mortar in at one point.
The catch basin is perfect as it is rectangular in shape and is long enough to catch anything falling out of both the intake and exit of the pump.
Onto the interesting part. . . . . I loaded the 5 gallon bucket with exactly 4 gallons of r RV antiFreeze and inserted the pump.
Started the motor, turned on the pump ran it down to about a half gallon at which point I cut the power to the pump then fogged the engine until it stalled.
The catch basin catches a LOT, but certainly not everything. So imagine my surprise when I took what was in the catch basin and dumped it into the bucket to re-use for the port engine and it overflowed the 5 gallon bucket.
I did the same thing on the port engine and overflowed even more.
This leads me to believe that there was water up in the engines that did not "self drain" by gravity.
Which, if accurate (not sure what else this could be) means that it is absolutely imperative to get antifreeze in there if there is even the slightest risk that you will experience freezing temperatures.