Winterize Question

[Evil Sports]

I live in New England and I dont use antifreeze, Oil changes and wrap and kiss goodnight

 

[Shady28]

If you haven't noticed, I don't believe in anti-freeze for our boats, being clear, it's your boat to do as you wish,

Happy to store your boat for the winter in Northern MN I think our cabin hit -26 zero and a windchill closer to -50 below this past January.

 

[MNJets]

Happy to store your boat for the winter in Northern MN I think our cabin hit -26 zero and a windchill closer to -50 below this past January.

Appreciate the offer but I'm pretty well set this year. Unless of course your shed it heated! I have a 22' Bennington pontoon sitting next to my 212X so it will get crowded as soon as the rest of my family starts shoving their boats in my shed. I'm in the Bemidji area - so not sure how far north you are. Your profile states you have a 24' boat which makes me think you are up on Lake of The Woods or Red Lake.

 

[RumDiet]

Anyone in the colder climates have issues with not running antifreeze through for winter storage?? I've been burping the throttles since I've owned the boat (2011) but now that I've moved to upstate NY from NJ need to know if more should be done.
Another Yamaha owner did nothing one year and ended up buying new blocks in the spring - seems like the only thing she didn't do (to prevent freeze up) was burp the engines -so any first hand experience would put my mind at ease.

 

[Shady28]

Appreciate the offer but I'm pretty well set this year. Unless of course your shed it heated! I have a 22' Bennington pontoon sitting next to my 212X so it will get crowded as soon as the rest of my family starts shoving their boats in my shed. I'm in the Bemidji area - so not sure how far north you are. Your profile states you have a 24' boat which makes me think you are up on Lake of The Woods or Red Lake.

That was more of an offer to our friend in Texas that stated he doesn't believe in anti-freeze

 

[RumDiet]

Texas is a LOT warmer than the Adirondacks were I am!

 

[Troch1]

I've only done the burp the throttles (probably about 5-6 times per engine at least 3 start/stop cycles) for both the boat and my yamaha wave runner in NJ for years. Never had an issue. I do prop the tongue of the boat way up to drain maximum bilge water. Other than that, I just throw some rodent repellent packets in various places and then cover with a custom canvas winter cover. YMMV, but I plan to do the same this year.

 

[Aquaholic]

Our Yamaha dealers “flush” the engines with RV anti-freeze up here in the North.
I will be running anti-freeze through my engine, “fog” till stall, then spray fog through the plug holes. Tilt it high to drain the water from under the ski locker also. Oil and filter changed, thorough cleaning, put on winter cover and tuck away for the long cold non-boating winter.

 

[Scottintexas]

That was more of an offer to our friend in Texas that stated he doesn't believe in anti-freeze

Actually I thought about storing my boat offsite this winter to free up the driveway. Maybe @Betik will be making a trip to MN?

I'm not an engineer or mechanic, I'm barely a shade tree. I only know my experience and what other members have shared over the 10 years with these boats.

Do Yamaha engines need anti-freeze ?
How cold does it have to be to freeze and cause a problem?

in 10 years I don't ever remember a member coming on here stating, my block froze and cracked over the winter.

In Dallas, we get a few days and every other year a week of below freezing temps for 24hr periods. It's cold enough that my neighbor who didn't winterize his prop boat cracked the block.

members that don't anti-freeze, store their boat outside and have several seasons of experience that I can think of off-hand,
Vermont - Zipper
MA - Evil Sport
Kamloops - KXcam22
Do you need colder experiences than those?

maybe we're just lucky that we don't hear the yearly spring threads "my engine froze and cracked"

We're told the engines are "self-draining" or at the least under no pressure, I'm not sure of the science of an running engine remove water from cooling passages in the block if there's no pressure of inbound cooling to push it anywhere, (this is where I could believe if you hooked up a air hose to the cooling line to "blow" the block dry theory),

The exhaust and water boxes, I can understand how running the engine the exhaust pressure can blow some of the exhaust cooling lines clear but you can't blow all the water out of the water boxes. My boat has sat in +100 degree temps for weeks and for months over the winter and when I start the boat I still get water spitting out the exhaust, The theory is that the water boxes are cylindrical so if/when that water does freeze it isn't bound by sharp angles and simply expands upwards,

As far as dealers and other companies selling products or this service - personally I view this as "the sky is falling", protect yourself and help us make a profit, it's marketing. I trust those three members above more than someone looking to get into my wallet.

If you do choose to antifreeze I would strongly suggest adding tow valves aft of the cooling line "Y" fitting to prevent gravity simply running the antifreeze back out the jet nozzle intake


If you haven't yet be sure to view "how the cooling water flows" in our FAQ

.

 

[RumDiet]

Thanks Scott - I appreciate your comments. I've also not been using antifreeze for the past almost 10 years of ownership of this boat, and had no problems throughout the winters in NJ - and we did have many days below freezing - but usually followed by a thaw - I suppose logic should teach me that freezing temps are the same in NJ as here in upstate NY - but my friend here froze her engines and cracked her blocks from not winterizing properly - she is a bit vague about what she didn't do - but I know that she did not blow the water out by burping the engines - And to me it defies logic that such a simple act could have saved her engines. Here unlike NJ we do not get thaws after a freeze but long periods of below zero temps - this is the basis of my issue.

 

[Gym]

Thanks Scott - I appreciate your comments. I've also not been using antifreeze for the past almost 10 years of ownership of this boat, and had no problems throughout the winters in NJ - and we did have many days below freezing - but usually followed by a thaw - I suppose logic should teach me that freezing temps are the same in NJ as here in upstate NY - but my friend here froze her engines and cracked her blocks from not winterizing properly - she is a bit vague about what she didn't do - but I know that she did not blow the water out by burping the engines - And to me it defies logic that such a simple act could have saved her engines. Here unlike NJ we do not get thaws after a freeze but long periods of below zero temps - this is the basis of my issue.

Just curious @RumDiet. Did your friend have the cracked blocks in Yamaha jet boat or was it a Yamaha outboard?

 

[Gym]

With regard to antifreeze or not...This debate has been ongoing for years. It basically boils down to your comfort level. In my years on this forum I've heard of one waterbox freezing and one pee line freezing. Unless @RumDiet, above tells us his friend cracked both blocks on her Yamaha jetboat due to freezing, that would be pretty good evidence against anti freezing although I still do it. Helps me sleep better.

 

[Scottintexas]

but my friend here froze her engines and cracked her blocks from not winterizing properly - she is a bit vague about what she didn't do - but I know that she did not blow the water out by burping the engines - And to me it defies logic that such a simple act could have saved her engines. Here unlike NJ we do not get thaws after a freeze but long periods of below zero temps - this is the basis of my issue.

Which is most of the problem, we don't know the facts,
1. did she really crack her blocks because of cooling water?
2. did she run the hose with the engine off before winterization hydrolocking the engine and that water cracked the block?
3. did she just have a unscrupulous mechanic who had a fuel issue and knowing she didn't "winterize" gouged her for new engines?

With regard to antifreeze or not...This debate has been ongoing for years. It basically boils down to your comfort level. In my years on this forum I've heard of one waterbox freezing and one pee line freezing. Unless @RumDiet, above tells us his friend cracked both blocks on her Yamaha jetboat due to freezing, that would be pretty good evidence against anti freezing although I still do it. Helps me sleep better.

and I have no problem with this statement or philosophy, as long as it's stated as such, just as a member who changes their oil or spark plugs twice a year, needed or not, it's just personal preference and helps them sleep better,

We as a group have learned so many things about our jet boats by sharing our experiences,
mr1 #3 spark plugs can get rusted/seized in the head
05-06' ECU water intrusion damage
04-09' scupper valves can fail
10-11' oil cooler bolt failures
Cone bearing water intrusion
don't trust your stock cleanout plugs,
FSH leaks,
these are all experiences members have brought and we have learned from and prepare against,

frozen/cracked blocks from lack of anti-freeze just aren't one of them,

 

[RumDiet]

242 - She cracked both blocks

 

[I_squared_r]

My AR192 was winterized by burping the throttle multiple times over a few days. I would start it and rev up a few times and then shut it down. Do it again the next day and the next and the next.. Until I was sure that the water was out. This is in Long Island and it gets really cold here. We get cold snaps that are below freezing for a week and everything ices over. Car doors, windows, and handles get stuck.

 

[mwalker4]

While we are having fun. How long of storage requires fogging? Can I start my garaged boat once a month for 5 months in lieu of fogging?

 

[Gym]

242 - She cracked both blocks

Wow, that's amazing and maybe a first. If she's a member here I'd like to hear more on that as It would serve to educate the group. I hope that was covered under warranty.

 

[Betik]

HMS Artemis 553 is spending this winter on a heated garage and 5 feet from my bedroom.

Will be more than happy to pick a boat from anywhere in the north and “ store “ them in Texas. I will make sure that that the engines are started and runs for a period of time. Usually based on my kids get bored and decide to go home lol

 

[RumDiet]

Gym - she is not a member here - the problem arose I believe from her divorce - Husband WAS responsible for the boat but when they split up I guess he told her she could have the boat and gave her no further info. And no the warranty does not cover frozen blocks so she was out of pocket for the repair.

 

[RumDiet]

And the details are foggy (forgive the pun). She is either too embarrassed or too ignorant to detail all the facts. All I know is that she did not blow out the engines when she took the boat out of the water and did nothing else to winterize.