Winter Fisherman - Boat Winterization

[SalmonSniper]

Question for those of you that fish all winter out of your aluminum boat.  What do you do to protect your engine etc?  If are not winterizing it since you are still using it what do you do to protect it from the elements?

 

Thanks,

[Frogger]

Bump the motor when pulling out of water. Lower motors down so any free water drains out prior to tilting back up to trailer then home. When it’s well below freezing never start the motor immediately when putting it in the water. Let the lake temp bring up the lower unit temp a little in case you had the impeller frozen from ice. Stabilize gas. Some guys will pull gas line and let motor run out to drain carb. I was never a fan for 2 stokes on doing that. Fillet all perch..,.,oops forget that part lol.


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[UNREEL]

Good idea about the possible frozen impeller Frogger. I gotta pass that on to my buddy who hunts divers in the second duck season

[SalmonSniper]

Thanks Frogger.  This is what I am doing and already knew about.  Wanted to see if there is anything additional others are doing.  I never thought of letting the "lake temp bring the impeller temp up", but it makes sense to let it sit for a minute before putting it in gear.  I do however do this indirectly, since I always give it extra time for the engine to warm up before putting it in gear.

[Sk8man]

Fillet all perch..,.,oops forget that part lol. yeah pass that one on to Mike C   I've heard that he just bites the heads off as he catches and guts them and adds some hot sauce and eats them scales  and all. That way he is off the water by 11 AM and has time to shoot =some sporting clays in the afternoon

 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Sk8man

[Frogger]

Fillet all perch..,.,oops forget that part lol. yeah pass that one on to Mike C   I've heard that he just bites the heads off as he catches and guts them and adds some hot sauce and eats them scales  and all. That way he is off the water by 11 AM and has time to shoot =some sporting clays in the afternoon

 

Spot on Les!


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[L&M]

4 hours ago, SalmonSniper said:

I never thought of letting the "lake temp bring the impeller temp up", but it makes sense to let it sit for a minute before putting it in gear.  I do however do this indirectly, since I always give it extra time for the engine to warm up before putting it in gear.

 

Letting the engine warm some in the colder/freezing weather is good practice but allowing the lower extremity's of the engine to warm to lake temperature is to ensure the impeller isn't frozen in the housing prier to starting the engine