As it’s been getting cold enough to freeze water under a little pressure, everyone remember to tilt your outboards all the way down after running or flushing so that water does not remain in them and bust them when it freezes (or at least tilt them down far enough that the all the water drains out of them). Water expands upon freezing. Some know this; some don’t. There’s no benefit in raising the motor up after flushing it, anyway. I never understood why people do that.
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
I seen this same concern last year, and I too made the trip to boat yard to lower unit.
Lee, I am certain that you see all kinds of things happen to boats.
Have you ever witnessed a damaged lower unit due to freezing?
Anyone else see one or heard of a lower unit cracking or damage from freezing?
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I had a fifty four stroke honda split open like a beer can. The seal for the lower unit evidently went bad over the summer. If i would have serviced the motor at the end of the summer like you should, i would have known the seal was bad and my gear case was full of water. Any how the foot split open due to the water freezing and insurance didn’t cover it - some do but mine didnt.
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when a lower unit freezes and splits it is due to water that has entered the gear case thru a failed seal or o-ring not water left in the exhaust cavity from flushing, these seals can fail due to many reasons main one being fishing line behind thrust washer.
lee, the reason i always tilt up after flushing, so I dont forget and drive off with skeg dragging
Well, sure, I understand that because I can be forgetful too (more so every year ), but I’m talking about people trimming them way up. Never understood that. I barely need to trim mine up at all to miss the speed bumps because the bottom of the trailer doesn’t hit, that’s high enough (I go just a little above that, and I’m good to go, but I generally think about it as I’m leaving and bump it to just above trim–just above the pins). I’ve made checking the lock, checking the plug, and raising the motor a little right before leaving sort of a ritual, but anyone can forget–human nature.
Anyway, that was a side note. I don’t want to start a tangent on that one, and I’m not meaning to criticize anyone’s precautionary habits. Do whatever y’all know to do on that one (and Chris obviously knows what to do).
Just remember to first drain the motor so the freezing water doesn’t crack 'em open while it’s cold. That can be easy to forget to do, also, if you’re in a hurry (cold and sun going down).
Thanks.
P.S. I don’t want to cause anyone to forget and drag their skeg, so if anyone here is forgetful about stuff like that on occasion, then just make sure you drain the water and then tilt up a little. I want to prevent problems, not cause someone to forget something and drage a skeg. Take care.
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
I even went as far to make sure the fresh water tank was as empty as I could get it and run all the pumps so that air is in all the lines.
Been ridiculously cold for this time of year or for that matter winter here.
Highs are supposed be be in the 30’s Monday with lows around 10. Now I am starting to worry about the plastic pipes in the house.
Thanks for posting this, Fishman. It’s very good advice. I was thinking of the smaller boats when I wrote this, but the larger ones with freshwater tanks have concerns, also–the water tanks. I should have thought to post that myself. Any freshwater holding tank or LINE that is in an unconditioned area and that does not have some kind of anti-freeze agent in it is subject to freeze and bust a tank, pipe, or hose, ultimately destroying necessary components and spilling water in areas where you don’t want it. It happens all the time in the winter. Thanks.
Also, guys, any keep in mind that any other standard “winterizing” processes that you are really supposed to perform on a boat or engine for the winter is a required responsibility of yours on most insurance policies. Some cover certain things, and some don’t, and some say you have to “winterize”, etc. Think and act before a freezing night ruins your day.
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
when a lower unit freezes and splits it is due to water that has entered the gear case thru a failed seal or o-ring not water left in the exhaust cavity from flushing, these seals can fail due to many reasons main one being fishing line behind thrust washer.
I figured someone might say that. Some (many) people tilt their motors way up before even pulling the boat out of the water. Water will also stay in the cooling system after flushing if it isn’t drained, and I don’t know where else it might get trapped if the motor isn’t lowered, but if you ever drain your motor after flushing, you’ll see that a lot of water drains out. I can only imagine that a leaky cooling system can put water in places where it can also do damage when it freezes. Freezing water can also bust the hoses and passages of the cooling system itself, causing a leak or worse. Also, the water being let into areas by faulty seals needs to be drained, too, regardless of how it got there, and since a lot of people raise their motors on the ramps, they need to remember to drain them. They need to drain them after flushing regardless of good or bad seals, etc. Lowering them after flushing (and really DURING flushing, also) to make sure as much water is drained out as possible is very important, regardless of how what water got where. Thanks for the technical point, but whatever you do, I just want people to remember to drain their motors before they lay them up for the night. It’s a simple step that can really save you a lot of trouble. Thanks.
Addendum: If anyone wants to talk technical details about motors, please direct your questions and comments to ChrisV or another mechanic on the site. I’m not a mechanic. I’m just a marine insurance agent who’s been running boats for over 20 years, wh
Lee thanks for posting this. Where I store my boat I have had trouble trimming the motor all the way down because I have to back the boat between trees and there are some big roots in the way. However, since its been getting cold I roll the trailer up on some blocks to give it clearance and allows me to tilt it all the way down… plus that extra gravity allows the water to flow out faster… ha
“My fish served a whole lunchon. Your fish look like a munchkin”
We will pay for loss to the insured watercraft arising out of an accident. The accident and the loss must occur during the Policy Period shown in the Declarations.
ADDITIONAL EXCLUSIONS
We will not pay for loss arising out of:
b. mechanical, engine, transmission, electrical, or structural failure;
c. wear and tear, deterioration, weathering, corrosion, rust, metal fatigue, or electrolysis;
d. dampness of atmosphere, rot, dry rot, mold, or mildew;
i. freezing, thawing, or contact with ice;
Freezing is may not be considered an accident in most cases (except where the boat was in a temperature controlled environment and some kind of event caused the power to be lost and the temperature control was unexpectedly lost…)but it is still pretty hard to get around the “freezing” exclusion, no matter the cause of the freeze.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
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190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
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1 - 11 year old
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), but I’m talking about people trimming them way up. Never understood that. I barely need to trim mine up at all to miss the speed bumps because the bottom of the trailer doesn’t hit, that’s high enough (I go just a little above that, and I’m good to go, but I generally think about it as I’m leaving and bump it to just above trim–just above the pins). I’ve made checking the lock, checking the plug, and raising the motor a little right before leaving sort of a ritual, but anyone can forget–human nature.
