Cold!

[Joel73]

I'm sure some will find this amusing but at 11 degrees here in Oriental, it's COLD AS #*$K!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't winterize the engine again this year because i like to run it atleast once every few weeks. Last year we were sailing in December. Anyway... i decided to make the 3 hr drive to check on the boat. I also decided to put a 75W bulb in the engine compartment to keep things from freezing when i got here... BBBrrrrrrrr. Can't wait for March!

[jimmytc]

Sissy......

[DrB]

11 deg is REALLY cold for not winterizing the motor, even if it stays in the water. I know guys up here in New England, that stay in the water year round, still pump some "Non-Toxic" Anti-freeze in the motor when it gets real cold. A lot of Year-Round-In-The-Water guys flush their motor with fresh water after each use and then put a gallon of AF into for extended periods of idleness.

DrB

[Wayne25]

If your still there, put 2 bulbs down there in case one burns out. Frozen blocks are no fun.

[Joel73]

Dr B... She does stay in the water year round and the temps here rarely get this cold. I will keep the lightbulb on a thermostat so it doesn't burn 24/7. I'd rather not have to pump in fresh AF everytime i run it but it would be a good idea.

Wayne... good suggestion but i had a tough time fitting just a single bulb down there!

Jimmy...

[timebandit]

I was just wondering,don't they have block heaters that could be installed when 110 voltages available?

It seems a block heater would be far safer than a lightbulb and more reliable too.

[ckgreenman]

Hey, Joel. I know what you mean about the cold. It was 9 degrees here in Charlotte. F'ING BRRRRRRRRR

As for the engine, West Marine does sell engine compartment heaters. They're basically a space heater designed to placed next to the engine and is safe even for gas engines. I've also seen companies that make engine block heaters that mount in place of a freeze plug (heats the water) or installs in the oil pan (heats the engine oil). I've thought about giving one of them a try in my engine but I'm worried it wouldn't keep the manifolds warm enough. Those things aren't cheap to replace.

[btrayfors]

Jimmy,

What you're doing is very dangerous practice. I witnessed a large sailboat at my marina sink several years ago because he had done the same thing...used a light bulb in the engine room.

It's dangerous because: (1) if the bulb burns out you're SOL; (2) the engine block is only one thing to worry about; a frozen thru-hull is even worse.

Furthermore, putting the bulb on a thermostat INCREASES the chance of it burning out. Turning it off and on is worse than leaving it on.

I'd bite the bullet and put an engine-room heater there. The marine-approved ones aren't cheap, but you've gotta consider the cost of a damaged engine or worse.

Bill

[xort]

-20 Friday night.

[Joel73]

Thanks for the suggestion ck, i forgot about those things. I think this would work better than the lightbulb and would be safer too. It will have to be in next years budget though. The block warmers i saw have no thermostat and i would prefer there to be one in line. I also want to keep everything in there above freezing... not just the block. They are a lot cheaper though.

250W Engine Compartment Heater