Will Bilge Heater do the Job in 6 Degree Temps?

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 6:52 pm

I have lived in Georgia all my life and don't recall it ever getting down to 6 degrees but that is what is predicted for Monday night. I have a bilge heater on my 298 Vista and do not winterize (not even water) but I have noticed that Northern boaters winterize regardless. Is this something I need to be worried about given this extreme temperature (if you guys even call it that) or will the bilge heater be sufficient?

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:06 pm

Is the boat tied to the slip in the water?

LouC · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:08 pm

Is the boat in the water or on the hard? If in water at a marina it will often be warner than on land. I've always drained the engine and manifolds so my best advice is to drain it to be on the safe side. 6* is very cold colder than our typical lows (like 20*). Drain it don't wait. I don't know how far disn bilge heaters work but that is COLD!

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:12 pm

ric wrote:

Is the boat tied to the slip in the water?

She is slipped in the water (31 footer). I will probably make a trip to the marina and at a minimum turn on the internal heater. Do I need to drain all the water (which I don't want to do since the tank is full and we have no water available until Spring)?

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:21 pm

LouC wrote:

I've always drained the engine and manifolds so my best advice is to drain it to be on the safe side. 6* is very cold colder than our typical lows (like 20*). Drain it don't wait. I don't know how far disn bilge heaters work but that is COLD!

Given no experience at winterizing, I would assume there is no way to drain the engine and manifolds while she is in the water?

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:27 pm

I'm no expert but the water should keep the engine from freezing, it's like having a heater. Turning on the bilge heater won't hurt though.

As far as anything else goes that isn't touching the warm lake water? I'd probably drain it.

Winter Sux · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:39 pm

Play it safe. Empty your fresh water system. Ad plumbing antifreeze (my boat requires 11 gallons) and pump it through everything.

Blocks and manifolds will have drains. Drain them. If you have velvet drives, drain them too. After doing that, your heater will suffice.

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:42 pm

ric wrote:

I'm no expert but the water should keep the engine from freezing, it's like having a heater. Turning on the bilge heater won't hurt though.

As far as anything else goes that isn't touching the warm lake water? I'd probably drain it.

Thanks and good to know about the water still being warm even when it is that cold (which is what I always relied upon). I am going to drain my fresh water tanks though to play it safe. Two or three years ago, we stayed at the boat almost every weekend during the winter because it was always like 60 degrees. Not this year (haven't been one weekend since early November). What a difference a couple of years make. I bet you won't be rubbing any of your 70+ degree weather days down there for quite some time.

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:47 pm

Winter Sux wrote:

Blocks and manifolds will have drains. Drain them.

Good Lord. I will call my tech in the morning for his opinion. You would think 6 degree temps to you Northerners would be a cake-walk but apparently not. Glad I checked. So how low is it going for you all up North?

LouC · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:43 pm

You gotta drain it, I don't think the bilge heater will give off enough radiant heat too offset that kind of bitter cold. What motors do you have? V8s will have one drain on each side of the block, in front if the starter on one side and in the same place on the other. Each manifold has a drain on it . There is a big hose that goes from the Thermo housing to the water pump, you have to disconnect this at the lower end because it holds a lot of water. I would also disconnect the raw water intake hose at the Thermo housing (it connects to the transom mount and bring water in from the drive), point it down in the bilge and pour some no tox antifreeze in to push out any remaining water. Usually there is a p/s cooler in like with this hose, you don't want that to freeze they are pricey. Drain that water tank. Now you can see what we do each fall. Also why my next engine will be full closed cooling. Next boat will be an outboard.
I would never own another raw water cooled I/O, they are a pain in some ways.

taz42169 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:51 pm

Drain, drain, drain...adding A/F wouldn't hurt. Like Lou said, my next will be an OB!

Better safe than sorry...don't roll the dice.

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:18 pm

LouC wrote:

You gotta drain it, I don't think the bilge heater will give off enough radiant heat too offset that kind of bitter cold. What motors do you have?

I have twin Volvo Penta 5.0 V8s and the bilge heater is only on the port side. Our club had to replace the Corvette engines (?) on an old 50' Chris Craft Constellation due to letting them succumb to cold weather so I will refer to my boat tech who I will call in the morning. This "global warming" is insane and totally unexpected but based on science, this might be the norm for a while. So much for winter boating in the South.

acguy · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:26 pm

298VISTA2000 wrote:

So how low is it going for you all up North?

I woke up this morning and mt thermostat for outside was reading -10 F. It's been along time since i remember it being below 0 F
To play it safe I would drain everything. I bet a bilge heater would keep the engine safe but wouldn't want to be sitting at home about the what if's

LouC · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:38 pm

This morning it was 12* after a 7" snowfall. Tonight it's going down to about 2*. My engine and manifolds are full of -100 antifreeze (stays liquid all the way to -60) . Luck favors the prepared as they say...
Can you fit between the twin engines, if so you can drain it yourself.
I can drain mine in abt 10 min and 5 of that is moving the rear seat out of the way. The Volvo may have rubber caps held on with a clamp instead of a drain plug for the exhaust manifolds. If you drain it like I said above you will be fine. Stick a piece of coat hanger wire in each drain hole because they can get blocked by rust then no water will come out. Water must come out each hole. Keep in mind it only has to get to 28*F for 6-8 hrs to crack cast iron. I would not wait.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:39 pm

Ya'll got me worried here in Florida. We've been known to have our cold days but none in the last 3 years. 4 years ago we had snow all morning the first weekend of Jan.

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Will Bilge Heater do the Job in 6 Degree Temps?

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