www.iFourWinns.com

Sitting outside waiting for winterization, block full of water.

Am I doomed?

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

You'll be fine. it's so close to 32 and won't be below that long enough to cause any damage.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Thanks, that's what I was thinking, but I've never cut it this close before. Or, I should say, we haven't had a freeze this early in many years.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Hey Mike with all the wax on the boat it might insulate against the cold, just to be sure you could sleep in it that way your body heat will keep it from freezing ?????????
Nah just pulling your leg, it should be fine
hope all is well

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Ardy
Adelaide South Australia
Red H180 3.0 Merc

It really depends on how long it will stay at 29 degrees or if it will be even colder....just a few hours and it won't freeze because the block retains some of the heat of the day...but I recall reading 28 degrees for 8hrs can crack a block (freshwater) salt water doesn't start to freeze till 28 or so....
Having said that the first year we had this old boat it dropped to 25 before I could winterize it and I just ran out with the manual and in the dark pulled out the 2 plugs for the block...2 for the manifolds...pulled off the big hose on the front of the engine to let that drain and disconnected the raw water intake hose and held it down in the bilge to drain...took all of about a half hr....
I think anyone with a raw water cooled sterndrive should learn how to do this....it could save thousands....

Mike I think on your 230 the engine compartment is nice and wide so you should be able to get at everything....the smaller FWs have a lot of molded in fiberglass that's in the middle of your way....
On my old 88 I pull out the side panels and I can get at everything with no problems....
As for me I'm getting an outboard next time!

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I agree, you're fine. It will hold enough heat from the day that it won't get cold enough to freeze the block overnight. If you are really worried about it, run a lamp, shop light or any kind of bulb (60 watt is plenty) with an extension cord down there. The light will keep it plenty warm, just make sure the bulb is clear of anything touching it.

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2005, 268 Vista, Table Rock Lake "Choices II"

Hey Mike...
I'm with ya, but I went ahead and winterized yesterday after work. I wouldn't expect any problems either, but I'm paranoid!

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

+1 on that

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1992 Baja 38 Special Twin 502 Mags

03 Stingray 3.0
88 261 Liberator 460 King Cobras
95 Bayliner 1850 3.0
77 Fiber Form 20ft 350/385hp
70 Wescraft 1800 SS 455 Jet

Lead, Follow, or get the Hell out of the Way!

If you're really worried about it I would take it out on the lake today for one last spin!!!

Thanks everyone, but the issue is that it's locked up in a fenced lot, an hour away. Tonight (Sat/Sun) is going to be the biggest concern. I talked to the place on the phone and they weren't concerned. They said it would have to stay at 27F for 12 hours to be a problem - which I don't believe, especially when the daytime temp today isn't even supposed to break 40F. I don't know what the temperature/duration breakdown is, but if it makes it down to 27 tonight (as is now forecast) I don't think it'll take 12 hours. It won't be that cold for more than a few hours, but it would be nice to know the actual limits.

After tonight it's supposed to get back to normal - mid to upper 50's during the day and low to mid 40's at night.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

If your that worried just pull the hoses off the raw water pump that drain most and then the hose off the end of each exhaust manifold, that will get almost all of the water out!

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2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

Here in KC it's pretty cloudy. That'll help if it stays around all night, and if it's the same in Topeka.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

You will be ok with it.
We are dipped down to 30 here in Wichita also. Not even going to bat an eye at it.

Don't drain any water though. Smaller pockets will freeze easier.

Unless it gets down to 25 or so and for at least 18 hours, I would not sweat it.

When we where up in Park City Utah, that was different. The first freeze there was down
to 12. I used a light bulb all that week until we could get it out of there down to Las Vegas.
By the end of the week, there was a foot of snow on the ground and cold. It did just fine
with the daily warmup and the light at those temps.

Your fine.

_________________
1992 Baja 38 Special Twin 502 Mags

03 Stingray 3.0
88 261 Liberator 460 King Cobras
95 Bayliner 1850 3.0
77 Fiber Form 20ft 350/385hp
70 Wescraft 1800 SS 455 Jet

Lead, Follow, or get the Hell out of the Way!

Agree with everyone else, not cold enough, long enough to worry. We took ours to storage yesterday morning, about a 1 hour ride, air temp was 37 degrees when we got out on Lake Michigan. Now it's tucked away in heated storage for the winter.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Well, it turned out to not get as cold as they predicted anyway. According to NOAA it got down to 31 - not the 23 worst-case they were talking about.

Thanks a TON to everyone who responded... you got me through the weekend.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic