Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Thunder
It takes some pretty deep extended cold to freeze an engine block. If the boat is on a trailer in your yard it might be a bit early to un-winterize. But if you are launching and its in the water it's a chance I might take given the long range weather outlook and the pattern of warmer than normal we have seen for about 8 months straight.....
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If the water temperature is above freezing and you have an inboard or an I/O the water will provide a significant amount of protection and hold the temperature on the drive. In most situations unless there is a very significant temperature drop the engine will be fine. Don't forget, the engine compartment on most all boats is mostly below the water line so that warmer water will transfer heat into your engine compartment.
If you put your boat in very early and the water temperature is above 34 or so but the air temperature drops, some people will put a 100 watt bulb on an extension cord in the engine compartment to keep it warm. Just make sure that you have no loose connections that may create a spark.