Cold Weather Advice for Motors

[pimplepounder]

If your boat is in the water I doubt very much that you have to worry about it. The water the boat is setting in is 40+ degrees and that temp will transfer into the motor well thru the hull. Heat rises and the motor box will retain enough of that heat that it will remain above freezing in an overnight situation. While the boat is in the water most Inboards and I/O' are at least partly below the exterior waterline surrounding at least part of the motor well with 40 degree temps. After looking at the next 15 days of highs and lows it appears that there will only be 4 days below freezing and only 2 of those are below 30 and they will be in the upper 20's. If I had my boat in the water I would not be the least bit concerned.

https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/USOH0783:1:US

I have seen dipstick heaters occasionally over the years mostly used for diesel engines. I would think an electric blanket or heating pan would do the trick too as long as it stayed away from moisture. Garden supply stores have heating pads for starting seedlings. One of those old style cage type trouble lights up next to the block would work but they can melt things if they touch them to long.




They make dipstick heaters..