I know this isn’t an ideal situation but one of the boats I’ve been interested in is located up north where it rarely gets above freezing this time of year. Other than running a ton of pink RV antifreeze through the muffs….is there a safe way to hook the boat up to a garden hose to run it for a few minutes to check it out and then re-winterize it on the spot without damaging anything? Would a workaround be to fill up a large plastic storage container with luke-warm water from inside the house and put the outdrive in that and keep filling it as it runs? It seems the temps would be in the high 20’s to low 30’s at best this time of year. Appreciate any advice, it’s a BBC/Bravo 1 combo. Thanks

I would see if u can find a place that is heated that u can get it in side to do it and u would be fine. Where is the boat.

It would be easier to find a marina that has a winterizing rig and make sure it is done correctly after you start the engines. Maybe you split the cost with the seller. A better angle would be to go look at the boat and decide if you want to do a deal. You make a escrowed deposit with a written agreement on all the terms including an inspection and a date to buy the boat at an agreed price and successful sea trial. If you cut too many corners, in about 4 mo we will likely be reading about how you got screwed.

Go back it in the lake and start it. This will ensure you have plenty of water volume to run up the RPMs, and put it in gear, putting a load on the prop. This will also let you check out the drive. All you need to do is get the drive wet.

Run it up to operating temperature, and then take it somewhere (preferably indoors and warm) and winterize it again.

You could also just winterize right there at the ramp if you can bear the cold. This will ensure the thermostat stays open; if it has one. If it has closed cooling; even easier.

^^^^^ All the lake up here are frozen.
Where up north? If it hits high 20s to low 30s no problem. I did it with a single engine Checkmate years ago. Buyer insisted he wanted to hear it run. It was 28°, parked the boat with the sun hitting the stern, dragged out the hose and ran the boat. To my surprise the buyer brought antifreeze to winterize again. With a big smile he said "I'll take it". Paid in full and drove off a new happy Checkmate owner.

Depending on the amount of $$$$$ your spending on the boat. One option might be to pay or split the cost with the seller and have the boat shipped down south. (im guessing this would cost $1K???). Meet on a friday. If you buy it great! and now you can spend saturday using your new boat. Winterize it on Saturday afternoon, or sunday and pull it back home.

Yes i relise there would have to be a lot of ducks in a row, but its a idea.

Ayuh,.... No worries, so long as it's up 'bout 10° to 20° above zero,....

Just muff it, run it,... Then Drain it,.... Air don't freeze,....

I would not depend on draining. I would run some PINK stuff into it. I run about 6 gallons a side.

Wannabe

on a trailer boat I would not use the pink RV anti freeze, it has no corrosion guard, use a reg auto antifreeze mixed 50/50 and just run on the hose to clear out before launch...not that most don't anyway...

Running a boat on a hose or backed into the lake isn't going to tell the whole story of the condition of the motor/drive. If I couldn't run the boat on the lake I wouldn't bother firing it up for a few minutes.