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Thread: Motor position in the winter

  1. #1
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    Default Motor position in the winter


    I have always left my motor on the transom mount post during storage all year long. I now have a 150hp mercury and was curious if there is a recommendation about leaving motor up or down in winter. The skeg is so long that i can only go so low. Boat is garage kept and the door is kept closed.

  2. #2
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    put it as low as you can....to let remaining water in motor run out
    I have spent most my life fishing........the rest I wasted.
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  3. #3
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    Down as low as you can. The lower unit will trap water if left upright or on the transom support.

    If the skeg hits, lower the trailer tongue as far as you can.
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    What they said.
    Your lower unit shouldn’t freeze unless it has water in it. (Shouldn’t have unless you have a bad seal)
    In the winter, I always lower mine and start it for just a second after getting it loaded and before I tilt it up for travel.
    Some people will argue, it is hard on impeller but just start for a second to blow any water out.
    Never had a problem in 50 years of owning a boat.
    Hope this helps.


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  5. #5
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    When you take it out of water, tilt it all the way under, all the way up, all the way under and then on the support. Drains the water out.

    If your skeg is on the floor, lower your trailer jack as low as it will go. Should give you more room.
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  6. #6
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    When I load my boat on the trailer and tilt the motor up, I pull the trailer up enough to get things out of the water, then tilt my motor all the way down to let the water drain out. This is while still on the incline, so the motor is vertical straight up and down, and all the water drains out. While that is going on, I do my rear straps, then put a few clicks on the front winch to settle things down, secure or remove whatever in the boat for the ride home, THEN tilt the motor up for the transom savor (Motor Mate), pull the drain plug, and cut off the battery disconnects, make sure all trailer lights are good to go, and I take it to the house. That little amount of "Down Time" gets all the water out, and that's how it goes into the garage, door down.
    IMHO, if you get the water out that way, you are good to go. For example, when I change my lower unit oil at home and tilt the motor down and lower the front of the trailer to get the motor vertical, no water comes out.
    Incidentally, mine is a Mercury 115 2 stroke.
    Oh, on the subject of up or down - If I am going to be climbing around on my boat near the transom while in the garage, I always tilt my motor down and put a short piece of treated 2"x6" on the floor and tilt the skeg down on it with a little bit of pressure. One time I didn't do that as I was up in my boat putting something on a shelf up over the back of the boat, and suddenly the front end of my trailer and boat went way up in the air. I blamed it on the full tank of gas in the boat - but I decided it was time to go on a diet right then and there, too!
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  7. #7
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    I had a 2001 Taho ski/fish with a merc 150fei that like you kept in my garage. I use to use a floor jack to lower the tong to get as much water out as possible and it did a good job.
    May all the fish tales you catch be longer than the ones you tell !

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