PRO XS Motor Maintenance

[josephsharpe99]

Hey guys. I just bought my new to me bass boat that came with a 2016 200HP ProXS. Here in NC we typically have colder weather November-March. It will drop below 30 quite often and water will freeze. I will most likely take my boat out every 2 weeks or so this winter to scout and do some winter fishing. What would be your best advice to prevent any motor blocks freezing or anything else that typically happens during the winter with freezing temperatures. Or should I be okay since I plan on taking boat out every 2 weeks. I know I need to do my yearly maint. but most likely will do this during December. Any help will be great! Thanks guys.

[SilverFox579]

Drop the engine full down after loading on trailer and let drain, repeat once you park the boat, and leave engine down until next use. I use my Optimax all winter long unless hard water closes the launches. Was out last week with overnight lows in the upper 30s, this week lows have been in mid-teens, and boat is tucked away trimmed full down.

Most important thing for cold water fishing is to ensure your engine reaches at least 120° before slowly accelerating first time in the morning. Not bad, IMO, to repeat if you've been fishing for more than a couple hours. Hope you have a Smartcraft gauge of some kind to read engine temperature and water pressure. These FAQ topics are worth reading as is the forum announcement at top forum...

Proper Warmup and Cold Water Operation

Engine Shutdown Precautions after a HARD RUN (Especially in cold water)

PLEASE READ Before Posting..... Updated 10/05/2017

[Macsimus]

You also might want to think about adding a petcock to drain the water line to your water pressure gauge.