Cold weather fishing question.

[Bearetta]

What do you do after loading boat to trailer home at night in freezing weather?
i was told to never crank the engine out of water.
just drop it and self drawing will get it all out.
So, after a few minutes tilt it up, trailer bar in, drop it and take off.

any body have a different or better routine?

[tablerockslinger]

After loading the boat and out of the water, lower motor to vertical position and let the water drain for a few minutes. After driving home and parking boat lower the motor back to vertical position and leave it there. The water will all come out

[Hunna]

When you want the motor to drain I always tilt motor down a few minutes tilt it back up few minutes & then leave it in down position should drain.

[javelin90]

Seeing your in Oklahoma I would bump the starter for a split second tilted down. If your motor has the flush hose unscrew that and blow compressed air in both lines. Using compressed air then blow out each of the drain holes on lower unit. Gently blow air through the screens. I would also put a brass drain cock for the hose under the dash for the water pressure gauge.
WHATEVER you do make sure your lower unit DOES NOT have and leaking seals as water inside the lower unit and freezes your going to need a new lower unit...
Hope this helps.

[CJ1]

After loading the boat and out of the water, lower motor to vertical position and let the water drain for a few minutes. After driving home and parking boat lower the motor back to vertical position and leave it there. The water will all come out

This. About the only other thing I do is disconnect the flush hose and let it drain. Never had a issue if I didn't but another OCD thing! Cj

[kk4iz]

This. About the only other thing I do is disconnect the flush hose and let it drain. Never had a issue if I didn't but another OCD thing! Cj

[rat0502]

Make sure you drain the water pressure gauge line too. Don't ask me how I know.... I've thought about adding a valve to mine as mentioned, but I just reach under the dash and disconnect or blow it out. It'll make your floor wet pretty quick if you forget to hook it back up though. Again, don't ask me how I know!!

[Wackyjig]

Make sure you drain the water pressure gauge line too. Don't ask me how I know.... I've thought about adding a valve to mine as mentioned, but I just reach under the dash and disconnect or blow it out. It'll make your floor wet pretty quick if you forget to hook it back up though. Again, don't ask me how I know!!

I know how you know! Mine popped off the gauge on my maiden voyage in my new boat with no access from underneath and a drain hole right above the hot foot.

[SkeeterStew]

I know how you know! Mine popped off the gauge on my maiden voyage in my new boat with no access from underneath and a drain hole right above the hot foot.

Haha! Been there, done that! I'm in OK too. If it's freezing I generally don't go out, but when I do I drain it out on the ramp (no one else is there) so i can have the boat tilted at a high angle, then bump the starter to squirt out the stuff in the pump (it won't hurt the engine, just don't let it go more than 2 seconds or so), then when I get home I drain the pressure gauge line and blow air though it.

Be very careful bumping the starter with the engine trimmed down so that you don't bang your prop on the trailer or the ground.