A quick use

This weekend, we are goin up to our lake house to do work. After everything is done, I was hoping that I could get a quick ride in. The problem is our boat is still winterized. I was wondering if I could de-winterize the boat, use it for an hour and a half, then rewinterize it in case we get freezing temperatures again. (I know rewinterize is not the correct turn. I just want to situate the boat so that if we get a week of below freezing temps, we will not have problems) The boat is stored in a non-heated garage, in case it matters. I am most worried about screwing something up if it freezes, so If there is any chance of a problem, I don't want to risk it. I was hoping to dewinterize the boat, ride, then prep it in under 3 hours. Is this possible?
BTW what do you do to dewinterize your boats and what do you recommend in our situation?

I would think that you could just pull the plugs in the manifold and maybe disconnect the water pump hose
make sure all water is out of the block
you aren't gunna really store the boat for more months...so cylinder fog and gas stabilizer isn't really an issue

everyone agree?

Is the boat near Cleveland? I'm in Columbus, rode yesterday and don't plan to winterize until October or November. There's a lot of thermal inertia in that big block of metal. If you do as Cliff suggests I think you'll be find, that is unless your boat is in Canada or the U.P.

(Message edited by Bigshow on April 19, 2007)

temperatures have to get and maintain extremely cold to freeze enough to effect a block, so at this point in time I would say you have nothing to worry about. If you could leave a trouble light on in the engine compartment that would do the trick as well

How long would it take to "pull the plug in the manifold, disconnect the water hose, and make sure all the water is out of the block."

My Mercruiser has 8 blue plastic plugs to take out for everything to drain.
Manifolds 2, block sides 2, impellor 2, waterpump intake side 1, heat exchanger 1.
I don't know about yours but those are all water catch points. Don't forget about ballast and pumps.