TOPIC:

Anyone use a bilge engine compartment heater? Thoughts on them for early season protection??

have used them for emergencies in past but not as a pre season solution to having to drop water out of block after each use
I fear too unreliable for me have had more than a couple people loose motors from a interruption in power either circuit breaker hoping or some one unplugging it by accident

Good morning John,
you just got the best advice that could be given. I know you went to a bigger boat for this season. Are you going to be towing or slipping for the early season?

I’m going to keep it on the lot at Doynes for the summer. I can’t leave it there until April 1st though. That’s why i was wondering about those heaters. I guess I’ll just have to see what the weather brings this year and wait until I know there won’t be any more freezes.

As a good precaution, and as Frank mentioned, find were all your drain plugs are for the block and heads and drain them down all the way after each outing til weather stays up.

One other item,(Thanks to Frank) I closed off my air intake and exhaust ports with shrink wrap that I had left over. That way if we get a couple of days with the temps dipping there is no way that the cold air whipping by the wind can enter into the engine compartment.
I put my searay in early last year to fish it for the spring contest.and had my air ducts closed off and a shop light in the bilge area. Checked on her every day, and was happy to see that the temps stayed way up in the engine compartments.

Here's a preview of a product test I have done for GLA magazine.

ENGINE COMPARTMENT HEATER
Compared to the often Arctic-like climate in place over much of the Great Lakes, my home ports at the south end of Lake Michigan are in Banana Zone. Even here, however, weather statistics for my area put the average frost-free date in the spring is May 5th and the average first frost date in autumn is October 5th. Those are averages. I’ve seen plenty of September frosts as well as crispy cold mornings in late May.
There’s a lot of good fishing before and after frost free dates and boat owners, especially those with inboard or inboard/outboard motors, know a dip in the thermometer below the freezing mark can do nasty things inside an engine, bilge or livewell if there is any water present.
Some boats are easier than others to drain dry and freeze proof. The boats I’ve owned over the years weren’t.
I relied on a heat source placed in the engine compartment to keep my motor and pumps ice free between early or late season fishing trips. Until now, none of my methods were particularly safe or totally worry free.
A common 60 to 100 watt incandescent bulb, will put out enough heat to keep an engine compartment a few degrees warmer than the outside air. I’ve stuck a mechanic’s trouble light inside the engine compartment on nights when the air temperature is predicted to slide only a few degrees sub-freezing. Then I worried all night about the bulb burning out or the temperature to drop just enough the lightbulb didn’t put out enough heat.
On colder nights I’ve put a ceramic space heater in the engine compartment. Often called milk-house heaters they are designed to heat a space much larger than an engine compartment - like a milk house, however big they are. When I use it, I turn the power setting on low (800W) and adjust the thermostat to a minimal setting. Then I crack the engine compartment open to allow some of the heat to escape. Using it I lose sleep worrying as much about meltdown as freeze up.
The Pali 400W Engine Compartment Heater is designed specifically for the job and carries safety certifications from the U.S. Coast Guard and Underwriters Laboratories. There are no power or thermostat settings to adjust. Just set it inside the engine compartment, close the hatch, plug it in and sleep soundly. It has an internal ceramic core heater rated at 400 Watts and a pre-set thermostat which clicks on at 40 degrees and off at 60.
Available at West Marine and other dealers. WWW. caframo.com/marine.

I don't remember the year but around 6-10yrs ago there was a big fire at Doynes that took around 8 or 10 boats thanks to the light bulb in the bilge trick when it got really cold and someone did not winterize their boat properly due to a couple of mild winters. I would say the ceramic style heaters are much safer but the best way is to drain after each use in freezing weather as mentioned.