Spring start up.

[maxreed]

Just wondering if y’all start and run your boat on the hard? We launch Monday, I’d like to do an engine check ahead of time.
Is it sufficient to just run a hose in the raw strainer ?
Really appreciate any advice.

 

[Portage_Bay]

I've not done it. But I've seen the yard crew do it. They had a contraption that looked like the business end of a toilet plunger with a hose fitting that covered the raw water intake and provided positive pressure and flow to the raw water system.

I'd be concerned about too much air in the system if you just run a hose in the raw water strainer.

 

[Unclematt]

I bought the strainer adapters which attaches to a 5 gal tank. This way you can also winterize.

 

[jleonard]

Just wondering if y’all start and run your boat on the hard? We launch Monday, I’d like to do an engine check ahead of time.
Is it sufficient to just run a hose in the raw strainer ?
Really appreciate any advice.

I have run on the hard, mainly to winterize.
Normally I just make sure the batteries are charged and I fire up once I'm splashed. Let the engine idle for about 5 minutes to shake the cobwebs loose, then toss the lines and make my 6 hour trip to my summer slip.

 

[Comodave]

I've not done it. But I've seen the yard crew do it. They had a contraption that looked like the business end of a toilet plunger with a hose fitting that covered the raw water intake and provided positive pressure and flow to the raw water system.

I'd be concerned about too much air in the system if you just run a hose in the raw water strainer.

The device is called Fake a Lake I believe. It does look like a plunger with a garden hose fitting on it. There are others. Google boat winterizing adapter.

I use a Sea Flush that plugs into the strainer and has a hose to a 5 gallon bucket. When we winterized our last boat the 5 gallons would last about a minute or so. Then I would refill the bucket and put about 3 more gallons of antifreeze into the engine. Took about 10 minutes start to finish.