How long before winterizing Yamaha Four Stroke?

[togzilla]

So this has been another epic fall season with stripers and probably has several weeks left. I own a center console in Barnegat Light in a slip and would like to fish several more weeks including blackfishing. My issue is after a day of fishing I flush my engines with fresh water and I leave my engines tilted up and out of the water to avoid electrolysis. However, if the temp. really drops below freezing I'll still have residue water in the lower unit that could freeze and expand which could cause further problems. Alternatively, I could lower the engines into the water so the residual water is not trapped in the lower unit to freeze but then deal with the issue of electrolysis. I live 2 hours away so it is not like I can drop what I am doing and run down to the marina and drop the engines in the water or pull the boat. However I was thinking, is there any reason I could not rig up marine antifreeze to a separate container attached to my hose outlets and just run the antifreeze through the engine for a a few seconds until I see the it come out of the drain outlet and then shut it down? This way the engines are out of the water and any residual antifreeze is left in the lower unit preventing any freeze up until I am ready to fish again?
Just trying to think out of the box and welcome opinions.

[Gerry Zagorski]

I guess you could run anti freeze through it but I wouldn’t bother… You should be fine leaving tilted down. You should have zincs on your outboard and if you have an electrolysis the zincs should protect it.

[togzilla]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

I guess you could run anti freeze through it but I wouldn’t bother… You should be fine leaving tilted down. You should have zincs on your outboard and if you have an electrolysis the zincs should protect it.

That's what I thought but when I spoke to my Yamaha technician in Manahawkin he lead me to believe that leaving the engines in the water for a week or two could cause damage even with the zincs I have in place.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by togzilla

That's what I thought but when I spoke to my Yamaha technician in Manahawkin he lead me to believe that leaving the engines in the water for a week or two could cause damage even with the zincs I have in place.

If you have a known electrolysis problem in your marina he's right... If you have people in your marina with inboard or I/Os they would know so you might ask around.