SCJB is probably not got a lot of need for this but with so much experience lurkin on the boards I want to ask:

I was checking out my buddy's modern riverboat and he's got a handy spot on the front of the motor with a tire valve that allows you to blow out the cooling water (I think - or maybe its for the trailer tires... )

I think I'm going to plumb one in. I've got a single 5/8"ID line running out of my block back to the rear before splitting on a tee into the snails. If I put a ball valve in there and tap a tire valve onto it, I should be able to close the ball valve and back blow everything upstream allllll the wayyyy back to the bowl.

The two good things about doing it are it makes winterizing another step easier. And if I had it I would then use it after every trip to purge out any sand or salmon eggs.

Anybody have a downside? Anybody have a similar setup?

I did however just install two petcocks in my block to drain water and sand/debre. I had to beat a punch into one of the holes to get water to flow, the accumulation had already begun.

we use a wet dry vac (necked down )

we use a wet dry vac (necked down )

Dude, Cupcake, I don't think even I would have admitted to that (even though all us guys have thought about it one time or another) and I certainly wouldn't have said that I had to "neck" it down......


Okay, back on topic.  I think thats a heck of a good idea as it can get cold up here and some have cracked blocks before.  With that said, usually just having a petcock on each side of the block to drain the water has been sufficient.  The ones that cracked blocks didnt drain the water and left a heater/light in the boat that was covered with a tarp.  That seems to work fine.......till the power goes out!!!!

I tried blowing out my long bolt logs last fall.   I put valves on the block but had to pull them as they were sealed shut.  I pulled the logs and couldn't beleive how much water I dumped out. 

That was after flowing 110 PSI of air through them.   I'll never depend on that again.  I'll drain the the block from plugs and put the logs in the garage!

Better safe than sorry.

It does get somewhat chilly here in PA.  Our low for this year was 18 below....