Slip my boat - motor up or down?

[BobG]

Hey, I'm back! Unfortunately, my job has changed, and I can't participate here much any more.

Here's the question:

I'm slipping my boat for the season (May-September) at Blue Mesa Reservoir - when she's in the slip, should I leave the motor down, or up?

Thanks!
Bob

[curtiscapk]

Can't help on the motor question, but

Welcome back you old bastard!

[BobG]

Welcome back you old bastard!

[elvisvoice]thankyouverymuch[/elvisvoice]

[MH Hawker]

If you dont have the zebra mussels or some of the other growth stuff then down is fine. I leave mine down all year

[Bryden24shp]

Hey Bob! Sounds from the "Unfortunately" that this is not a good thing? I'm sorry to hear that, if that's the case. Hope it works out to your advantage in the end. As far as having the outboard tilted up or leaving it down when slipping, I always have mine tilted up, high enough for the skeg to be out of the water. Advantage-It keeps the inside water inlets, the prop and the lower unit case from getting the cruddy algae build up and like said above, zebra mussels (which we have here at home, not at out place at LotO) and it saves the sacrificial anadode. Bad side, even though it hasn't happened yet, its an easy target for a prop thief. Even though they would have a hard time getting my prop lock off, they could do some serious damage trying. Now that I mentioned that, it will probably happen. Damn it!
Hope his helps!
Good to hear from ya, been awhile since I've been on, too. Takin care of the wife has been my #1 priority. Now that she is on the mend, my time is starting to free up a little.
Good Luck, Buddy!
Bryan

[BobG]

Hey Bob! Sounds from the "Unfortunately" that this is not a good thing?

The only unfortunate part is that I don't have time to visit this site! Other than that, I'm doing what I love!

[BobL]

Just had a lift installed so will not have the problem anymore. With that being said, I had to keep my tilted up due to growth forming on the water intake. I put my boat in March and take her out in October. By the time May/June rolled around in Louisiana, it was hard to keep the intake free of algae and I was getting poor flow through the water pump. Being anal and not having any mechanical proof of my theory, I would tilt it down and let it sit a few minutes before cranking it up - my theory was to let the fluids settle properly before cranking the motor up.

[OK Toon]

Yep, I agree with the others -- if you have algae or zebra mussels, then leave it up. If not, I don't see any harm in leaving it down.

[Bryden24shp]

Hey Bob! Sounds from the "Unfortunately" that this is not a good thing?

The only unfortunate part is that I don't have time to visit this site! Other than that, I'm doing what I love!

You are a very lucky man! Congrats!!!

[Jack65K]

Welcome back! Mine is on a lift and so I leave it down.
jack

[SeaBreeze]

Local dealer I trust, told me to tilt up during summer and leave down during freezing weather.

[Ron Burgundy]

Local dealer I trust, told me to tilt up during summer and leave down during freezing weather.

This. Good advice.

[jrolin1]

Local dealer I trust, told me to tilt up during summer and leave down during freezing weather.

That is what I do. It keeps the motor clean in the summer.

[BobG]

Local dealer I trust, told me to tilt up during summer and leave down during freezing weather.

Ooooh. That's an interesting point!
Blue Mesa Reservoir, near Gunnison Colorado.
Elevation 7,500 feet above sea-level.
Months without any real chance of freezing weather: August. July's probably OK.
May, June and September definitely have freezing weather. Not "Ice on the surface" weather, but below freezing.

The lake still has 18 inches of ice on it.
We should be putting in, the first week of May.

[rsmith]

Welcome back Bob! Chatfield opened up a couple weeks ago and the marina opens this weekend. I'll drop our boat in mid April. Hopefully Mesa gets the ice off soon for ya!

I have no idea if it's right or not, but I leave ours trimmed down, I do scrub algae from the boat a few times a year. Given the slip setups and the fact that I've been hit twice I feel safer with the motor down than up.