A woman living on a boat in Minnesota is advising other boat owners to watch out for the current winter freeze. The woman herself is sitting on a boat with -25 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures and mentions boat engines and other machinery could be at risk. 

TikTok account @hot_mess_on_a_boat, which is owned by two gen Xers, explored how they’re keeping their boat safe during inclement weather conditions. They posted a video with over 41,000 views that explored how they’ve been protecting their vessel during extreme, frigid conditions. Specifically, they recommended the Xtreme heater to keep engines at a consistent temperature and ensure that there’s no significant issues related to weather. 

Many of the commenters were confused as to why even live on a boat in Minnesota. Especially all year round considering the harsh winter conditions Minnesota experiences. 

“Minnesota? Why?” one TikTok commenter asked. 

“My husband got stationed here,” she replied back. 

“Why boat on the lake during winter?” another commented.

“It’s easier and warmer to leave it in the water. If it was on land, the airflow underneath would make it a lot colder,” she explained. 

How Can Storms Affect Boats?

Storms can cause additional wear and tear on boats during the wintertime, especially if vessel owners are not prepared for it. For one, ice and snow can damage both the exterior and interior of vessels. That’s one reason why many boat owners take their boats out of the water and dock them during severe, winter months. 

Winter weather can also negatively affect engine performance for boats. If a boat owner doesn’t drain water from their boat or properly winterize the marine vessel, there’s a likely chance it could result in cracked pipes, hoses, and engine block damage. 

Even if boat owners winterize their vessels, there’s also a chance that condensation will create issues with fuel freezing. In order to avoid fuel freezing due to water contamination, boat owners should consider draining the engine and changing out the oil with a recommended, winterized oil for inclement temperatures. Fuel stabilizer can also help avoid future issues with fuel freezing, ensuring that fuel remains effective over time. 

How Do Boat Owners Winterize Their Boats?

Most boat owners prepare for winterization well in advance. But, there’s still installations that boat owners can rely on if they need an extra upgrade. @Hot_mess_on_a_boat recommended purchasing an extreme heater to keep engines at a normal temperature.

“ We get asked a lot if we’re worried about our engines or what we do to protect our engines. So last night we had our coldest night of the year. It got down to like negative 24…” the TikTok user said. “ So we used an extreme heater in our engine bay. Right now, the temperature in our engine bay is 33 degrees.” 

According to @Hot_mess_on_a_boat the heater gives them peace of mind because temperatures stay constant. They don’t have to worry about adjusting anything or focusing on winterization efforts, nor do they necessarily have to use fuel stabilizers or refresh their fuel as often. If the fuel stays at 33 degrees, there’s less of a need for any prepared efforts. They use propane for their heat, simplifying costs for them. 

They specifically recommended Xtreme heaters, but there are a wide variety of heaters available online that boat owners can rely on to provide consistent temperatures during the winter season. 

How Much Will It Cost To Fix Or Replace An Engine?

For a boat, issues with an engine can be catastrophic. Boat engines notably have costly fixes even for small issues. Most engine issues also need expert opinions, as repairs are more difficult for everyday people to perform on their own. Most leading experts recommend that owners seek repair technicians for any failures to start, overheating, fuel problems, or poor performance, with those repairs ranging in cost from $300-$1,000 or more.

Now an engine rebuild can cost between $1,500 to $5,000. Additionally, if the engine needs to be completely replaced it is even more drastic of a price. Replacing an entire engine can cost between $5,000 to $15,000. 

So it’s important to stay on top of regular maintenance to prevent this. These tasks include checking the fuel systems, changing the oil, and inspecting the cooling system. By spending a few hundred dollars on maintenance could make all the difference from spending thousands. 

We’ve reached out to @hot_mess_on_a_boat via TikTok direct message and Xtreme Heaters via email for comment.

@hot_mess_on_a_boat This is how we protect our engines during the winter. This little heater is a work hose and gives us peace of mind, even when the temp drops down to -25. @Xtremeheater ♬ original sound – ⚓️?HotMessOnABoat?⚓️