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I'm leaving my boat in a marina this summer so I can do more fishing around the channel islands. should the motor be left in the water or flush the moter and leave it tilted up? 1984 outrage 150 merc black max

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I would think if you have the ability to flush the power head then flush it. Tilting the motor up will prevent marine growth on the lower unit. So yes and yes.

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Motor up. Leaving it down in salt water ruins the paint. A definitive line once you decide to raise it. Seems to accelerate aluminum/lower gasket breakdown (nothing conclusive, just a personal observation).
gchuba

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I'd raise it....that way you can rinse most of the salt water off of it, and also fill the exhaust with fresh water too.... Only the toe portion of your lower unit will have any growth on it.... that is if your motor doesn't fully raise out of the water when tilted up.

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I always leave it up with the tilt lock in place to relieve some stress on the cylinders and because it won't stay up on its own for too long....

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You mention summer. Absolutely no reason to leave it down. In other seasons, if you are expecting freezing weather, better at those times to leave it down. This allows the water to run down, drain out, and not freeze inside your motor.

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Thank you all for your input. all good advice. I'll be leaving it up....Thank you.......Henry

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Doesn't really matter - Up or down. Make sure you have a new Aluminum Anode and if you can flush it and rinse it now and then through out the summer, you will be fine.

If you use it enough - you will not have any growth on the lower unit. If you do, just wipe it off with a scotch pad and a little Simple Green.

Every other summer we have the Outrage in Avalon, on a mooring....sometimes up, sometimes down. Look around the marina - you will find some motors in & some up.

Sounds like you may be at Ventura Harbor or Channel Island Marina.?

Have fun - The Channel Islands are a blast!

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I have put many years into salt water boating and always thought zinc was the preferred anode material for salt. I use magnesium for my fresh water boat but I am surprised to find that aluminum is now the preferred material for salt water anodes. I learn something from this site every day.

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Well, actually, the sacrificial anodes that are called "aluminum" are actually alloys of aluminum with zinc and indium. Pure aluminum will not work as a sacrificial anode, it will oxidize immediately in saltwater.

The aluminum-alloy sacrificial anodes have been pretty much industry standard since the 90's.

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That 1984 Merc 150 in question will have the old zinc anodes, which Mercury stopped using around 1992, which are only half as "active" as the aluminum ones.

I would recommend new QuickSilver/Mercury aluminum anodes, both for the plate under the trim unit, and for the trim tab.

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Yes, definitely need to use the same type of anode in both locations.