I guess you could call it improper winterizing. Last run of that year the water at the reservoir was extremely low - to the point I backed past the end of the dock at the launch and 20ft into the mud before I even hit the water. Coming back out of the water was a murky mess. Then the boat sat for a few weeks before winterizing. Should have known better...

That next Spring after getting everything back together and warmed it up to do an oil change I had the dreaded milkshake.

AWS was swamped and referred me to their engine shop to get in sooner. Got in there and a tech pulled one drain plug from the block. Little rusty water comes out. He grabs a little piece of wire like a coat hanger and sticks it up into the block and works it around some. Some really mucky slime like mud and silt comes out and then some blackish water.

I guess there was a bunch of sediment crap trapped in the block that hardened and trapped some water in one of the jackets. Cracked block...

Bummer of a way to start the summer but they got a new engine in it within just a week or two and we did an upgrade option with a little hotter cam too.

I haven't investigated the winterizing work that AWS did this year yet but plan to in considering my DIY for next year.