boat storing for winter

5 Tips for Storing Your Boat During the Winter

Now that the boating season has come to a halt, it’s time to trailer the boat out of the water. When it comes to boat storage, you have several options at your disposal. You can choose to store it in the water, or keep it in a driveway, dry storage facilities, or at a self-storage facility. Before you decide, it’s prudent to investigate the available options and choose the best one that suits your needs. The boat’s manual will be of much help here. Most people are for storing the boat in the driveway, but self-storage is the best option to keep the boat safe.

When storing the boat, you want to take precautions to ensure that it will still be in good condition after winter. Read for excellent boat winterization tips. 

Read the manual

You want to do things right when storing your boat. It will help you understand the boat’s right storage procedures and avoid mistakes that could interfere with its functioning. Be sure to read your boat’s manual for proper instructions.

Scrubb the exterior

Pull out the hull drain plug, and then scrub off any dirt or debris. You should also wax the hull, especially when the boat will stay out during the winter season. As you do the cleaning, check out for any cracks and blisters. In case of any damage, get a professional to do the repairs before you store the boat. If the repair requires some accessories, be sure to get from a reputable seller like Stryker T-Tops

Flush the fluids

You need to drain the oil when the engine is warm. Before you change the filter, flush out any sludge and replace the oil and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid overfilling. For short term storage, fill the tank with gasoline and add some stabilizer, and run the engine to ensure that the stabilizer gets to the fuel lines. Once you flush your coolant, fill the system with the recommended antifreeze.

Does your boat have freshwater tanks and a heater? Drain these and add nontoxic antifreeze. Then work the antifreeze through the bilge pump, sump pump, air-con pump, and anything else that requires plumbing.

Check the mechanical parts

Disconnect the battery, clean off the corrosion, charge it fully, top it with distilled water, and store it indoors. Check out the wires and hoses to ensure that all connections are perfectly secure. Drive belts should be removed to avoid cracking during the cold winter months.

Clean the interior

Check through the boat compartments, the coolers, and refrigerators for any leftover drinks and food particles. Also, ensure also you remove all mobile and electronic devices, the GPS units, radar displays, and radio. Store these in a safe place, off from the winter cold. You also need to clean the vinyl seats and cushions, and spray them with a vinyl protector. Before you store the boat, everything should be dried.

Endnote

When spring arrives, you don’t want to waste time fixing the boat engine and scrubbing mildew. Proper storage of your boat will ensure that you have a great time getting back to the water.

Last Updated on November 18, 2020

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