Winter is coming, and that means it’s almost time to prepare your boat for winter.
If you love your boat and want it to last you many years or even decades, then you know how important the winterization process is to your boat’s longevity. Even if the weather doesn’t get that frigid where you live, you must take the time and effort necessary to prepare your boat for winter.
Whether you’re a new boat owner or someone who has been boating for years, read on for some great tips to help you winterize a boat.
1. Take It for a Spin
It’s always a good idea to take your boat out one last time at the end of the year, not only for nostalgia but to give it a good, final once over before it goes into hibernation.
Leave the radio off – even if you have the best boat speakers – and really listen to your boat and make sure it is running optimally. Think about any repairs or boat projects you may want to do in the future and get them out of your head and onto an actionable list.
2. Remove All Unnecessary Gear
Over the course of the boating season, you’ve probably brought more things onto your boat than you have taken away, and there’s no better time than during winterization to do a thorough decluttering.
Check all your cabinets and storage areas and return everything to where it belongs on land. If you have blankets on board, take them home for a good washing and bring home all the swim accessories and toys, too.
3. Rub a Dub Dub – Give It a Scrub
It’s always rewarding to take your boat out after giving it a thorough cleaning, but this time you’ll be cleaning it up to put it away.
This may not seem to be as much fun, but when you’re ready to boat again in the spring, you’ll be glad you took the time to do this. Furthermore, putting your boat into storage at its cleanest will keep it looking new for far longer than if you are just lazy about it and put it away dirty.
Scrub your boat inside and out. Clean the carpets and polish the chrome. Wipe down the dash and treat your boat like you would if you were about to try to sell it. Then, step back and marvel at its beauty.
4. Beware of Mildew
One of the worst things that can happen to a boat over the winter is a mildew attack. Once it begins, it’s almost unstoppable. If you’re not careful, you may find that you lose sleep over just the possibility of mildew spreading and growing as the winter goes on.
The best way to avoid this is by making sure your boat is dry before you cover it. The best way to make sure of that is to leave everything open and to let it air out. There are also products on the market that are made to absorb moisture in boats; you may want to try something like that for additional peace of mind.
If your boat is a sailboat, the mildew issue especially applies to sails. Make sure your sails are completely dry before you fold and store them for the winter. There are few things worse than moldy sails.
5. Give Your Engine Some Love
Your engine is truly the heart of your boat, so you should treat it as the important organ-like object it is. There are a number of things that can go wrong with an engine over the winter, but if you take the time to winterize yours properly, then you should have little to worry about.
Top off your gas tank – but don’t fill it all the way to the top – and then add fuel stabilizer. Give yourself an oil and filter change and check your coolant. Give everything a good once-over; check your hoses and belts and make sure everything is connected properly, too.
If you don’t feel confident about doing this alone, many places will be happy to do it for you.
6. Drain Water Lines
If your boat has a bathroom, you’ll need to winterize that, too. This is easy to forget, but if you don’t winterize a boat bathroom, you will have big problems in the spring. If water freezes in your lines, it will be an expensive and complicated fix.
Instead, get all that water out of there and run a non-toxic anti-freeze through the lines. Remember to completely pump out your holding tank and water heater if you have one.
You’ll also need to run anti-freeze through your air conditioner, sump pumps, and anywhere else there is water on board.
7. Consider Both Wet and Dry Storage
There are pros and cons to both styles of boat storage. Boats that are stored wet – that is, in the water – will be in the water for many months and will be exposed to the elements. In a worst-case scenario, a boat stored this way could sink. To keep your wet-stored boat safe, make sure you have sturdy, long-lasting dock lines and consider installing de-icer in your boat’s slip.
Dry storage is more expensive; you will have to haul your boat out of the water and take it somewhere for it to be stored this way. Boats that are stored dry may suffer freeze damage over the course of the winter, which is something you also don’t want.
The way you store your boat is really a personal preference. Some people do both and alternate from year to year.
8. Cover Your Boat
Putting a cover on your boat is an excellent winterizing idea, and most people do it, especially if they want their boat to last a long time.
Again, you must make sure all moisture has evaporated before covering your boat tightly, but a good cover will help to protect your boat from freezing rain, ice, and snow.
Whether you cover your boat with a carefully applied tarp or if you opt for shrink wrap, you’ll be glad you did when spring comes back around.
You’re Ready to Winterize a Boat
Now that you know all the steps required to winterize a boat, you are ready to take it on. You can hire people to winterize a boat but, after all, it’s your baby, so why not do it yourself? Taking the time to do all of the above steps will be well worth it in the long run, and when the time comes around again to get back on the water, you’ll be glad you did them.
If you’re interested in reading more great posts about living the good life, check out the Lifestyle section of our site.
