Properly storing your boat at the end of the season is critical to its health and durability. Boats are subjected to a battering throughout the season, and the cold can exacerbate the damage caused by rough water and weather.
To get you started, we’ve put together a basic explanation of proper procedures for storing your boat throughout the winter.
Choosing whether to store your boat indoors or outdoors, it can be difficult to store a boat safely outside for the winter, but it is not impossible. Finally, there are benefits and drawbacks to both indoor and outdoor storage.
Indoor Storage
If you decide to store your boat indoors for the winter, you have several options. You can winter your boat in an out-of-water storage container, a dry stack, or even an enclosed garage (ideally climate-controlled, but not required). The various solutions vary in price, availability, and convenience of access, but on average, they cost more upfront than outdoor storage.
However, there are several compelling reasons to invest in indoor storage for your boat over the winter. Among them: larger upfront fees assure that your yacht is adequately maintained, with little to no effort on your side. This can save you a lot of money on future cold-weather repair bills. Some storage places, while not as convenient to go there from your house, are extremely close to the lake and will even put the boat back in the water for you when the next season begins.
Outdoor Storage
Outdoor storage at home may appear to be a cheaper choice, but be wary of reducing costs. To keep mold and mildew at bay, you must have a watertight cover for your boat. If you store your boat outside over the winter, you should ensure that it is well prepared and dried before shrink-wrapping it and removing it from the sun for the season.
How to Prepare Your Boat for Storage
When you’re ready to put your boat away for the winter, you should carefully prepare, clean, and detail it one more time. Because all of the components require specific care, this can be a time-consuming process, but it is vital for the health of your boat.
- Run the boat one last time to check for any mechanical concerns that may require repair or replacement.
- Clean the boat – Use marine detergent and specialized cleaner for each area that demands it. Dry the hull, wax it, and reapply gel coat as needed. Make sure you know what material your boat is constructed of and choose a cleaner that is appropriate for it. You should also clean any fabric and metal parts. This is also a good opportunity to check for and fix any exterior damage before the winter season arrives.
- Winterize the engine by flushing it with clean, fresh water, refilling the coolant system, and briefly warming it before replacing the oil and all filters. To prevent corrosion, add fogging oil to the carburetor and spark plug holes. Finally, top off the gas, add fuel stabilizer, and run the engine for 10-15 minutes to allow the stabilizer to absorb into the fuel line.
- Loosen the drive belts – When you’re no longer using the engine, loosen the drive belts to relieve stress on them. This will allow them to survive longer.
- Lubricate all moving parts on the boat and engine, including hinges, latches, and linkages, and inspect for damage, residue, and debris that has to be removed while doing so. Once everything has been cleaned and oiled, apply marine packing grease to the steering mechanisms and anywhere else where moisture protection is required.
- Remove the battery and fully charge it before winter. Because winter is extremely hard on batteries, it’s preferable to keep them in a battery maintainer or trickle charger; alternatively, you can check and top off the charge every week or two throughout the season. Marine batteries should not drop below 20% charge. Do not forget to clean the terminals and cable ends, and coat both in grease.
- Remove and store portable components – Anything that is not part of or attached to the boat should be removed, cleaned, and stored in a watertight container.
- Finishing touches – Now that everything has been completed, it’s time to focus on the boat’s finishing details. Give everything a final wax and/or gel coat for extra protection during the winter.
- Cover and store your boat – Your boat is now ready for storage! By shrinkwrapping the boat, sealing exhaust ports and any other openings with tape, covering the boat with a fitted cover, or storing the boat in an interior setting free of creepy crawlies, you may ensure that no animals or insects can construct winter nests.
We hope this post has shown you how to properly prepare your boat for winter storage. Boat winterization may appear to be a difficult task, but by breaking it down into short, straightforward steps, you can make it much less scary.
If you don’t have the time to spend to thorough boat winterization or are unsure that you can conduct the essential maintenance and repairs, you may always hire a professional marine detailer. These can be found at marinas, dealerships, or through mobile detailing services that travel to wherever your boat is.
