Angie’s 6 tips for properly storing your boat for the winter:
- Replace the engine’s old gear oil with fresh and change the engine’s oil and oil filter. This way the dirty oil won’t leave deposits which can corrode your boat.
- Drain the water system in the boat so it will not freeze. This includes on-board sinks and tubs. Forgetting to drain the water system is one of the most common problems boat owners encounter. When the temperature falls below freezing, if there is water inside your engine or gear case, the result can be a cracked block or housing and a repair bill that runs into the thousands.
- Run a fogging solution through the engine while its running to protect the internal parts and spray an anti-corrosive protective to keep the external parts safe. Corrosion can establish a foothold on idle components, so liberal use of corrosion inhibitors – both internal and external – is a second guiding principle for winterizing.
- The battery needs to be disconnected during the winter to prevent it from going dead or freezing if your boat is not in the water. If your boat remains in the water over the colder months do not disconnect the battery because your bilge pump will still need to run. If you have the option of hooking up to electricity, do that.
- If you can’t keep your boat indoors then you should have your boat shrink wrapped. Don’t trust the cover of your boat to protect it. Spend the extra money to have the extra protection.
- Make sure you schedule your appointment well before the first frost. There are many other people trying to get their boats ready for hibernation. If you know you’ve taken your boat out for the final time of the season, schedule it then, or when the temperature consistently drops around 60 degrees.