As the seasons start to change and the air starts to get nippy, you may find that you want to spend less and less time out on the water. If you want to bring your boats back out next year, though, you'll have to do a bit of work to make sure they last the winter. Use these steps to prepare your boats for the cold weather so you have them ready next year for fun in the sun again.
Fill Up on Fuel
Change the oil and filter in your fuel system, then fill up the tank - preferably with non-oxygenated fuel. You don't want air in the tank because water vapors in the air can condense and bring unwanted moisture in, which causes decay. If you plan to stay off the water for more than two months, though, you may be better off running the tank low and treating the remaining fuel with a fuel stabilizer. You can fill up again in the spring.
Flush Out Your Engine
Drain your other fluids and run clean water through the engine. When the water runs clear, switch to a propylene glycol antifreeze specific to engines, and run it through the cooling passages to protect against ice pockets. Store everything you rinsed vertically so that the water can drain instead of pooling, which will cause damage to your engine if it freezes.
Prep Your Water Systems
Any features that provide water on your boat, like a showerhead, faucet, or washdown nozzle, can incur ice damage quickly in the winter. Drain as much water as possible from the tank and any lines, then find an antifreeze that's safe to use around drinking water. Run antifreeze through the system thoroughly until it comes out of every opening in the line, and then reattach your feeding hose.
Cleanse Your Sanitation System
If your boat is large enough to have restroom or shower facilities, you'll have to take some extra steps to clean those as well. Run fresh water through everything before emptying the holding tank, then flush water through again a few times to get rid of any residues. Use the same antifreeze you used for the drinking water heads to pump through each head until the solution runs through the whole system.
Scrape, Clean, and Inspect
You don't need any barnacles, sea scum, or other freeloaders to spend the winter attached to your boat. Carefully scrape off anything that may have accumulated, and sand off the residue afterward. Wash off all of your surfaces, inside and out, to avoid damage from built-up filth left to itself.
Look over your boat as you clean, and repair any cracks, leaks, missing valves, or split tubes you might find. When you pull your boat out of storage in the spring, you'll want to be able to jump right in without worrying about any problems you may have missed. Fix your issues now to save you a headache in the future.
Stage and Cover Boats
Once everything is winterized, repaired, and cleaned, you're ready to close up shop. You can leave your boat at the dock or pull it out and store it in a shed for the winter, depending on the circumstances winter brings to your area. Either way, find a cover that will protect it from ice, snow, or sun damage, and let your vessel rest for the cold days ahead.
If you need maintenance, repairs, or updates on your personal dock, boathouse, or seawall, look to
Edgewater Marine Construction, Inc., for all of your waterfront construction needs. Get in touch today to work with a team dedicated to providing quality at an affordable price.
