When fall comes around, it’s a sign that it’s time to start thinking about winterizing your boat. You might get to use it for another month or so, depending on where you live, but those in colder climates should winterize their boat sooner rather than later. Winterizing it will keep your boat protected from the ice and snow until next spring. You don’t want to have to look for a new boat for sale because yours has been damaged, so be sure to prepare it for the cold. Here are some of the basic steps to take to keep your boat safe.
Make a List of Everything that Needs to be Done
You need to make certain that everything you need to do to winterize your boat gets done, so many experts suggest making a checklist. This will also help you remember what you need to purchase to winterize your boat and when to do each step.
Photographed by Dee.lite
Add Gas Stabilizer
One of the most important things to do is to add gas stabilizer to your boat’s tank after your last trip. Fill your tank mostly full, then add in the necessary amount of the stabilizer (read the instructions on the brand you purchased to see how much is required). Then drive around for a bit to let it get mixed.
Chance the Oil
After your final trip, you should change out the oil in your boat. Drain as much of it as you can before replacing it. You should also go ahead and change out the oil filter, the in-line filters, and anything else that you can change. Mark this down in your logbook so you know exactly when the last time you changed all of the fluids and filters was.
Install Muffs
If you have a closed cooling system, then this step doesn’t apply to you. If you don’t, you must always make sure you have water to run through the boat’s engine when you’re doing your decommissioning. You’ll need muffs or a flush hose for this. You’ll also need to spray fogger into the cylinders of the engine through the spark plug port. If your engine has a carburetor, be sure to spray it as well (only with the motor running). Spray until the engine stalls. Again, these steps are absolutely necessary and must be done unless you want to start looking for replacement boats for sale.
Remove the Battery
Another step in winterizing your boat is to remove the batter. However, you’ll want to do this last so you don’t forget to do things like raise the outdrive. Once you’ve removed it, you will want to keep the battery in a dry, warm area such as your garage or basement. You should put it on a trickle charger about once a month just to make sure it stays charged and has power once you’re ready to get your boat out again in the spring. If you need to purchase a new battery or any other winterization products, check out what’s available at Marine Source.
*Author Bio: Ed Wesch runs the MarineSource Network which offers the finest in used boats for sale on the internet. MarineSource has served the used boat, yacht and sailboat market continually since 1992 and during that time has earned the respect of boat buyers, yacht brokers and boat dealers around the world.