Boat Storage
The optimal place to store your boat throughout the winter months is in a climate controlled boat storage facility. However, if that is not an option, here's some tips and recommendations for other choices.
Perhaps you’ll be keeping your boat in the water for the winter. If so, here’s a list of things that are imperative to do:
Seacocks
make sure they are closed; check rudder shafts and stuffing boxes for leaks.
Batteries
Make sure they are fully charged and your charging system is working properly. Clean the terminals and add water if needed.
Bilge Pumps
Make sure they are working. Check the float switches to ensure that they activate the pumps and are not hindered by debris.
Deicing Device
In the event that the water freezes you should have a deicing device or bubbling system around your boat.
Periodic Checks
Just because your boat is winterized doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check it once in a while. Anything can happen and it’s best to catch any problems early instead of waiting until spring time and finding twenty inches of water in your boat.
Many boaters opt to keep their vessel on land for the winter. Of course, you still need to winterize your boat but you will also need to consider how you will protect the interior from the winter weather while your boat sits for several months. Even if you will be keeping your boat in a garage, under a covered structure or even in the water, you will need to decide on how to cover your vessel. You can read more about that in our article on shrink-wrapping your boat.
