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Here’s How to Winterize Your Boat for Winter Storage

Just as you would winterize a car or RV for storage, you want to make sure you winterize your boat for storage as well. While your boat is out of water, you want to provide it with the best protection to make it through the off season, so that when spring and summer roll around, you can pull it out of the boat storage facility near you and hit the waves right away.

Not sure how to winterize your boat? Check out these steps and tips to help you.

Clean the Boat and Make Any Repairs to It

Now is a great time for you to take some time to look over your boat and see if any repairs need to be made to it. If they do, you want to take care of making the repairs, maybe making use of Rose Head Copper Nails and other similar equipment before you store the boat. Once you have the repairs corrected, you should clean and wax the boat, as this will help to ensure the paint stays fresh and no chips or scratches occur while the boat is stored. Though this can be a tricky job as out of the water a boat can be tall in height. Sometimes hiring equipment such as mobile platforms or ladders can be useful for helping you reach places that are too tall for you.

You should take some time to clean the interior of the boat as well. You should vacuum out the interior and wipe down the interior of it. Remember, make sure to remove any food items or trash that may be on the boat, as you do not want to store it with these items in it as it can cause pests to come looking around.

Change Your Engine Oil and Manage the Fluids

You do not want to store your boat with old oil in it, so now is the time to change the oil. Fresh oil will ensure the health and longevity of the engine. You also want to take time to drain the fluids from your boat, as leaving them can lead to moisture and corrosion. You should take some time to refer to your boat manufacturer’s manual on how to flush old water out of the system.

Top Off the Fuel Tank

Now it is time to top off the fuel tank and add some fuel stabilizer to it. Fuel does not naturally last a long time, so make sure you do not forget to stabilize it. Topping off the fuel will help prevent any moisture from getting inside the tank as well.

Fog the Engine and Grease the Fittings

Now it is time for you to use a fogging oil spray to help ensure that your engine lasts longer. If you skip this step, the engine may dry out, which can lead to corrosion over time. You also want to grease the engine fittings at this time so that they do not become corroded due to the changing weather temperatures.

Cover Your Boat

Once you have winterized your boat, now it is time to cover it. While it is in storage, you still want to cover the boat to ensure no pests get in and to ensure dust and debris remain out of the interior of the boat.

Sam Roberts
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