Not to burst everyone’s boating bubble, but it’s almost that time of year. What time is it, you say? Time to prepare your boat for cold weather. It might not be that time in your area, but it’s getting close for a lot of boaters. Our marina lets us stay in our slips until the end of October, although I don’t think I have ever made it that long. I’m always out earlier.
There are a lot of reasons for my early takeout, but the biggest reason is time. The days get shorter and the weather gets cooler. Meaning most of the good boating days for us are on the weekend, but balancing all our different activities gets tough. Something has to give, and cold weather boating is one. I suppose if I was retired it would be better; then I could boat during the week. But who really knows?
Anyway, it’s time to start thinking about taking a boat out of service. In the northern states it’s called winterization, but anytime the boat is in a “lay-up” situation for a number of months, the owner should take steps to protect their investment.
Most of the following items can be done on the trailer, in the slip on the lift or in a shop. Each boat is different and the options and systems on yours might need additional items serviced. If you are planning on doing all the work yourself, make sure you have a copy of the boat, engine and systems service manuals.
And if you are uncomfortable doing any of these items, call a professional.
- Add a fuel stabilizer to preserve both the fuel and the fuel tank for the upcoming winter and spring months.
- Run the engine, checking the timing and basic operations. This also distributes the fuel stabilizer throughout the fuel system.
- Remove the boat from the water and inspect the exterior for damage. Make any repairs or notes to remind you in the future. You might want to give the painted surfaces and even the top half of the pontoons a coat of wax.
- Might be a good time to clean the crud off the bottom (maybe even acid wash) and polish the `toons.
- With an outboard engine, all you really need to do is make sure the engine is vertical and let the water drain from the engine.
- Inboard outboard engines are a bit different. Depending on the type of engine and cooling system you may need to add antifreeze to the cooling system (partial or fully closed cooling systems). And/or you might need to drain the water from the engine block and manifolds and refill with marine grade nontoxic antifreeze.
- Some people spray sticky “fogging” oil in the carburetor or intake while the engine is running and then shut it off. Fogging oil will stick to the engine internal passageways giving the inside of the engine a protective coating against corrosion.
- After fogging or draining the engine, remove the bottom plug in the lower unit and remove any water that might be mixed with the oil (hopefully there will not be any water, or you might need more repairs in the spring).
- Inspect the throttle, steering and shift cables for binding and wear.
- Apply anti corrosion grease to all fittings, linkages and steering cables.
- Check all the belts, hoses and the general condition of the engine, drive unit and lower unit.
- It doesn’t hurt to place some type of anti-moisture containers (like Damp Rid) throughout the playpen to help reduce any moisture buildup that could cause mold and mildew over the winter. Often it’s a good idea to place any cushions on an edge or lifted up with small blocks so there can be airflow over more surface areas and into storage compartments.
- If you have a water tank and/or a fancy portable toilet, you will need to drain any water.
- Last, cover the boat to keep out the elements, animals and bugs. Tarps or shrink wrap–it doesn’t matter. However, if it’s too airtight the boat will get large amounts of condensation leading to mold and mildew. Make the cover tight, but make sure it still has ventilation.
