For boat owners in colder climates, autumn brings the inevitable need to prepare for winter temperatures. With numerous guides and winterizing kits readily available, it can be as easy as one, two, three to get your boat prepared, but there are several things boat owners must keep in mind.
While winterizing can be a chore, the cost of not winterizing properly may be worse. Some common mistakes include:
- Using alcohol-based antifreeze in the water system
- Not changing the engine and stern drive oil in the fall
- Not understanding the percentage of propylene glycol in the different types of antifreeze
- Failing to pull out batteries before storing the boatNot warming up engines or draining blocks before they’re winterized
West Marine, the world’s top boating, fishing and sailing retailer, is available as a resource with the expertise and tools to help boat owners avoid the common pitfalls of preparing their boat for winter. Experts at West Marine can speak more to these and other important steps boat owners should take to prepare for winter.
