How to Get Your Boat Ready for Winter Storage

As the temperatures cool and winter approaches, it’s time for winter boat storage prep in Everett, WA. Even out of water, your boat can still suffer wear and tear while it’s in storage. You can avoid costly repairs and damage by making a few key preparations ahead of time:

• Clean it up: The first thing to tackle? Giving your boat a thorough cleaning. After you thoroughly wash the exterior, coat it with wax. The wax will help keep rust from corroding your boat, especially if you plan to store it outside.
• Drain water and dry: Drain the gear tank, hot water heater and fresh water tanks. Open the seacocks to allow those to drain and dry. Check the bilges for standing liquid, and clean and dry any other areas that have come into contact with water.
• Flush, change or add liquids: Drain your coolant system, flush with water and add fresh antifreeze (check the manufacturer’s instructions for the appropriate dilution ratio). This helps keep your engine from freezing or corroding. Change your oil and filter, and fill up the tank with gas. Add marine fuel stabilizer to the fuel tank. If you notice any cracks or damage on the hoses, replace them.
• Take care of your engine and battery: Use fogging oil to protect your engine, including in spark plug cylinders and on the visible areas of the engine. Then disconnect and check your battery—to survive the winter, it needs to be charged. Test your battery each month to make sure it’s over 75 percent full. If it’s not, charge and replace it.
• Remove electronics and organic or flammable materials: The interior of your boat should be free of electronics, valuables, fabric, food, flares and fire extinguishers. Organic materials will rot, electronics can get damaged and of course, flammable materials pose a fire hazard.
• Check marine generator, air conditioning and running gear: Remove drive belts, which can crack under tension during winter storage. Grease the steering controls. Seal exhaust ports to keep pests from getting into the boat.
• Choose a storage location: Finally, decide where you’ll be storing your boat. Each kind of storage has its own pros and cons, so do your research. If your boat will be stored outside, getting a boat cover is crucial to protecting your boat during the cold winter months.

Get help with your winter boat storage prep in Everett, WA by contacting the team at Auto Truck Service Inc. We have been serving our community since 1978. We’re a locally owned and family operated business offering a personalized customer service experience to ensure that all your needs are met. Our wide range of services includes general auto repair, diesel services, marine engine repair and custom machine shop services. We also provide repair services for fleet vehicles, motor homes and high-performance vehicles. Stop in or call today to learn more about our services—we look forward to helping you rest easy this winter knowing your boat will be ready to hit the water again come springtime!

Categorised in: Boating