If you live in an area that freezes over in the winter, you’ve got the distinct challenge of deciding how to winterize your boat. Different boats have unique factors that have to be considered.
We’re going to take a look at how to winterize a boat, the decisions you have to make before winter comes, and the consequences of an unwinterized boat. Hopefully, the information below can give you some sense of what you should do to keep your boat in the best condition possible.
Let’s get started.
Your Guide On How to Winterize a Boat
Winterizing and storing your boat is essential for several reasons. First, the presence of ice around your boat for a significant period of time can warp the wood and other aspects of your exterior.
In serious cases, you might find that ice penetrates the exterior of your boat and leaves you with expensive damages. In other situations, ice could change the shape of your exterior. That makes it harder to maneuver the boat.
There are also internal factors to consider. For one, a half-full gas tank in the winter allows air and condensation to enter the tank. Condensation freezes and leads to significant engine problems down the line.
You might also find that water systems, pipes, bathrooms, and other boat features are damaged by freezing temperatures. You’ll face corrosion as well.
Even if you don’t have significant issues right away, leaving your boat out in the winter reduces the lifespan. You might shave ten or fifteen years off of the life of your boat by leaving it in difficult conditions every year.
So, winterizing is important, and it has to be done. But how do you go about it?
Stabilize Your Gas Tank
Stabilizing the tank is an easy first step in winterization. Fill your gas tank with gasoline before you put the boat away for the winter. You should also purchase some stabilizers for the tank.
This is a liquid that prevents mineral deposits and other buildups from taking root in your tank over the winter. The particular liquid that you should buy will be specified in your owner’s manual, or you can talk with a professional to see what they recommend for a boat of your size.
One method is to run the engine for a little while after you’ve added the stabilizer. This allows the fluid to enter the entirety of the engine and protect numerous parts from experiencing buildup.
After running the engine, be sure to fill the tank all the way back up before leaving it for the winter.
Drain Coolant and Apply Antifreeze
Antifreeze helps to prevent any of the moisture that does enter the system from freezing. Ice in the interior of your engine can lead to significant issues. When condensation freezes, it expands.
If there’s enough condensation in the system, that expansion will crack or warp essential parts of the engine. Even if things are off a little bit as a result of expansion, the function of your engine declines and creates a high risk of breakdowns or costly repairs.
So, check your owner’s manual and follow instructions to eliminate all coolants. Take care of the coolant, then add the appropriate antifreeze, also stated in the owner’s manual.
That said, antifreeze is often easy to find, and there are a few options that will work for most boats. You might have a sensitive engine, though, so you must be aware of the manufacturer’s recommended products.
Depending on the boat, you might also have to add coolant to the sterndrive.
Cover With Tarps or Covers
The odds are that your boat will come with tarps or other coverings that you can attach when it comes time to leave the water. It’s recommended that you put these tarps on the boat whenever it’s not in use to avoid damage from the elements.
If you don’t have tarps or coverings for your boat, it’s always an option to buy tarps and strap them on yourself. Bungee cords are a good way to situate these coverings and ensure that they don’t fly off.
Further, tarps are relatively cheap and can work so long as they cover the internal elements of the boat. Coverings are essential for all boats in all climates, especially if you’re going to house your boat outside over the winter.
The delicate seat coverings and internal features of the boat will be vulnerable if they’re exposed.
If your boat isn’t covered by a general tarp from the store, you have a few options to get it fitted and set with custom coverings.
Antifreeze for Auxilliary Water
Your boat might also have features like sinks, bathrooms, and other water usage points. These have to be winterized as well.
The antifreeze you use for these systems is different than the one you use on your engine. Drinking water systems have to use propylene glycol as opposed to ethylene glycol. The latter form of antifreeze is harmful to your health if you ingest it, whereas propylene is safe to use on these pipes.
First, get all of the water that you can out of your freshwater lines. Run the faucets and open up any of the other lines that you can to get the water out. Once the water stops flowing, you can go into the boat’s interior and remove your main hose.
This is the entry point for freshwater in your system. Next, fill the antifreeze into a large bucket. A five-gallon bucket should do the trick, but you might need more or less antifreeze, depending on the size of your boat.
Go back and open up the faucets on all of your features. Turn them to a running position so that the freshwater line starts to draw for water. Place the main hose into your bucket of antifreeze and let it draw the liquid.
Allow the antifreeze to run through the line until it starts coming out of all of your faucets. You can then shut the line and replace the main hose with its normal port.
Be sure that you run every line, though. Consider showers, toilets, sinks, and other features you might forget about, even if they use freshwater.
Air Conditioning Units
Large boats might have elaborate air conditioning units. If so, make sure that you look at your owner’s manual or look at the manufacturer’s site to get a clear idea of what needs to be done.
That said, most boats have a standard unit. First, find the air conditioning seacock intake valve. Take the supply hose off its main port and place it in propylene glycol as you did with the water system.
Run the air conditioner. You’ll notice that the liquid starts to come out in your boat’s discharge. Some might call this the “overboard discharge.” Then, just wash the unit through by running it normally.
Make sure to check if you have more than one unit as well. Some boats utilize multiple air conditioning units.
Exploring Storage Options
Storage is another important winterization. If you’re someone who stores your boat in the garage, you’re safe as long as the garage has climate control. Keeping the boat indoors through the winter is a good start, but freezing temperatures can still cause problems even if you’re situated in the garage.
If personal storage isn’t an option, you have a few directions you could take things.
Keeping The Boat In-Water
Those of you who experience mild winters might be able to get by keeping the boat in the water through the winter. One or two short freezes over the course of the year aren’t likely to damage the craft if it’s well-winterized.
Consult with some of the other boaters in your community and see what experience they’ve had. You can also talk with individuals at your marina or dock and see if they recommend in-water storage through the winter.
Note that occupying a slip for that period of time will be costly. You also run the risk of taking damage over that period of time. Storms pose a significant risk, and falling objects or other hazards might damage the boat.
Storing The Boat Outside
You also have the option to keep your boat out of the water but still outdoors.
If you live in a climate that allows for outdoor boat storage, keeping the boat on land in a protected space is the safest option. If you have space on your property to house the boat, you should be able to do so.
Ensure that it’s not in the direct path of any potential hazards like falling trees or other structures. It’s a good idea to have a tarp or other covering that can protect the boat from elements and falling materials.
You still want to make sure that the boat is winterized if you live in an area that will freeze at any point during the winter, though. One freeze can lead to the cracks and damages described above, most of which will cost you a pretty penny to repair.
Indoor Storage
The safest option is indoor storage. This is a way for your boat to spend the winter in a climate-controlled, safe environment where there is little risk of damage.
Many boaters choose to take this route, as it’s the option with the lowest risk unless you have space at your home to house the boat indoors. You can store your boat here and ensure that it’s protected from the elements, theft, and any other risks.
Almost all areas that house a lot of boats will have numerous boat storage options available. You could even try to toat your boat to a point that’s farther away from the water to reduce the risk of storm damage even further.
If you live in an area that’s prone to hurricanes, for example, you might want to move the boat inland where storage units can’t be destroyed. That said, you should be very safe in almost any indoor storage unit that you find.
The facilities will have contact information for professionals that can winterize your boat for you as well. They might even specialize in winterization themselves. This option costs a little more than the other options, however.
When you factor in the risk, though, housing the boat indoors in a professional unit is likely to save you money over the life of the craft.
Unique Factors
Note that all boats are a little different. The more modern your boat, the better the chance that you have some particular tasks to take care of when you’re winterizing.
Make sure to read your owner’s manual thoroughly. If you don’t quite understand everything in that manual, it’s never a bad idea to call the manufacturer and ask for clearer instructions.
You might also have luck consulting with the professionals at your marina. The odds are that they have seen similar boats and winterized them themselves. Further, you should know that you can hire someone to winterize your boat for you.
This might cost a little more than doing it yourself, but there are several benefits to handing it over to the pros. For one, you reduce the risk of making a costly mistake. Second, pros might have additional winterization ideas that further protect your watercraft.
There are also regional-specific factors to keep in mind. Different climates provide unique challenges to keeping a boat safe.
Need More Boat Maintenance Help?
Understanding how to winterize a boat is an essential skill in boat ownership. There’s a lot more to know, though. We’re here to help you with more tricks and tips to use during all four seasons. Caring for a boat the right way can extend its life a significant amount. Explore our site for more ideas on boat storage, winterizing a boat, boat maintenance, and much more.
