Boat winterization checklist

Shrink wrapping is popular for boats stored outside. But do make sure that the boat is dry and properly prepared for the coming winter months before wrapping. Also ensure that the boat is properly ventilated. If the boat is painted then only wrap to the rub rail. A boat wrapped to the waterline like this one may have problems with the paint lifting off.

For many of us fall marks the end of the boating season and time for us to start thinking about putting our boats away until the next spring. Although it may seem tempting to just haul the boat from the water park it in the yard or some other place and forget all about it until the next season this is not a very smart thing to do.

Properly preparing your boat for the coming winter months is essential if the boat is not to be damaged and additionally proper prep work now will enable you to get on the water sooner when the warm sping weather finally does come around.

What you actually need to do will depend to some extent on your boat, but below is my list of those things that think you absolutely must do.

Pressure wash the outside of the boat as soon as it comes out of the water. If you wait too long the small critters and crustaceans set like concrete and will be harder to remove if you wait. Dry fully and apply a good wax.

Clean the prop shaft and apply a light grease coating.

Remove and replace worn anodes.

Dry the bilges and add a little non toxic antifreeze to prevent any water that does find a way below from freezing.

Empty water tanks and water heater and add antifreeze.

Run the engine until warm then drain the oil and replace with fresh. 

Run some anti freeze through raw water systems until it starts to be blown out of the exhaust, then shut down engine(s).

Change the oil filters.

Change fuel filters

Remove the raw water pump impeller.

Fill diesel tanks to the top and add biocide.

Remove plugs from outboards and spray in some fogging oil. replace plugs.

Change oil in lower units on outboards.

Completely drain gasoline tanks.

Remove batteries and place on charge.

Clean the boat thoroughly inside and remove all soft furnishings

Cover boat if left outside and if possible install a dehumidifier.

Check the boat regularly throughout the off season.

Now is also a good time to do repairs and upgrades that you made a note of during the boating season. You may also want to anti foul the boat ready for the new year to save doing it in the spring. If the boat is indoors then you can also attend to any bright work and other routine maintenance tasks.

Comments

[RamonGustav]

Congratulations! You have so much useful information, write more.

[Waterproof paint]

Shrink wrap is a great idea. It will really help block the elements. Adding a layer of waterproof paint on the inside and outside of the boat will help as well, after the winter. Great article. Thanks for the info!

[Mark]

Shrink wrap is OK for some boats but can be the death knell for wooden boats as without proper ventilation will make the boat rot from the inside out. As for the water proof paint, I am not sure what you mean as any boat will have some coating of some kind on both the outside and interior be it paint or varnish. A boat lives in water so by it's very nature any paint has to be waterproof.