How to Winterize and Store Your Boat

So the warm weather is now gone until next year. You’ve probably enjoyed your boat throughout the spring, summer and fall—at least we very much hope you did. But now it’s time to put your boat away for the winter. It’s a sad time, but it’ll be time to break it out again soon enough.

So how do you winterize and store your boat? That’s a great question! And as luck should have it, we’re here to answer it for you today.

Winterizing Your Boat

Your boat is a well-oiled machine. It’s beautiful, we’re sure. You need to take care of it so you don’t have to Break Out Another Thousand when you want to toss it back onto the water.

Ironically, water is the biggest enemy to your boat when storing it for the winter. Freeze damage is your biggest concern, but standing water can also promote mold and mildew to grow and lead to corrosion.

To properly winterize your boat before storing it for the winter, make sure you consult your boat and engine user manuals and follow these steps:

Prep the Engine

1. Ensure all water has been flushed and drained from the engine.
2. Apply corrosion protection as directed.
3. Add fogging oil as directed.
4. Add a fuel-stabilizing agent to your fuel system, then run the engine for a few minutes.
5. Change the fuel filters and any fuel/water separators.

Prep the Plumbing

1. Drain your boat’s freshwater plumbing systems (sinks, tanks and heads)
2. Add antifreeze to your plumbing systems.
3. Make sure to drain water from all additional systems (raw water washdowns, livewells, bilge pump, etc.).
4. Remove drain plugs.

Prep the Boat

1. Pressure wash the hull and clean barnacles off of all surfaces.
2. Clean all the thru-hulls and strainers.
3. Open seacocks to drain any water.
4. Check the hull for blisters and make a note of any that need addressed.
5. Give the hull a nice wax job.
6. Make sure the batteries are fully charged and all power switches are off.

Storing Your Boat for the Winter

While Arkansas winters are typically pretty mild, it’s best to store your boat indoors if you can. Storing your boat indoors protects it from the elements as well as from critters that might go exploring and make themselves at home.

At Chenal-10 Storage, we have ample storage space for boats of most sizes (not like yachts and stuff). Whether you’re looking for a climate-controlled unit or outdoor storage, we have everything you need.

Don’t let your precious boat just sit out all alone this winter. Contact us online or call us at 501-868-1188 to see how we can help you!