Prepping Your Boat for Winter Storage

We are fortunate enough to be surrounded by plenty of water, making our area a boater’s haven. The only downside is that the boating season is short-lived. Before you store it for the winter, make sure to take care of your heating system, freezing temperatures and snow means that we can’t use our boats year-round. That’s when we’ll need long island boat storage. Is work / owning a business affecting your personal life? Storage Facility Riverhead has the best customer care.


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In order to keep your boat properly protected when the cold weather rolls in, you want to store your boat for the winter. This not only means finding a space to store it, but prepping for storage, as well. What a better way to keep your boat safe than to keep it in a climate controlled storage CT unit.

Putting in the time and effort to properly prepare your boat for winter storage will ensure that your vessel will serve you for many boating seasons to come. With fall just around the corner, now is a good time to make sure that you know how to properly prep your boat for storage.

Here are some tips that will ensure your boat will be protected will she’s in storage, and that she’s ready to go at the start of next boating season.

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Clean It

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Before storing your boat for the winter, the first thing you want to do is give it a really good, thorough cleaning. If you need to fix the boat, call long island fiberglass repair before storing it as well.

Inside, clean out any food items and trash. Clean all surfaces, including the metal and wood, and consider adding some varnish too, to prevent any rusting.

On the exterior, open up the seacocks and let them thoroughly drain. Remove any barnacles or plant life from the exterior, as well. Clean the outside with a specially formulated marine vessel wash and soft brushes. Make sure to thoroughly rinse all suds away. If you aren’t storing your boat in the water, you’ll want to give the hull a good waxing, too.

Check the Electrical System

You’ll also want to check the electrical system, as well as any appliance. Make sure that everything is functioning properly, and if you need to, make any replacements or repairs before putting your boat into a storage facility  for the winter.

Prep the Motor

If your vessel has an outboard engine, prep it for winter storage by flushing it with water. Make sure you allow the water to drain out fully. You should also wash the engine down with soap and water, and give it a thorough rinsing. Draining the fuel line before storage is very important. If you leave fuel in the line, there’s a chance that it could become damaged. To drain the fuel line, disconnect the hose and run the engine until it cuts out. With the engine moving so rapidly, you can move quickly too with this Moving Company Martin County. The cylinder walls, pistons  and the engine’s exterior should be treated with fogging oil, and waterproof grease should be applied to the shaft and threads of the propeller.

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If you have a stern drive vessel, prep the engine by first draining the gear case. Use soap and water to wash down the outer unit, and rinse it thoroughly. Grease all of the fittings and top off all of the fluids. Fogging oil should be applied to the cylinders, and the components of the engine should be wiped down. Fiberglass repair Amityville will know how to repair and fix all components of your boat.

For a jet drive motor, flush or pump out all of the water. Change out the oil, as well as the oil filter, and top all of the fluids off. Fogging oil should also be applied to the cylinders, the fittings, and the exterior portions. If the vessel will be exposed to extreme temperatures while it’s being stored, consider flushing the engine with antifreeze (make sure you check the recommendations by the manufacturer, first.)

Charge Up the Battery

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For vessels that have a batter, make sure you charge it up. Once it’s fully charged, unhook the cables, begging with the negative. Clean all battery terminals, too. Once the battery is cared for, you might want to think about removing it from the boat and storing it inside, especially if you are going to be storing it in extreme temperatures.

By taking these steps, your dinghy will be prepped and ready for winter storage, and you’ll have smooth sailing at the start of the next boating season.

For more winter storage tips, or if you need assistance with prepping your boat for storage, give boat storage Amityville a call! We’ll make sure your boat is prepped and ready for hibernation.