Properly winterizing and storing your boat will help prevent damage and make sure you are ready for on-the-water fun in the spring. Consult your manufacturer’s manuals and service guides for specific winterizing, flushing and maintenance instructions before you begin. Plan ahead, create a checklist (see below) and gather all the items you will need to winterize and store your boat.

Below Deck

• Clean and dry bilges, and verify pump operates properly.
• Pump out the holding tank and add propylene glycol antifreeze to the head.
• Drain all systems that use water (e.g. freshwater system, shower sump) and replace with propylene glycol antifreeze as appropriate.
• Remove all food and beverages and clean food particles that may tempt winter critters.
• Secure all ports and hatches.

Store in the Water

• Close all seacocks except for cockpit drains and plug exhaust ports.
• Check dock lines, chafe guards and fenders for proper placement, and tie off tiller or steering wheel.

Covering

• Custom-made canvas or synthetic covers• Best at protecting your boat from the elements and is reusable.
  • Allows for air circulation – prevents mildew.
• Shrinkwrap
  • Effective at keeping rain and snow out, but susceptible to moisture buildup.
  • Professionals should shrinkwrap your boat, as it’s easy to damage your boat and/or ignite the shrinkwrap.
  • If using a different covering, make sure that it’s water/snowproof, and there’s airflow.

Engine(s)

• Fill fuel tanks, add stabilizer, and change fuel filters and separators.
• Change oil and filter.
  • Check coolant level in the freshwater-cooling system and add coolant as necessary.
  • Run antifreeze through the raw-water-cooling system. Use propylene glycol antifreeze

(orange-pink colour) as it’s non-toxic.
• Dispose of and/or recycle waste oils, engine coolants and hazardous materials properly.

Outboards

• Fill fuel tanks and add stabilizer.
  • Drain the gear case and add eco-friendly lubricant.• Flush engine using an “ear-muffs” device.

Batteries

• If you take your batteries home, store them in a cool, dry place such as your basement and put them on a trickle marine charger.
• If you leave your batteries onboard, make sure battery cable connections are tight and free of corrosion and hook batteries up to a marine charger, or leave them unplugged and charge them completely at least once a month.

  Did you know?
  Analyzing over ten years of freeze claims, Boat U.S. Marine Insurance found that more than 3/4 of the claims involved cracks in the engine block or the exhaust manifolds that occurred because water remained in the engine or cooling system during a hard freeze.

  Source: Green Boating Guideline, sailorsforthesea.org