Winterizing for yachts: how to prepare for the season
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 coversโข Best at protecting your boat from the elements and is reusable.
โข Allows for air circulation โ prevents mildew. - Shrinkwrap
โข Effective at keeping rain and snow out, but susceptible to moisture buildup.
โข Professionals should shrinkwrap your boat, as itโs easy to damage your boat and/or ignite the shrinkwrap.
โข If using a different covering, make sure that itโs water/snowproof, and thereโs airflow.
Engine(s)
- Fill fuel tanks, add stabilizer, and change fuel filters and separators.
- Change oil and filter.
โข Check coolant level in the freshwater-cooling system and add coolant as necessary.
โข Run antifreeze through the raw-water-cooling system. Use propylene glycol antifreeze
(orange-pink colour) as itโs non-toxic.
โข Dispose of and/or recycle waste oils, engine coolants and hazardous materials properly.
Outboards
- Fill fuel tanks and add stabilizer.
โข Drain the gear case and add eco-friendly lubricant.โข Flush engine using an โear-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
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