How To Prepare A Boat For Storage During The Winter Season
Owning a boat is an exciting experience. There is nothing quite like the feeling of knowing you have the ability to relax on the open water any time you wish. Whether you own your boat for business or pleasure, the responsibilities are the same. It is important to know how to take care of the boat to keep it in proper shape for a long time. One of the responsibilities includes preparing the boat for winter storage. This guide takes your through some of the steps to do that.
Oil
One of the first things you should do is change the oil. Because the boat has been sitting in the water for many months, there may be acids or water that has gotten into the oil. This has the ability to corrode your engine, which is definitely something you do not want to deal with as it can get quite expensive to replace. Remove the filter to properly clean it and then flush out your oil. Once you have finished, you can replace it with new oil and move to the next step.
Drive Belts
It's a good idea to remove the drive belts before storing the boat. The drive belts are located in the engine and look like thick black belts. When the boat is in the water, the belts are typically wet, but once the boat is stored for the winter, they have the potential to dry out and crack due to the tension of being strung so tightly. If you do not want to remove them entirely, you can simply loosen them so they hang slack.
Battery
Make sure you disconnect your battery otherwise it will simply drain and die during the time it is in storage. Store the battery in a place where you can keep it charged so it is ready for the next time you use your boat. There are certain battery chargers that you can buy that use an electrical socket like in your home or garage.
Coolants
Preparing the coolant system for winter is an important step in winterizing your boat. You can begin by draining any coolant that is currently in the boat. On the back of your marine anti-freeze, there will be specific instructions for the amount of diluting that you will need to do before adding the fresh coolant. Once you have properly diluted the coolant, pour it into the coolant system. It will protect your boat's engine from corrosion during the cold winter months.
Additional Steps
These are just a few of the steps you will need to take to prep the boat for winter. You should also fill the gas tank, put fogging oil in the spark plug holes, and grease your steering system. Remove any personal items from the interior of the boat. Cover the boat using a tight cover to keep it protected during its time in storage. Talk to experts like Epic Group Inc for more information.