Boat | John Cheung

Simple Solutions on Winterizing Your Boat

Filed under Winterizing by johnc on October 31, 2009 at 6:50 am no comments

There are many things that you can do to prepare your house for winter. Your house is only among the many important things that you should look after and prepare for the coming season. If you own a boat, it will also be best to be guided about ways on winterizing the material. The important parts that you should look into at this point are the hull and, of course, the interior of the boat. Aside from these, you should also prepare its drive system and engine to make sure that it would still work fine after the cold season.

To prepare the interior and hull of the boat for the freezing weather on the coming months, here are some steps that you should work at.

1. Before you store the boat, wash it first and wax so that you will have less work to do when it is time for spring. Maintain the shiny finish of the boat by maintaining its gelcoat.

2. Inspect the hull and be on the lookout for blisters at its gelcoat. When you find blisters, you should do something about the problem before this leads to even bigger dilemmas. Check the bow part if there are any stress cracks. These must be handled by professionals, so if you see such occurrence, call someone to help you about the matter. The hull must undergo pressure wash so that dirt and debris will be removed. If there are any barnacles, scrape these off and sand the affected areas.

3. Vacuum the interiors of the boat and do steps in shining the brightwork. The boat must be properly ventilated because problems may occur from dry and moist air. If the covered boat is not ventilated the right way, mold and mildew might grow. The vinyl of the boat must be sprayed with mildew inhibitor. If the problem seems to be dry air, the vinyl must be sprayed with protectant or you an also use gel for this purpose. Make sure that you remove all electronics from the boat before you keep it for the coming season.

4. In storing the boat, you can choose to do this outdoors, indoors or at a boat yard. You have to determine what you want so that you can make certain arrangements early. If you will store it outdoors, get a sturdy boat cover and support frame that can help it withstand the heavy snow.

While doing the project, bear in mind that your main goal is to shield the boat from the low temperatures in the coming season. This way, it will be ready for use when winter is through and the boat can be used again.

You may also want to check other boat owners how they handle winterizing solutions for this equipment. By gathering as much information, you can weigh what factors you can consider implementing for your own boat. There may be things that you have overlooked and they may be able to remind you of these, plus other tips and tricks on how you can go about the process.

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Wintering Your Boat: How To Prepare It For Winter

Filed under Winterizing by johnc on October 31, 2009 at 3:30 am no comments

As the boating season comes to a halt, your top concern would be preparing your boat for winter storage. You have to make sure it is safe and snug all through winter and can survive the cold weather. Hiring a professional to winterize your boat is a good option, although you can do the job on your own. Along with the manufacturer’s recommendations, the following guidelines can help you through winterizing your boat.

Clean the boat’s interior.
This means taking the mess off the carpet, getting rid of the food items from the refrigerator, dusting the lockers and cabinets, airing out the cushions, etc. Clear the interior as thoroughly as possible. Take note of the damages and do arrangements to have the necessary replacements. Also, provide proper boat ventilation to avoid trapping moisture inside, which invites the growth of mold and mildew. Consider using mildew spray and dehumidifiers as well.

Fill the fuel tank and add fuel stabilizer.
Doing so will prevent condensation and oxidation that may work against the engine. After adding stabilizer, run the motor up until the stabilizer has penetrated the engine.

Change the oil.
Drain the old oil properly and replace it with fresh oil. Start the engine to allow the oil to circulate and penetrate the system. Changing oil is necessary to prevent corrosion that results in engine defects. Do not forget to change the oil filter as well.

Hose the engine with fresh water.
Then, allow the engine to drain. Make sure the engine is completely drained of water because a small amount of residual water will tend to freeze and result in serious damages. To prevent the build-up of rust and corrosion, spray fogging oil onto the engine. Start by running the engine and shutting down the fuel supply. As soon as the engine stops on its own, take out the spark plugs and spray fogging oil onto the cylinders.

Take a good look at the hull.
If you find gelcoat blisters, treat them with special epoxy. Also, check the bottom of the boat and scrape off barnacles. You can pressure-wash the bottom to remove tough dirt and slime. Do the necessary painting and waxing to restore the boat’s exterior appeal.

Charge the batteries.
Disconnect the batteries, add distilled water, and charge them at home. Some boat experts advise charging the batteries after every 30 to 60 days.

Choose the best storage method for your boat.
You have three options: backyard storage, indoor storage, or boatyard shrink-wrapping. Backyard storage is a convenient and practical approach. Keeping the boat in your yard only requires a boat cover, which should be sturdy and made of breathable materials to discourage moisture and growth of mold and mildew. Indoor storage, on the other hand, means keeping your boat in a paid facility. This can be a bit costly, but it guarantees that your boat is safe and protected from winter elements.

The final option is shrink-wrapping your boat. After winterizing your boat, you can either have a boatyard personnel shrink-wrap your boat or buy a kit and do it on your own, after which the boat is placed in a boatyard to spend the winter.

1. Simple Solutions on Winterizing Your Boat