What to Do When Prepping Your Boat for Winter in Lewiston, CA

September 26, 2019 11:32 pm Published by 24 Comments

When winter finally approaches and you get ready to take your boat out of the water for the season, you can’t just park it in the driveway and hope for the best. Treat your investment the way it deserves: by putting care into its maintenance and storage. You’ll avoid costly repairs and extend its lifespan for plenty of happy years to come.

We recommend following these easy steps as you prepare your boat for winter:

  • Cleaning, inside and out: The first thing you should do is give your boat a major cleaning, inside and out. Outside, focus on ensuring that no marine life is still clinging to the boat. Once you’re done giving it a good scrub, you’ll want to give it a fresh coat of wax. Wooden and metal surfaces can dry out or rust, so you may want to add protective coatings to keep it safe in the cold weather. The interior should be free of food and trash—make sure to grab any valuables and removable electronics, too.
  • Drain the water: The gear tank, hot water heater and fresh water tanks all need to be drained and allowed to dry. Open the seacocks to allow those to drain and dry as well. Always make sure to check the bilges for standing liquid, and clean and dry any other areas that have come into contact with water.
  • Flush the engine and prepare it for standby: The next step is to drain your coolant system, flush it with water and add fresh antifreeze (be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions for the dilution ratio). Use fogging oil on the engine according to the instructions. This will keep your engine from freezing or corroding. Change your oil and filter; fill up the tank with gas. Add marine fuel stabilizer to the fuel tank.
  • Remove all organic and flammable materials: Fabric, leather, food, flares and fire extinguishers need to be removed. Organic materials will rot, and flammable materials pose a fire hazard.
  • Disconnect the battery: Batteries fail in cold weather and lose their charge rapidly. Remove the battery and clean the terminals. Test your battery each month to make sure it’s over 75 percent full; if not, charge and replace it.
  • Choose a storage facility: Finally, decide what kind of boat storage you’ll need. If it will be outdoors or exposed to the cold, getting a boat cover is mandatory.

With this checklist, prepping your boat for winter will be a snap!

Prepare your boat for winter in Lewiston, CA

If you’ve got questions about prepping your boat for winter in Lewiston, CA, get in touch with the team at Trinity Alps Marina. Since 2003, we’ve been the go-to source for safe, clean and well-maintained vessels. We provide a full line of marine services and products and would be happy to help you with preparing your vessel for wintertime boat storage in Lewiston, CA. Reach out to us anytime, June through October, for the assistance you need. We look forward to serving you!

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