Boat Maintenance Tips For Winter

Preparing Your Boat’s Engine For Winter:

First, check your owner’s manual of the boat and motor for manufacturer’s recommendations. For those of you who are new to boat ownership use the help of a friend with experience in winterizing.

Inspect Fuel System

Regardless of the motor type anyone can use an eye test on an engines fuel system. First, look for obvious signs of corrosion and leaks around the fuel system hoses. Doing this is particularly necessary for gasoline engines.

Some cheap fuel tank vent fittings use inferior materials, which promote early corrosion and failure. So pay close attention to the vent fittings as well as the actual hose and clamps. For any fittings that look blistered or deteriorated it’s best to replace them. The same goes for hoses with bulges or soft spots.

Top up your fuel tank to prevent a build up of condensation in the bottom of the tank throughout the winter months.

Next, add a fuel stabilizer to prevent phase separation and gum/varnish in gasoline. Diesel fuel stabilizers reduce the growth of bacteria that can clog injectors. After you deal with the fuel you can replace the fuel filters and water separators.

Next are specific maintenance tips for each boating motor type.

Outboard Engine(s)

• Scrub the entire unit with soap and water. Rinse with fresh clean water.
• Flush the engine with fresh water using flush muffs attached to the raw water pickup. Ensure you allow all the water to drain out.
• Disconnect the fuel hose and run the motor until it stops. It’s critical you follow a careful process to make sure all fuel gets drained out of the carburetor. This is important to prevent build-up of deposits from left over fuel.
• Properly replace the outboard fuel filter by following the manufacturers instructions. Filters should be replaced after fifty hours of normal operation. That’s the typical length of a season for most boaters.
• Next, use a fogging oil to lubricate the cylinder walls and pistons in the carburetor. Fogging is vital to prevent corrosion in the fuel lines. It also protects many of the steel parts, like valves, rings and cylinder sleeves.
• Inspect the propeller(s) and apply anti-fouling to prevent barnacle growth.
• Apply a good water-resistant grease to the propeller shaft and threads.
• Next, change the lower unit gear oil and replace the oil filter. Skipping this step can lead to moisture buildup problems. Which can cause excessive wear, leading to loss of power, poor fuel economy and possible engine failure.
• Finish up by storing the outboard in the lowest position.

Inboard Engine(s)

• Start by flushing it out with fresh water.
• Next, run the motor until it warms up. Drain and change the oil while it’s still warm. Draining oil from a warm motor pulls more impurities away with the oil. Don’t skip end of season oil changes. Leaving old oil in the crankcase can form acids, which corrode engine components. After changing the oil replace the oil filter as well.
• Now you will want to change and fill the engine block with antifreeze. Use propylene-glycol antifreeze for long term boat storage. It’s best to ensure you also circulate antifreeze through the manifold. Do this by using the pickup hose via the water pump to a bucket of antifreeze. The process for this is to run the engine allowing for circulation until water exits the exhaust. This above process differs depending on if you have a raw water or enclosed fresh water cooling system.
• Since you are changing fluids, also change the fluid in your transmission.
• Moving on, change out the spark plugs and use “fogging oil” to spray into each cylinder. Wipe down the engine with a shop towel sprayed with a little fogging oil to finish up.
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What kind of condition are your batteries in? Check the charge levels followed by making sure to clean and tighten the terminals. If you don’t use an onboard battery charger, this is the time to remove the batteries. Boaters who have lead acid batteries, you need to top up the electrolyte levels and recharge. For AGM, Gel or lithium put your batteries on a marine smart trickle charger.

Related: Best 2-bank Marine Battery Charger (2023 Reviews)

Winterizing Potable Water System & Sanitary System

Like your boat’s engine, other systems that use water need protection from freeze damage. Below are basic ways to winterize the freshwater system and sanitary system inside the vessel.

Fresh Water System

Be sure to completely drain the freshwater tank and hot water tank. Pump non-toxic antifreeze through the potable water lines. As you do, turn on all faucets and the shower. Keep pumping until antifreeze comes out of all opening, then close the faucets and show.

Sanitary System or Marine Head

Any water left in your boat’s sanitation system could freeze and cause terrible damage. First pump out your holding tank at a marina. As you pump it out, replenish the bowl with fresh water and flush many times. Use a product your owners manual recommends for cleaning as you pump fresh water. After a few minutes, add some antifreeze to the bowl. Pump it until its through all hoses/valves, the holding tank, maceration area and discharge hose.

Exterior Vessel Maintenance Tips For Winter

To begin winterizing the exterior of the for winter, focus on the hull and topsides of the vessel. The method you choose will depend on how you plan to store your boat, either out or in the water. Below are some tips for each type of storage:

Out-Of-Water Winter Storage

Pulling your boat out of the water and parking it under the cover is a great way to protect it. By avoiding adverse weather such as the sun, leaves, rain and wind aids in preserving and extending its lifespan. Once it’s out of the water, start pressure washing the hull, ensure you clean of any barnacles. Pay specific attention to the props and shafts, rudders, struts and trim tabs. Clean all thru-hulls and strainers. Open the seacocks to allow any stored up water to be able to drain. Evaluate the hull for any blisters, if there are any, fix or open them to drain over the winter.

Next it’s time for a complete wash down of the boat. Remove rust stains, tree sap and water stains from the topsides and hull. Don’t skip this process as these stains can become permanent by spring. Then, give the hull and topsides a thorough wax and compound treatment. This helps to prevent oxidation and UV damage.

Boat-In-Water Winter Storage

For keeping your boat in the water over winter do the following. Make sure to close all the seacock valves. Next check the rudder shafts and stuffing boxes for leaks. If you find small leakage simply tighten or repack as needed.

Moving on, inspect the dock lines for strain damage. Replace or add chafing gear to the line to prepare for impeding winter storms. For boaters in area where the water is prone to actually freeze, consider installing a de-icer. This can help prevent ice forming against the hull which may lead to “ice jacking” that can tear through the hull. Last but not least, check the boat on a regular basis or have the marina complete this and report back to you.

Exterior Protection: Boat Covers Or Shrink Wrap

The method you use for protecting the exterior of your vessel comes down to personal preference. Using a waterproof cover that fits snugly over the top of your boat is best. Choosing either a boat cover or shrink wrap will offer adequate protection from the elements, but which to choose is up to you.

Shrink Wrap

This type of cover ranges in price and install quality. Owners tend to hire professionals to install it own their boats. Shrink wrap does provide waterproof protection but its non-breathable. If moisture gets under the wrap it may cause damage such as mildew up to rot damage.

Canvas Boat Covers

Most boaters know the biggest advantage of using a boat cover is they can reuse it season after season. The downside is covers are more expensive than a single shrink wrapping session. But any good quality boat cover will protect the boat from the elements for seasons to come.

Another bonus is they’re made of breathable materials like canvas. This allows for air flow which helps trapped moisture escape. Plus you can access the interior of the boat throughout the season to check up on it.

Winterizing Props

Now take a look at the props on your boat. Determine if they need repair or only need a good cleaning. Prop maintenance is a perfect DIY off-season job for boaters of any experience level.

If your props have chips or damage send them off for repair and have them delivered back early or mid-spring. This saves time and avoids last-minute issues, such as confirming with a professional if the prop needs replacing. However, if the props just need cleaning, apply many coats of anti-fouling cleaner. This reduces the potential growth of barnacles, in both freshwater and saltwater. Props that are free of foreign growth increase their ability to operate at maximum performance.

Interior Boat Maintenance Tips For Winter

• First, remove all loose items and valuables from the vessel and pack them up in labeled storage boxes. I like doing this for easy unpacking in Spring.
• Next clean out the refrigerator/freezer to reduce mold and mildew issues. To ensure easy operation next season oil all doors and hinges.

• • Move on to the actual cabin of the boat. Pay special attention to controlling humidity inside this area during storage. Keep the interior of the vessel ventilated, with either active or passive vents. An example of an active vent is a battery powered day/night vent. Whereas passive vents include either a cowl, clam-shell or louvered vents.
  • Another option is to add a low-temp heater or a “no-damp dehumidifiers in the engine room. For even cheaper, you could try moisture absorbing crystals to cut mold and mildew inside.
  • Next, vacuum all the cushions/mattresses and store them in an upright position. This aids in good airflow for storage.
  • Also, ensure you remove all of the expensive and valuable electronics or fish gear. Once disconnected, also spray all exposed electrical connections with a moisture-displacing type of lubricant.
  • For boats with canvas tops or enclosures, ensure to lubricate all snaps and zippers. This is important work to do whether you leave them installed over the winter or not.

In Conclusion: Boat Maintenance Tips For Winter

Now you have a complete idea of what to complete to ensure your prized boat is in good shape and ready for winter storage. For new boating enthusiasts, feel free to hire a professional marine mechanic. Or if you prefer to do-it-yourself work get an experienced buddy to help. Those of you with experience can use these word of advice as a reminder of the importance of good boat maintenance.