Another boating season is beginning to wind down in southeastern Pennsylvania. There may still be a few good weekends left on the water, but before long boats and personal watercraft will be coming out for the season.
For many boat owners, winter preparation means one thing: winterize the engine.
That’s certainly important. In fact, it’s probably the most important thing on the list. But getting a boat ready for winter involves more than adding antifreeze and putting on a cover. Fall is also the perfect time to inspect the trailer, clean out the boat, check paperwork, review insurance, and take care of a few boat maintenance items that are easy to forget once the boat disappears into storage.
A little work now can mean fewer surprises when that first perfect boating weekend arrives next spring.
1. Winterize the Engine and Water Systems
Let’s start with the obvious one, because there’s a reason everyone talks about it.
Water expands by about 9 percent when it freezes. If water remains in an engine, cooling system, plumbing line, water heater, or other component when temperatures fall below freezing, that expansion can cause expensive damage.
BoatUS reports that more than three-quarters of the freeze claims it studied involved cracks in engine blocks or exhaust manifolds caused by water remaining in the engine or cooling system during a hard freeze.
Every boat is different, so follow the manufacturer’s boat winterization instructions for your particular engine and onboard systems. If you’re not comfortable doing the work yourself, this is a good job to leave to a qualified marine professional.
2. Don’t Forget the Fuel System
Fuel sitting for months can create its own problems.
Depending on your boat and engine, winter preparation may include treating the fuel, changing fuel filters or fuel-water separators, inspecting fuel lines, and checking tanks, fittings, and connections for signs of deterioration or leaks.
3. Give the Boat a Thorough Cleaning
There are few things less appealing than opening a boat in spring and discovering that last summer’s wet towels, snacks, fishing bait, or sunscreen spent the winter with you.
Empty the boat before storing it. Remove food, trash, wet clothing, towels, and anything else that can attract pests, retain moisture, or create odors.
Clean and dry the interior, compartments, bilge, upholstery, and exterior. It’s also a good opportunity to inspect cushions, canvas, carpeting, and other materials for moisture or damage that should be addressed before several months of storage.
4. Take Care of the Battery
A marine battery doesn’t particularly enjoy spending several cold months forgotten in a boat.
Follow the battery manufacturer’s recommendations for off-season storage and charging. Depending on the battery type and storage arrangement, that may mean disconnecting or removing it and maintaining an appropriate charge during the winter.
While you’re there, inspect terminals, cables, and electrical connections for corrosion or damage. A battery problem discovered in October is an inconvenience. The same problem discovered when everyone else is launching boats on the first beautiful Saturday in April is considerably more annoying.
5. Inspect the Trailer, Not Just the Boat
The trailer may be one of the most overlooked parts of boat winterization.
After a season of launching, retrieving, highway driving, water exposure, and sitting in parking lots, give it a real inspection. Check tire tread and sidewalls, including the spare. Inspect wheel bearings, brakes, lights, wiring, winch, safety chains, bunks or rollers, frame, axles, and hitch components.
6. Remove or Inspect Safety Gear
Winter is a great time to take inventory of the safety equipment you’ve accumulated aboard.
Inspect life jackets for wear or damage. Check fire extinguishers, first-aid supplies, signaling devices, lines, and other safety equipment. Look for expiration dates where applicable and make a list of anything that needs to be replaced before spring.
7. Check Your Registration and Trailer Tags
Here’s one that has absolutely nothing to do with freezing temperatures but can still ruin your first day back on the water.
Check your paperwork.
Pennsylvania boat registrations operate on a two-year renewal cycle and expire on the date shown on the registration card and validation decal. If your registration will expire before or during next boating season, winter gives you plenty of time to take care of it.
Don’t stop with the boat. Check your trailer registration and tags as well.
It’s much easier to discover a paperwork problem while the boat is sitting in storage than while it’s hooked to the truck and everyone is waiting to leave.
8. Review Your Insurance Coverage
When was the last time you actually looked at your boat insurance policy?
The end of the season is a good opportunity to review your coverage, particularly if you’ve made upgrades, added expensive electronics, changed where the boat is stored, or made other significant changes during the year.
You may also want to understand exactly how your policy handles winter storage, freeze damage, theft, storm damage, and other off-season risks.
9. Look for the Little Problems You Ignored All Summer
Remember that loose latch?
The navigation light that worked only when you tapped it?
The small tear in the seat?
That strange sound from the trailer wheel?
During boating season, it’s easy to say, “I’ll take care of that later.”
Congratulations. It’s later.
Make a list of everything you noticed during the season and either repair it now or create a winter project list. Check hoses, clamps, wiring, hardware, propellers, anodes, canvas, seals, electronics, and anything else that showed signs of wear.
10. Decide Where Your Boat Will Spend the Winter
Finally, think carefully about where the boat will be stored.
BoatUS notes that boats kept on land for extended periods are generally less likely to sustain certain types of damage than boats left in the water, although boats stored ashore still need proper winterization because they can be more directly exposed to freezing air.
If you’re storing a boat on a trailer, consider security, weather exposure, accessibility, HOA or neighborhood restrictions, and whether keeping the boat at home means sacrificing your driveway or garage for the winter.
A dedicated boat storage facility like Self Store USA can solve many of those problems while keeping the boat ready for next season.
A Little Work Now Makes Spring a Lot More Fun
Nobody buys a boat because they enjoy winterizing it.
The payoff comes several months from now.
The weather warms up. The cover comes off. The batteries are ready, paperwork is current, trailer is safe, equipment is organized, and the boat has already received the attention it needed.
Self Store USA in West Chester offers outdoor parking for boats and personal watercraft, giving local boat owners a convenient place to keep their equipment during the off-season.
Taking care of your boat at the end of this season may be the best thing you can do for the beginning of the next one.