It’s almost time for boating season again, which means boat owners are preparing to get their boats out of winter storage and ready for the de-winterization process.
If you’re new to the boating world and not sure what the de-winterization process is, don’t worry. It’s general maintenance that is done every spring before boats hit the water yet again. To learn more about this process, keep reading below.
De-Winterization Process
The de-winterization process for boats is fairly simple. It takes just a few hours of your time and then your boat will be ready to hit the water. Here’s what is typically done during the de-winterization process:
Check the battery
It’s important to check the battery during the de-winterization process. This is because batteries that go unused for long periods of time, or that sit in cooler temps, may be more likely to drain. Therefore, checking them and making sure they’re fully charged and operational is incredibly important.
1. Test the electronics
Once the battery has been checked, it’s important to test the electronics on board. This includes running lights, the radio, etc. Mechanical issues are more likely to come up after a boat is in storage for several months, so you need to make sure everything is in working order before taking your boat out on the water.
2. Change the oil
Next, the oil should be changed in the engine. Just like a car, this step is important to make sure the boat engine is operating at its optimal level before you enter a new boating season.
3. Inspect the gas tank and fuel lines
Once the oil is changed, you need to also inspect the gas tank and fuel lines for any damage or leaking. While the chances are slim, this does sometimes happen during boat storage and you’ll want to have everything repaired before putting the boat in the water.
4. Inspect the interior and exterior
Lastly, make sure to inspect the entire boat, inside and out. Look for damage like scratches and dents, upholstery tears, stains, etc. While your boat should be covered in boat storage, sometimes moisture can leak inside and cause damage to materials. The transport of boats in and out of storage can also cause some exterior damage. Therefore, take some time to look your boat over at length and confirm everything looks the same as it did before you stored it.
Hagadone Marine Center
Do you need to have a boat de-winterized this spring but you don’t want to do it yourself? No problem! At Hagadone Marine Center, we offer plenty of boating services including indoor boat storage, maintenance, and de-winterization. We can not only bring your boat out of storage but we can also do a full de-winterization on it and make sure everything is good to go before summer. All you have to do is wait for our call that says it’s good to go!
Don’t trust just anyone with your boat de-winterization – contact Hagadone Marine Center and let us take care of everything this season!