After the Labor Day holiday, many people decide to put their boat away for the season. This means it is important to prepare your boat for several months of not being used. Cold months can be hard on a boat if it is not stored and prepared carefully.
That is why it is vital that you follow our Tuesday Tips to prepare your boat for the upcoming months.
• Clean your boat from top to bottom. If your boat is fiberglass, make sure to check for any blistering and treat any problems right away. A clean boat will make everything much easier when you are ready to get the boat out of storage in the Spring.
• If your boat has a raw cooling system, you should flush the engine with fresh water to remove salt, dirt, and corrosion. Outboard motors can be flushed with fresh water and drained from the engine.
• Fill up your fuel tank to avoid condensation build-up during the off-season.
• Treat your outboard or sterndrive motor to remove build-up and internal engine components.
• Change the oil and oil filter before storage on all types of motors.
• Lightly apply a lubricant to hinges, latches, push-pull switches, linkages, ratchet mounts, bow rollers and the like around the boat.
• Place commercial moisture absorbers to avoid the build-up of mildew and mold over the winter.
• Remove any extra things that are lying around your boat and store them somewhere else during the winter.
• If you are storing your boat outside, some boat owners chose to have their boat professionally shrink-wrapped to protect it from the harsh elements that winter brings. This will provide your boat with a tight seal.
• If you are simply using a boat cover, make sure the cover fits the boat securely. Remove and snow or water build-up that a boat may acquire over the winter and especially after a storm.
Here at Community Insurance & Associates, we want you to have a safe and enjoyable time while on the water. That is why we offer great watercraft insurance policies to protect you from a variety of losses. You deserve the right policy and we are happy to find that for you at the right price. Give any of our agents a call today and we can quote you for a watercraft policy.