The summer is quickly leaving us and that means that it is time to prepare your boat for storage. There are five steps that you must absolutely take before you lock the door on your storage unit. Below, we will go over those five things to help you prepare.
- Change Your Boat’s Oil
You want to make sure you change the oil in your boat before you place it in storage. If you allow old oil to sit in the boat, it can thicken up and clog the engine when you attempt to start your boat.
In addition, if you fail to change the oil and water got into it, you may wind up with corroded parts.
When you change the oil, change the filter as well.
- Protect the Engine
You need to protect your engine by spraying fogging oil into the spark plugs. To do this, you need to turn over the engine without actually turning your boat on. As you can access the spark plugs, spray the fogging oil liberally.
This oil will help keep your engine and its components lubricated throughout the winter while your boat remains idle.
- Change Your Antifreeze
You need to drain out the old antifreeze from your vessel and then flush it out to make sure you remove all of the old chemical. Once you are sure the boat has been emptied of all antifreeze, you can begin add a fresh new bottle.
It is important to drain the old antifreeze as it can freeze over the winter causing problems with your boat’s components.
- Remove the Drive Belts
You need to remove the drive belts from your boat and store them separately. Leaving them on could cause damage to them and they may dry out in the winter as well.
- Wrap Up Loose Ends
You can now clean your boat, add additional fuel to top off the tank, and disconnect the battery. By taking these steps, you will protect your boat throughout the winter.
Storing your boat properly will take some time, but if you follow through, your boat will run perfectly come summer time. Remember, you want to only store a clean and dry boat as leaving water in or on the boat can cause mildew and corrosion.
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