How to Store Your Boat During the Winter Safely

There is nothing more enjoyable than spending time on the water, especially when the weather is warm and inviting. But getting back to your boat can be a hassle when it’s cold outside. If safely storing your boat during the winter seems like an overwhelming task, follow these easy steps for making sure that you are ready to hit the open seas or rivers when the time comes.

First, make sure your boat is clean and free of any dirt or grime. Oftentimes during the next few months, leaves and other natural debris will fall into your boat while it’s safely stored in a storage unit. This can damage any underlying parts of the boat if they are not cleaned up before the winter months.

Next, see if you need to take any extra precautions by checking your boat’s engine. You might think that an outboard motor would work just fine after safely storing it for several months. However, during long periods of storage time in a cold weather climate or storage unit, the gas inside the engine can form solids around the bottom of the spark plugs. This sediment, if left unchecked, will clog the passageway to the combustion chamber. If safely storing your boat with an outboard motor for several months, be sure that you have safely removed any drain plugs from the engine’s lower unit. Doing so allows water to safely drain with minimal risk of damage to the engine or storage unit.

After you have safely protected your boat’s engine and made sure that it is clean, place a cover on top of your boat. Make sure to use a sturdy frame when safely storing your boat in a storage unit during the winter months so that you can safely keep leaves and other debris from building up on the cover and potentially damaging your boat.

If you have a trailer, be sure to safely store it as well. Leaving your trailer outside in the cold can cause the metal to expand and contract which can lead to damage down the line.  It is also important to remember to remove the tires from the trailer before safely storing it. If safely storing your boat with a crane trailer without its tires, ensure that the down-pressure is safely adjusted so that no further damage to the unit can be made.

Now you are ready to safely store your boat during the winter. Be sure to keep checking up on your safely stored boat throughout the winter months by making sure that the cover is safely secured and that leaves and debris do not accumulate on your boat or trailer.

Need help safely storing your boat during the winter? The Storage Group has a variety of storage units to safely store your boat, car, RV and more! To learn more about their unit rental costs and availability, give them a call today.