Winterize your Yacht

10 economical tips to winterize your yacht

 It’s winter time once again and the boating season is over. You have to put your yacht away but it needs some care before its set to rest. Instead of visiting a boatyard, save costs by winterizing the hull and interiors of the yacht yourself, and keep it ready for spring.

Some practical tips to winterization:

1) Engine oil, drive train oil and oil filters: To prevent acids from building up, engine oil and oil filters must be changed. Engine air intakes and exhaust pipes must be closed with a duct tape. Clean the engine off all oil and refill with new oil, and run the engine for a while.
2) Fogging: Immediately after haul out, flush the engine with fresh water to remove all salt residues. Run the engine at an inoperative speed for 5 minutes. Fog the engine by spraying it into the carburettor while the engine is running or through spark plugs after stopping the engine.
3) Fuel Tank: Drain the yacht’s fuel tank completely and subsequently fill it again. Tend to the fuel with a biocide (for diesel)) or a stabilizing agent (for all engines). Next, run the engine for 10 minutes to allow circulation. Note: For gas and diesel boats, it is best to empty the fuel tank as much as possible.
4) Antifreeze: First warm up the engines and clean them off all water. Then add antifreeze without diluting it to the engine’s cooling system.
5) Batteries: Add distilled water to batteries, charge them completely, and disconnect. To prevent the batteries from getting frozen, store them in a heated room and charge them occasionally.
6) Bilges: Dry the bilges completely, disable bilge pumps, and the bilge area around the drain plug. The drain plugs and bilges should be devoid of any debris to prevent the drain from choking.
7) Bedding and Seat Cushions: Keep the bedding and seat cushions in a vertical position to prevent them from damage in water or other fuel leaks.
8) Water Tanks: Completely drain the water tanks by removing the pipe fitting at the bottom. To prevent dampness and corrosion, clear all drawers, foodstuff, paper, utensils and cleaning supplies. Clean all water from mufflers. Wipe surfaces and teak with a wet rag or sponge.
9) Hardware: Highly prone to corrosion, hardware needs to be cleaned thoroughly with a wet cloth and left to dry. Clean sinks and cockpit. Apply petroleum jelly to fixtures, clocks, barometers and lamps. Ventilate the cabins, check cabinets and prevent carpets from getting spoilt by placing them among carpet squares.
10) Accessories: Clean and wax the boat and motor. Cover your yacht. Remove prop, fittings, electronic equipments, life-rafts, furled headsails, mainsails and lube points. Check all exit blocks and lubricate all points up to the mast.

Leave your yacht in a vertical or downward position to prevent water from clogging and freezing. Check on it periodically.

Keep a winterization checklist, follow the directions well, thereby keeping your yacht’s propulsion system devoid of any snags and facilitate an enjoyable spring. Happy sailing!