Tips on Winterizing your Boat

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As the fall foliage starts to show and the nightly temperatures start to drop, boaters in the Midwest start to realize it’s almost time to winterize the boat for the season. Even though there are a few more days of fall boating left it’s time to call and get on the schedule to have your boat winterized or if you winterize yourself to start thinking of a day that will work for you to winterize. In this week’s blog, we will give you a few tips on winterizing your boat.   


Prepare the Engine for Winterization

The first thing you want to do before winterizing is to drain all the water from your engine. You do this by removing the water pump hose so there is no water left inside the pump. This is not required to do in outboard engines. This is a very important step in the process. If it is not done you will most likely need a need engine in the spring due to damage.  

Apply Corrosion Protection

Next, you will want to ensure that no rust and corrosion will be near the bearings or seals. You can complete this step by using a fogging oil. Using the electronic fuel injection system by starting the engine and injecting the fogging oil into the air intake.  

Change the Oil

Changing the oil and the filter is a great idea so you don’t have to worry about getting moisture to your engine. Moisture can cause a few issues with your engine that you don’t want to deal with in the spring. Old oil can cause corrosion on your engine and you may have to replace that engine a lot sooner than you had planned. It’s also a great idea to change the oil again in the spring to start the season.  

Antifreeze

Adding Antifreeze to the engine block will prevent any lingering water from freezing and cracking your block. Make sure you use marine antifreeze for this process.  

Fuel Stabilizer

Consider filling your fuel tank and then adding a fuel stabilizer. This step helps avoid clogs in your fuel tank and lines. You may want to consider changing the fuel filter before filling your tank and adding the stabilizer.  

Water Systems on the Boat

You will need to drain the water from all the water systems on your boat. Open all the water spigots from the water tank and the hot water tank. Make sure you disconnect the hot water heater from electric before draining. Run all the faucets until the water tanks are empty. After the water has been drained, turn the pump off. Now you can add antifreeze to the water storage tank. Turn the pump back on and make sure the hot water fixture that is farthest away from the pump is open. Once you see antifreeze come through the fixture that is farthest away you can turn off the pump. Complete the same step with the cold water fixture. Make sure you get antifreeze to everything including the shower if you have one on your boat.  

After you have completed all these steps remove the drain plugs from the boat and cover your boat for the winter. As boaters, Firstmate Controls wants to ensure that everyone’s boat is ready for the spring. If you aren’t comfortable winterizing your boat yourself, call a professional. Saving a little money in the fall isn’t worth replacing an engine in the spring. If you want to get your boat on the water faster in the spring check out our Firstmate Boat Lift Remote Control System. Our system will get your boat in and out of the water quicker, which means more time on the water for you. 

Boat Lift Controls You Can Count On!

Firstmate Controls 
130 Century Commerce Loop
Labadie, MO 63055

Phone: (866) 570-9707


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Location: Labadie, MO 63055, USA

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