SPRING BOAT PREPARATION AFTER WINTER STORAGE
Mar 22, 2017
This article is for you if you live somewhere where you store your boat over the winter months.
We live in the Northeastern United States in Vermont and store our boat on the hard from late September through mid-May.
Here is a checklist of boat work items that we do annually after winter storage:
- Insert plug in bottom of Rudder
- Remove the winter cover/frame.
- Install boat registration stickers
- Return the following to the boat:
- Safety Equipment:
- PFD's
- Throwable(s)
- Flares
- Life sling/horseshoe throwable
- Fire extinguisher(s)
- Handheld VHF
- Binoculars
- Brass clock
- Compass
- Anchor Rode
- Boat grill, cover & tools
- Electronics power pack
- Safety Equipment:
- Install Davits for the dinghy
- Freshwater system:
- Reconnect the hot water tank
- Reconnect fresh water lines to the storage tank(s)
- Install the boat batteries:
- Charge
- Test bilge pump(s)
- Test bilge alarm (plus any other alarms)
- Test navigation lights
- Secure tie-down straps
- Install solar panel(s)
- Check engine over:
- Check the impeller and replace it if necessary.
- Buy a spare impeller
- Check engine fluids & change as needed (oil, transmission fluid, anti-freeze, etc.)
- Install the engine raw water filter basket
- Replace stuffing box seal (every three years)
- Paint the bottom (every 3-4 years)
- Set up the anchor and anchor Mate (by Mantus)
- Clean Bilge
- Wash, remove oxidation, and wax the boat.
- Install the dodger frame and the dodger
- Install bimini frame and bimini
- Install sails
Depending on the different systems and electronics on your boat, you may have other work items. This list should give you a good starting point.
Please comment on this blog below if you have other things that you do to your boat in the spring after winter storage, or you can shoot me an email at Steve@seadogboatingsolutions.com
