Depending on your traveling plans, your boat may be looking at a long stay in your garage, barn, or self-storage unit during these icy winter months. When you find yourself missing the open water, you can use that time to do a few check-ups on your boat in storage with Green River Boat Storage.
Complete the winterizing process
Depending on what all you did at the beginning of the winter, you may need to go back and tie up some loose ends to make sure your boat will be in the best shape possible come spring. There are lots of articles online with detailed tips for winterizing, which include draining all of the water from your bilge, pipes, water tanks, head, and seacock; wiping down and waxing the entire boat; and sealing exhaust ports.
Check and charge the battery
The average battery life for a marine battery is three years, and this extended break could be a great time to charge up your battery and see how well it’s doing at holding its charge. The older the battery, the faster it will drain, so maybe a replacement will be necessary before spring rolls around.
Check your boat registration
Is your boat registration up to date? If not, most states allow you to complete this online, from the comfort of your home. If you’re planning an out-of-state trip with your boat during the summer, and it’s wider than 8’6”, start applying for the necessary permits now to save time in the long-run.
Paint the bottom of your hull
Winter can be a great time to check the surface of the bottom of your boat. While many invest a lot of money in the look of their boat’s surface, the bottom of the boat can be a bit neglected, leading to minor or serious issues.
Here’s a really helpful article in bottom painting–what to look for, what repairs to take seriously, and how to go about the whole process. While some may recommend this in the beginning months of winter, it’s been shown to be more effective if done in the late winter/early spring months.
Check for savings
Depending on your insurance company, you may be able to get a discount for completing certain trainings for boater safety. It won’t hurt to get a refresher course on some of these basic skills that could save lives while out on the water, and you’ll notice a return on that time when your next insurance bill comes.
Some of these things may be more doable than others–and that’s dependent on where you’re storing your boat this winter. Boats are extremely durable, so the outdoors is always a (free) option for storage. However, if you want to do any type of cosmetic work or repairs on your boat during the snowy winter months, an indoor storage unit is a great option!
A storage unit would not only allow you to do some work on your boat during the winter months, but it will also protect your electronics and cloth or leather materials from moisture and extreme cold. At Self Assured Storage, we are experts at storing and caring for your boat during the year, so give us a call–it’s not too late to get your vessel inside and tuned up for spring!
