Preparing Your Boat For Short-Term Storage
Having access to a boat can make it easier to enjoy summer activities. Once the weather begins to cool, you will need to safely store your boat through the winter to ensure it is ready to provide hours of fun the following summer.
Preparing your boat for short-term storage is an arduous task. and many boat owners overlook critical tasks that leave their boat susceptible to serious damage while in storage. Here are three tips that you can use to ensure your boat is prepared for short-term storage in the future.
1. Use up all fuel in the engine.
While it's important to leave a little fuel in your boat's tank while it is in storage to prevent mechanical problems in the future, fuel left in your boat's engine could be detrimental. Before placing your boat in short-term storage, you should close the fuel outlet off from the tank and run the motor until there is no fuel left in it.
Eliminating all traces of fuel from your boat's motor will prevent gasoline from clogging your carburetor or fuel injectors while the boat is being stored away for the winter.
2. Flush your boat's cooling system.
As you operate your boat in the water throughout the summer months, some of the water on which you are traveling will inevitably find its way into your boats cooling system. If allowed to sit in the cooling system throughout the winter, this water could wreak havoc on the performance of your boat's engine the following summer.
Take the time to drain out all the water and coolant fluid from your boat prior to storage. You should flush the system with fresh water to eliminate any dirt or debris, and to prevent salt particles from salt water boating from building up along the interior walls of your boat's cooling system components.
3. Keep your boat covered.
Another important step that you must take before putting your boat into short-term storage is to cover your boat properly. You want to ensure that the cover fits snugly enough to prevent animals and moisture from finding their way underneath the cover, but that proper ventilation can still be achieved.
Without proper air flow during the winter, your boat's interior could be susceptible to mold or cracking over time.
Preparing your boat properly for short-term storage will help ensure that your watercraft will remain in good condition throughout the dormant winter months. Contact a storage facility, like Home Port Self Storage, for more help.