Think Ahead This Winter for Stress-Free Boating

Think Ahead This Winter for Stress-Free Boating

When all the summer and autumn fun is over, more than just a few owners really slack off when it comes to winterizing their boat or getting prepared for the next boating season. This article is a friendly little reminder, after all the time, money, and energy that you have put into your boat, that it is not wise to get lazy when it comes to putting your boat in storage. In fact, the late fall and winter seasons usually offer the greatest opportunity to do some constructive and necessary tinkering with your craft, as well as the financial opportunity to make some well-advised purchases for the next year.

Winterizing your boat means more than just draining the engine, adding antifreeze, and putting in some fuel additives.  It’s an opportune time to inspect your vessel from stem to stern to make sure that the cold weather does not cause new or further damage. Not only can you do some intensive cleaning, but you also can repair all those minor problems before they get any worse.  Ice, dirt, and debris can cause splits in hatches and window tracks, or can make tiny cracks in the hull worse – it pays to keep your boat clean and covered with a reliable tarp. Excessive humidity or dryness can cause electronic components to corrode and malfunction, so all of these parts should be removed and brought inside if possible. You don’t want to deal with these problems in the spring or summer when your ready to go on an outing.

Winter is also a great time too to make all those purchases that can make your boating safer and more enjoyable. The SeaMe Monitor from BeaconWatch for instance is a great addition to your boating repertoire. The monitor is a small GPS device with an intense LED strobe light that attaches to a person and lets you locate them quickly in case they accidentally fall overboard.

Instead of feeling “stir crazy” this winter from being stuck in the house, use your free time to make those little adjustments to your boat that will make the next season a lot more hassle free.  Also, when it comes time to make your Christmas list, or spend a little bit of your tax return money, consider upgrading your safety program with a SeaMe Monitor. Thinking ahead can really pay off when you pull the tarp off your boat next spring.