Fall is about over, and here in Minnesota, we’ve already had some good freezes this year. Out here on our beautiful lakes, the ice can end up several feet thick before the winter is over. Those frozen conditions can take their toll on your boat, causing damage to your potable water supply, engine, and other components. To keep your boat looking and working its best for the boating season, it’s important to plan ahead for the winter. That’s why taking the time to properly winterize your boat is a fundamental piece of boating care.
At Canvasworks in Cokato, we’re experts in providing quality marine products including boat covers. In this post, we’ll share a few simple tips to winterizing your boat so you can enjoy it when the spring thaws come.
1. Invest in a Good Boat Cover
One of the most important steps you can take is to protect your boat’s upholstery during the winter months. This prevents winter precipitation from getting inside your boat and damaging your upholstery. If you’re storing it outdoors and prevents dust and bird debris fouling your interior if you are storing it indoors. Just be sure to use a winter storage cover for outdoor storage since summer storage and travel covers are not made to handle winter conditions.
2. Change the Oil
Leaving old oil in your crankcase can cause corrosive acids to form, shortening the life of your engine. Be sure to change the oil before you put your boat away for the season.
3. Use Antifreeze
Winter temperatures can wreak havoc on your engine block. Filling your engine block with antifreeze keeps frozen water from cracking it. You’ll also need to drain your freshwater tank and add RV antifreeze to it.
4. Apply Fuel Stabilizers
Be sure to stabilize your fuel and top off the fuel tank to keep phase separation from occurring. This also prevents condensation from occurring and freezing, which can cause damage to your boat’s gas line and engine.
5. Allow Adequate Ventilation
Failure to properly ventilate your boat during storage can lead to mold and mildew buildup inside your boat. The framing and venting systems of our winter storage covers allow moisture to escape so your boat gets adequate ventilation while it’s covered at your outdoor winter boat storage facility.
Contact Canvasworks for Your Heavy Duty Boat Cover Solutions
Protecting your boat during the cold season is an essential part of responsible boat ownership. At Canvasworks, we specialize in creating high-quality, heavy-duty boat covers that provide the right amount of ventilation to keep mildew and mold out and protect your boat.
From our award-winning ratchet strap covers to custom pontoon covers, we’ll help you protect your boat so you’re able to enjoy it when spring comes. Check out our gallery on the web and then give us a call at 320-559-0165 or contact us to discuss your custom boat cover needs.