Properly Winterizing Your Boat

Boating season is coming to a close, so it’s important to properly winterize your boat prior to inclement weather. Failure to winterize your boat can cause it to suffer significant damage such as cracks that can lead to leaks, corrosion, frozen pipes, interior damage, and fuel degradation.

When spring comes, these problems could be expensive to repair, especially since most insurance policies do not cover damage resulting from lack of maintenance.

Prior to making any decisions for winterizing your boat, you should check the owner’s manual for their recommendations on winter storage.

A few ways to store your boat exist, including storing it in your driveway, yard or somewhere else on your property. However, some homeowners’ associations don’t allow for this kind of storage, so it is important to check first.

Another option is to place your boat in a boatyard where it can be shrink-wrapped. Shrink-wrapping keeps boats dry and well ventilated which often prevents mildew.

A third option is to store your boat indoors. Indoor boat storage provides numerous options for climate control and keeps your boat protected from any winter weather.

As a general rule, boat storage professionals encourage boat owners to properly cover their boats, whether by shrink-wrapping or with a durable, breathable, water-resistant cover.

If you have additional questions about boat or other watercraft insurance, please call Hunter Insurance at 401-769-9500.