Do you love being on the water in your boat? If you are an avid boater and enjoy your time on the lake or sea in the heist of sunshine with your friends and family, then you know the upkeep it takes to keep your boat in the best shape possible.
During the months when it’s out, you are constantly checking and making sure everything is right and ready to go! You have your extra fuel, life jackets, spare tools, and more.
When it’s time to put it away for winter, are you taking every step to ensure it is well kept?
Boats are an investment and, when not properly cared for, can cost you a lot of money in repairs and maintenance.
Even though you can hardly call it “winter” in California, let’s discuss 4 ways to winterize your boat for the winter season!
Drain The Water
This is the most important step when winterizing your boat. Turn off and disconnect any water connections. Next, drain all the water from any area of your boat that holds water. This includes sinks, tanks, heads, and, most importantly, your engine.
After that, apply a non-toxic antifreeze to your plumbing system.
Sure, here in California, freezing conditions are rare, but it’s essential to understand that issues and damages due to freezing water are typically not covered under insurance. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Change The Oil
Now that the season has ended, it’s time for a quick tune-up before putting it away.
Drain the old oil out of your engine and replace it with whatever oil is recommended in your owner’s manual.
Changing the oil will help eliminate moisture and prevent corrosion in the engine.
Stabilize Your Fuel
If unused fuel sits too long in the tank, it can deteriorate, which causes sludge and varnish deposits to move through the carburetor and fuel injection system.
This can reduce your engine life, cause it to not start properly come springtime, and cause poor engine performance overall.
Add a high-quality marine fuel stabilizer to the fuel tank and run the engine for a few minutes to let the stabilizer run through the system.
Draining the fuel from your boat won’t help since gas is always left behind, and it’s necessary to keep the engine parts from drying out and cracking.
Store It Safely
Whether you’re storing it on the water, in a boat yard, or even on your own property, make sure you have the right coverage to protect it while it’s stored!
Accidents happen, and damage to your boat can be minimal to significant. Don’t get caught without the right coverage and have to pay out of pocket for the repairs.
Make sure that your boat insurance policy covers your boat while away for the season!
Winterize Your Boat And Protect It With RVIsurances.com
Here at RVInsurances.com, we may not be professional boating experts, but we are professional and experienced insurance agents.
We know all the ways to protect your boat and your wallet when it’s on and off the water.
We don’t just cover boats, either! We also cover RVs, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles like dirt bikes!
Read our latest article, “Does Dirt Bike Insurance Cover On-Road Use As Well?” for helpful insight.
To learn more about getting the right boat insurance, call us today to get a quote!