How to Winterize and Store Your Boat
Published: Friday, October 31, 2025 10:00 am
As summer winds down and the weather gets cooler, it’s time to think about how to get your boat ready for the off-season. There are some important steps that every boat owner should take to ensure their boat is in tip-top shape come spring.
While it’s an option for some locations, leaving a boat in the water all winter is not always recommended. Pulling it out can be a task left up to a professional, depending on your storage situation for the season, or you can do it yourself if you have your own boat trailer.
Keeping your boat clean throughout the summer can be tough, but luckily, winter prep is the perfect time to get it done. Plus, you will prevent potential damage, as leaving your boat’s surfaces dirty throughout the winter can cause permanent damage. This doesn’t just apply to your boat’s hull – you’ll want to clean up the inside of the boat as well.
Start with the surfaces of your boat’s interior, making sure they get nice and clean. Be careful and let everything dry before storing, as various materials – carpet, teak, vinyl, and more – can breed mildew, especially when your boat is covered with minimal ventilation. Then, remove the miscellaneous equipment stored on your boat, such as flotation devices, lines, and fishing equipment. This includes electronics, as being out in cold temperatures can harm those products.
Water is an excellent breeding ground for grime you don’t want on your boat’s exterior. The best time to get it off is when you’re storing it for winter, rather than in the spring when the boat has been sitting for months. Any dust, bacterial buildup, barnacles, or marine growth should be removed. And once you have it clean, you may want to apply a polish to create a protective barrier against rust or dirt accumulation over the winter. These steps may be difficult to perform, but many experts would be more than happy to help.
It is the commonly held belief that you are supposed to fill your gas tank to 95 percent to limit the amount of air in the tank, which can introduce moisture into the fuel through condensation and lead to harm from freezing temperatures. A full tank may not always be necessary, depending on your boat and the prescribed fuel. Instead, some people allow the tank to get almost empty and refill with fresh gas in the spring. Do some research based on your fuel type and your boat. Always go with what your boat’s manufacturer recommends. Don’t forget about adding a fuel stabilizer. These keep gas from going bad by bonding with the gasoline to prevent evaporation or the formation of sticky resins. Spoiled gas would make for an unpleasant start to next season, and using a stabilizer is an easy step to avoid that.
Like your gas tank, keeping water out of your boat’s motor is vital. If the air temperature falls below freezing for more than two days in a row, the resulting harm to your engine could be severe. Fortunately, preparing your engine involves a few easy steps.
The cooling system is a primary culprit for residual water in an engine, so flushing it with fresh water is a great start. With an outboard motor, you should do this in a tilted-down position so the water can fully drain. This is also a good time to change your oil and filters.
Depending on the motor you are running, the manufacturer may recommend replacing the engine’s coolant with antifreeze. Once you’ve drained the coolant, run your antifreeze through the system until you’re positive it’s gone through the whole engine and all of its internal passages.
If you don’t plan on running your boat’s motor periodically throughout the winter, it’s a good idea to spray fogging oil in the engine’s workings. Dormant engines can get corroded or damaged, and fogging oil will form a thin film along the engine’s metal components, acting as a protective coating against this.
No matter where you intend to store your boat, you must choose a cover. The goal is to protect it from the harsh weather elements, be it ice and snow or cooler temperatures and high winds. Your options include plastic shrink wrap, tarps, and fitted covers. Plastic is cheap, but it can be hard to fit over your boat and vulnerable to wind shifts. At the same time, canvas offers similar protection but with a longer lifespan and less susceptibility to movement. Finally, many boat manufacturers offer pre-fitted covers designed to protect your boat perfectly. These can be more expensive, but they will fit the best and last the longest.
Finally, you have to decide where your boat will spend the season. The primary options are on your property, either indoors or out, or a storage facility. When it comes to your home or a garage, it’s worth considering cost, location, security, and transportation. Some boat owners prefer not to have to transport their boat, especially if they don’t own a trailer, but still want to keep their boat at home. Some boaters don’t want to deal with the hassle, and some want to keep the whole process under their control. Whichever you are, pick the best option that will leave you happy come springtime and the next boating season.
tags: Boat Care, Boat Cleaning, Boat Winterization, Boating Maintenance, Boating Tips, Engine Maintenance, Fuel Stabilizer, Off-Season Storage, Seasonal Boating, Winter Boat Prep
