Don't Forget Your Boat This Winter

Many boat owners store their boats for the winter, thinking they will be safe and sound until spring.

But, there are many good reasons why you should check your boat periodically over the winter to ensure there are no unpleasant surprises when you visit to prepare for spring launch.

Forgetting to check it regularly over the winter months, whether it is tarped, shrink wrapped or stored inside, could be a costly mistake.

There are some things you need to know.

If your boat is stored at a marina, the staff there will check it for you. They usually don't promote boaters whose boats are stored inside coming to see them, because they have to do a double check to make sure everything is unplugged and all lights, heaters, battery chargers etc. are turned off. If you do want to check on your boat, call your marina and talk to them. You may not have to make the trip.

However, if your boat is stored outside and your responsibility, you should check often.

A few things to check for:

Four legged critters often find boats to be the perfect winter residence enjoying the opportunity to destroy the interior and leave a huge mess for you to clean up. Finding out early and dealing with it sooner rather than later, will save you time and money in the spring. (All food and paper products should have been removed before storing)

Check for leaks in the tarp or shrink wrap. Build ups of water and ice will freeze and re-freeze over the winter and could stain fabric and crack fiberglass where it pools; for example, in cockpits and cabin floor molds.

On sailboats with masts left standing, halyards can come loose and often the clanging in the wind will either wear the line through or vibrate it enough that your knot comes undone. As a result, your halyard whips itself to death after beating holes in your tarp and possibly your neighbor's tarp .  

Cradle pads push against the hull on a small surface. If the pads and/or blocking shift as a result of vibration caused by the wind or unstable ground, increased pressure will be put on your hull. Check your blocking and pads to make sure all forces are equal.

Water leaking into the inside of your boat will create humidity which encourages mold, mildew and rot as the temperature fluctuates greatly on a daily basis—especially in the spring. Early detection will prevent a lot of damage. Opening the lockers, doors and drawers will promote air flow within the cabin.

Check for snow weight. After a heavy snowfall, sweep or knock off any accumulated snow; otherwise, the snow becomes heavy ice. Then, the weight and wind will rip the tarp on the top of the stanchion posts and any other unpadded wear points. Holes grow and in the relentless winds, tarps have been shredded to ribbons. By spring, your tarp could be in the next county leaving your boat totally exposed and full of ice. Check yours regularly and repair small tears before they grow.

If you live out of town, have a friend from town check your boat and report back to you.

Early next spring, if you find your tarp damaged, walk around the storage area and pay close attention to how undamaged tarps on other boats were installed. Were the ridge poles higher? Were all the wear spots padded? Was the tarp large enough to prevent the wind from getting under it? Was the tarp fitted or just a rectangle? Learning from others could save your tarp next winter.

Avoid the costly mistakes of ignoring your boat while in storage. Check it regularly.

Fitted covers (left) and shrink wrap (right) when properly installed, survive wind and snow.

Both should still be checked periodically.

Don't Forget Your Boat this Winter.

Doug Dawson