No two boats are alike so boat storage strategies will almost always very from boat to boat and from boat owner to boat owner. Because of the differences that will always present themselves, it is always a prudent move to check with the boat manufacturer
or at minimum the owner’s manual for your particular type and size boat before planning or implementing any kind of boat storage strategy. Knowing what works best for you specific make and model will go a long way toward understanding what is required to ensure your particular boat survives the long winter months while sitting in boat storage.

The intent of this article about boat storage strategy is to identify key areas and key factors that must be considered by any competent boat owner when determining what steps need to be taken prior to putting a boat into boat storage, what has to happen while the boat is in storage for the season, and what steps need to be taken once the boat taken out of boat storage for the season. Please read on for some practical and interesting tips regarding boat storage techniques.

First and foremost, a diligent boat owner needs to ensure the gas tank of his boat is 100% full prior to putting it into boat storage for the year. Failure to do so will almost always result in bad things happening to the fuel and the associated fuel system components inside of the boat’s motor. One of the worst things that can happen if you fail to fill the fuel tank is condensation build up in the gas lines and in the gas tank itself. Condensation such as this will quickly lead to fuel spoilage. Have fun trying to start your boat’s motor when it is filled with bad fuel. It just won’t work.

After filling the boat’s gas tank with good fuel, you should replace your oil. Doing so just prior to putting your watercraft into boat storage for the season will allow any impurities or gunk to drain, eliminating it from your boat’s system. Changing your oil will require that you follow the advice of your boat’s owner’s manual so be sure you have it handy before getting started. The manual will show where the oil should be drained from and it will also show what type of oil to replace it with.

Always replace your fuel filter and oil filter while changing your oil and filling your gas tank. Do yourself a favor and do not skimp on this part of your boat storage strategy. Doing so will probably wind up costing you more money in the long run to have repairs performed when you try to take the boat out of boat storage at the beginning of next boating season. You should always buy the best products that you can afford so that they can protect your boat during it days while in boat storage.

The most important part in caring for sailboat sails is to keep them clean, especially if you sail in a salt water environment. Salt crystals are corrosive, abrasive and will damage the fibers in the sail cloth, as well as causing the material to absorb water, which will lead to mildew.

Washing the sails down with fresh water is a good way to keep them in good shape, while this will be extra work, keeping the sails clean is less work than cleaning them once they are already dirty. When washing the sails yourself, don’t use chlorine bleach on sails made of nylon or laminated sails. It is best to use a mild soap and water mix, and a scrub brush with soft bristles.

Another factor in the basic care of sails is proper storing. When you are ready to stow sails always let them dry first. Avoid folding sailboat sails when storing them for the off season. It is better to roll them so as to not put any creases in them that could damage the fibers in the cloth. And using a sail bag will protect the sails from UV sunlight that can damage them. And high temperatures can also deform some sails over time, so look for a cool place to store them.

Why to use boat covers?

There are many purposes served by boat covers. Some of them are:

1. Weather proofing – Boats are often exposed to bad weather
such as dirt, rain and wind that can ruin its interiors. Novel condition of these boats remains intact due to boat covers. The fabric of these covers should necessarily be waterproof, dust-proof and wind-proof. It comprise in the material like PVC, polyester, cotton and others.

Dust usually carries moisture that may corrode your boat’s metallic parts. Hence, zippers are included in boat covers to protect them against corrosion.

2. Protection from UV rays – This can also be very harmful for the boat and can case a lot of damage. The look of the boat is most affected in this regard if the boat is not protected by its covers. Also, good boat covers fits the boat well and do not have any gaps. So, it averts water from seeping into the boat.

3. Restricts rodents –Besides the harsh weather conditions, boat covers are also useful to restrict the entrance to rodents inside the boat. Rodents such as cockroaches and rats nibble over the boat’s interiors. So, they mess up the whole interiors that may also start stinking.

4. No damage during the smash up – When boat covers are on, you need not worry about the small smash-ups with other boats or during handling, that otherwise may have caused the pain of the boat to chip away.

With so many benefits of boat covers, it would be foolish not to put them on. After all, repairing costs of your boat is definitely more than the cost of a boat cover. So, the clichéd saying “precaution is better than cure” would surely stand true in this regard.

The best way to maintain a fiberglass boat is to wash with a mild detergent, then wax. This needs to be done frequently to avoid the fiberglass from oxidizing.

If your boat has oxidized one way you can fix the problem and get the boat to shine like new again is to purchase a fiberglass restorer and wax combination. 3M makes some really good products for this.

The restorer wax usually has a fine grit to it. So when you are applying the wax and removing the excess you are really lightly sanding off the oxidation that has built up on the boat.

The reason the boat doesn’t shine is that the surface of the boat is no longer smooth. It has microscopic divots. These divots need to be buffed out before the shine can be restore. If we do not get rid of these small indentations then oxygen can be trapped underneath the wax and still allow more oxidation to form.

If the wax doesn’t work you may need to sand the entire boat with a wet 400 to 1500 grit sandpaper. Before you start to sand you need to clean the entire surface of the boat to be waxed with alcohol to remove any wax or contaminants on the boat. This will help reduce the microscopic divots we discussed earlier. Then re-wax and polish.