3 Tips For Storing Your Boat Safely
Purchasing a boat can allow you to enjoy water sports throughout the warm spring and summer months. When temperatures begin to cool, you will find yourself using your boat less often. Many people opt to place their boats in storage through the fall and winter.
To ensure that your boat's integrity is preserved while it is not in use, you need to prepare the vessel for storage properly. Here are three tips that you can use to safely store your boat in the future.
1. Conduct a performance check.
When you decide it's time to store your boat, you should take the vessel out on the open water one last time. The purpose of this final trip should be to pay close attention to the performance of the boat.
Any performance issues caused by mechanical failures should be addressed prior to putting your boat into boat storage. Faulty parts could wreak havoc on your boat while it sits unused in storage, so making repairs before beginning the storage process will help to ensure your vessel is ready to use when the temperatures warm up once again.
2. Swap out all liquids.
Before you place your boat in storage, you need to change out the liquids that play a vital role in the boat motor's performance. Getting an oil change and replacing the coolant in your boat prior to storage will help to ensure that any contaminants suspended in these liquids don't corrode the mechanical parts within your boat's engine.
An experienced boat mechanic will be able to help you prepare your boat's engine for storage by swapping out all liquids within the vessel.
3. Invest in a quality cover.
Keeping your boat dry while it is in storage is critical when it comes to prevent the deterioration of your vessel. You should ensure that you have access to a quality cover that can be used to prevent moisture from eating away at the interior of your boat.
The cover needs to fit snugly over the frame of your boat and allow for proper drainage of any rain or snow that might accumulate on the surface of the cover during your boat's storage period.
Knowing how to store your boat safely is essential when it comes to ensuring the performance of your vessel over time. Be sure that you are conducting a final performance check, swapping out all the liquids in your motor, and keeping your boat covered while storing it in the future.