32 Leisure Boating December 2017
STORAGE SUGGESTIONS
t Make notes of any repairs before your
boat is stored.
t Fix hull cracks before the boat goes
into storage because cracks can
worsen during storage.
t As soon as you get the boat out of
the water, remove the bilge drain and
give the hull and the deck a good
scrub to remove as much corrosive
salt and sediment as possible.
t Clean all your through-hull strainers
and open the sea cocks so that water
can drain out, leaving them open for
quite a while to dry.
t Clean the interior thoroughly and
remove cushions and any other
material items that attract mould.
t Clean out the fridge, properly removeall moisture, and leave the door of the
fridge open to reduce mould.
t Clear out any storage lockers and
leave the doors open for better air
ventilation to ensure the hatch dries.
t If your boat is completely out of
action for the winter months, adding
a fuel stabiliser to stop condensation
is necessary. Remember to run the
motor for about ten minutes to get
the fuel stabilisers flowing through
the fuel pipes and engine.
t An alternative to adding stabiliser
is cleaning out your fuel tanks and
leaving them empty.
t Remove electronics and batteries
and store them in a dry place where
maintenance such as desulphating
and recharging can take place.t Flush the cooling system completely
to remove any salt and sediment
buildup that can cause damage and
an immense amount of corrosion
while your boat is stored.
t Lubricate all hinges, latches, winches,
linkages, ratchets, bow rollers and
add grease to wheel bearings on the
trailer. Apply marine grease to the
gimbal bearing and engine couplers
on sterndrives.
t Remove all flares and fire
extinguishers and check their
expiration date. Life jackets, fenders
and ski ropes should also be removed
and stored in a dry place.
t Check the sacrificial anodes and
remove and replace those which are
corroded by 50% or more. LB