107 LAYING UP YOUR BOAT I


t’s that time of year again when you may be thinking about laying your boat up out of season. Use these handy tips for winterising your boat and you’ll be thanking yourself come Spring!


Remember to keep track of all the activities that you have performed on your boat so that you have a note of what to reverse when you take your boat out of hibernation.


VESSEL WINTER LAY UP TIPS by Chris Robinson, Dartmouth Chandlery


GIVE YOUR ENGINE SOME TLC – Prevent corrosion by making sure you have washed out the bilges with cleaner and fresh water ensuring they are fully dried. Conduct a thorough clean and inspection of your engine to locate areas that need attention. Using a camera or mirror on a stick will help you to see behind those tough to reach areas. If you are going into storage for a long period, it may be worthwhile getting a mechanic to fully winterise your engine. Otherwise spray liberally with corrosion guard.


IF YOU CAN, REMOVE YOUR BATTERIES and keep them in a


place that is warm and dry over the


winter period, remembering to top up their charge every 4-6 weeks so as to not have to replace them if they run down. If you are unable to remove


batteries, make sure they are charged fully and top them up regularly or fit a solar powered battery maintainer – a full battery is less likely to freeze.


FILL YOUR TANK - Making sure your fuel tank is full will help prevent condensation, which in turn will help to prevent the growth of diesel bug - a dose of Marine 16 bug treatment is recommended. Change the oil and filter and if required fill the cooling system with appropriate antifreeze.


CHECK YOUR COVER – if you’ve found that when de-winterising your boat you’ve got dry rot, mould or excessive corrosion, it could be because of your cover. Make sure that your cover allows air to circulate fully, whilst keeping your boat dry, to prevent condensation.


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