With summer behind us, and the cooler months upon us, boat owners across Adelaide are looking for safe and secure ways to store their precious vessels over the winter months.
As strange as it may seem, exposure to moisture is a sure-fire way to deteriorate your boat’s critical components such as it gears and engine. Storing your boat in a damp place, and not properly preparing it for long term inactivity is a boat’s worst enemy – and as we all know, a boat is a precious investment that needs to be protected.
Here are a few tips for properly storing your boat over the winter months to ensure its kept in good working order while idle:
Storing the Engine
Its important that the oil and filter is changed while the engine is still warm, as a warm engine allows impurities to correctly drain with the oil. To prevent condensation, fill the fuel tank with marine fuel and stabiliser as an empty tank can acquire moisture, which in turn can cause rust and corrosion.
Drain your coolant and follow the manufacturer’s instructions in regards to using any sort of anti-freeze solution. And don’t forget to let your engine run for awhile to allow the stabiliser to reach the engine and fuel lines. Stabiliser is key to offering a buffer from the chill for your boat’s internal systems.
Storing the Equipment
Before placing your boat in storage it’s important to strip it of any removable items such as anchors, sails, and lines; as well as any internal items such as cushions, blankets, vests and first aid kits. In fact, this is a good time to have these internal items re-stocked, cleaned and inventorised ready for your first trip of the next season.
Using indoor boat storage within a warehouse facility, rather than storing your boat in a marina gives you the added option to store your internal equipment safely and securely with your boat. By harbouring your boat in a secure storage facility over the cooler months, you can rest assured that your pride and joy will be kept in the best possible working order.
Access Storage offers both indoor and outdoor boat storage in Adelaide starting at just $15 per week – get in contact now to keep your investment protected!
