Check over your boat Before you put your boat away for the winter, the most important thing you have to do is to check over it and make sure that there aren’t any problems with it before you put it away. You really don’t want to have any issues with it before you put it away, because if some issues are left unattended for too long, they will just make your boat worse, and it will be harder to fix later on. Make sure you do a complete check from bow to stern for any issues with your boat and have a quick ride in the boat before you put it away to make sure there are no mechanical issues with the boat either. Flush the system Leaving high levels of oil and coolant in your boat engine over time while you’re not using it can ruin the engine. Therefore, you need to flush the system before you put it away and fill the boat with Antifreeze. Antifreeze helps to stop the formation of ice in the engine system which is something that you need to protect your boats from in the winter. Also make sure you flush out any other pipes on the boat that may need it. Checking your oil and coolant levels are also important before you put the boat away, because of you leave them in a bad way for too long, the engine can corrode. Grease all the joints Making sure all of your joints are greased before you put the boat away for the winter is extremely important and something that you must do. Fogging oil is good for making sure all of the parts of the engine continue to work correctly and don’t break down quickly over time. Spraying the engine with fogging oil in the carburettor and in the spark plug holes is a good way to ensure that your engine stays safe and in working order during and after winter. The steering wheel should also be greased so that it can allow for proper movement and navigation of the boat when it returns to the ocean after winter. These may seem annoying and trivial, but they can really extend the life of your boat by a lot. Disconnect the battery Leaving your boat’s battery hooked up over winter can be detrimental for the battery and may mean that you’ll have to buy a new one sooner than you normally would have. A good tip is to top the battery off with distilled water when you aren’t using it. Then charge it up and it will start working again. It is important to keep on top of the charging of the battery for your boat, especially if you are using the boat regularly. Your battery should last for a fair amount of time, but if you do regular and proper maintenance on it, you’ll get the full potential out of it, rather than if you don’t maintain it correctly Waxing the boat It is important to try and keep your boat as clean as possible at all times, but the main reason why you must clean it before you put it in to storage for a while is because you have to wax it. Putting the wax on the outside of the boat stops it from rusting and corroding overtime from water and salt damage, which is something that you want to prevent from happening to your boat. It is especially important to do this before you put your boat away for the winter because you won’t be able to keep an eye on your boat constantly, so having a way to protect it when you’re not around is a good thing. Covering the boat It is always a good idea to make sure that you have a good cover for your boat to protect it from the elements or any other nasties that may ruin your boat. Some people who have the money go as far as shrink-wrapping their boats over the winter when they won’t be in use, but as long as you have a good cover that goes over most of your boat, there is no need to spend heaps. Covers also help to keep the boat clean, so you won’t have to keep washing it, because the dirt and dust will build up over the cover, rather than on the actual boat itself. Storing the boatIf you’re looking for somewhere to store your boat that will protect it from the weather and wildlife that may damage it, then look no further than Easyshed. Made of high-quality materials that are built to last, Easysheds are perfect for all of your outdoor storage needs. And the best part about them is that as the name suggests, they are very easy to assemble. You can choose from a range of colours, heights and sizes to suit your needs, but more importantly they are specifically built for the Australian climate. Check your boat You may think that your boat is completely fine for the winter after you do everything before you pack it away, but this is not necessarily the case. Making sure you check the boat regularly, even while in storage is extremely important. If you leave it all season without checking it, you won’t be able to keep track of any issues that can be fixed easily.