If you are a boat owner, you know the importance of taking care of your vessel to ensure that it operates in top condition. When winter comes around, additional measures are required to protect it from damage caused by the freezing temperatures. There are many shortcuts and hacks for winterization, but these myths can lead to costly boat winterization mishaps.
Common Myths to Avoid
When preparing a boat for the winter season, there are many shortcuts that people sometimes try to avoid the cost of professional winterization or the hassle of doing it themselves. While some of these tips can help, many can lead to more trouble in the long run. Avoid these common myths so you won’t end up with costly repairs.
- Using a heater to keep the engine compartment warm instead of properly winterizing the engine.
- Substituting car antifreeze for marine antifreeze to save a trip to the store.
- Underestimating the weather or assuming that it won’t drop below freezing.
These may seem like good tips, but heaters can stop working if the power goes out, automotive antifreeze can damage key engine components, and a single night below freezing is enough to cause significant damage to your vessel.
Boat winterization mishaps do happen, but by properly preparing for winter, you can make sure your vessel is in prime condition come spring.
