You may think everything looks okay with your boat as the temperatures drop, but it's usually difficult to know if you're dealing with winter damage until springtime. Even a few drops of water can create havoc and cause expensive repairs. You can avoid a lot of heartache and headaches with Boat Winterization Services.
The damage could crack engine clocks and fiberglass, split hoses and waterlines, and destroy refrigeration systems. Research shows that freshwater expands in volume by about 9% when it freezes and could push out enough force to create fissures and cracks.
Protect Your Engine
Above all else, you must protect your boat's most critical systems, including the engine. When an engine freezes or is left unattended during winter, mold and damage ensue. Instead, a boat heater keeps the compartment warm and dry to prevent damage.
Xtreme Heaters makes self-regulating heaters that automatically turn on at 40°F and off at 55°F +/-3°, which is the tightest tolerance available. The automated technology makes our products safe and impossible to overheat.
Our heaters are also independently tested to meet the ignition protection requirements of the ABYC E11, the USCG, ISO 8846, and SAE J1171 and to satisfy MILITARY standards.
Drain Your Boat's Freshwater Plumbing Systems
Your boat's freshwater plumbing systems can quickly freeze, expand, and crack during winter. You need to drain the system as part of your boat winterization services, but there's still a chance the water has already pooled somewhere and could still freeze. Running antifreeze through the system is also necessary to avoid any problems.
Stabilize Your Fuel Line
The idea behind fuel stabilizers is to help keep your gasoline fresh and viable after sitting over the winter. When untreated fuel is left in carburetors, you may notice oxidation and deposits that could cause problems when you're ready to take your boat out on the water as temperatures warm up. When you use stabilizers, you increase the efficiency to help ensure a reliable start throughout the year.
Change Your Engine's Fuel Filters
Changing out your boat's fuel filter before the cold months hit isn't always a guarantee that you won't experience issues with gelling, but it usually helps. Getting rid of clogged cartridges before they freeze over can prevent damage before it starts and should be a staple of your boat winterization services.
Dry and Cover Your Boat
Leaving water droplets on your boat may not seem like a big deal, but it could freeze, expand, and crack the surface of your boat. To prepare for winter, keep your boat dry and cover it up. It's also wise to keep the boat away from the snow and install vents on your cover to release moisture. A dehumidifier in your storage space can also help reduce condensation.
Should You Pay for Boat Winterization Services?
You may need to pay for boat winterization services if you don't have the time to deal with it yourself, have an exceptionally large boat, or live in a frigid climate where meticulous winterization is crucial.
When it comes to buying a boat heater to protect your engine, you can install them yourself. Some heaters require drilling holes into your boat and investing in shut-off valves, hose clamps, heater hoses, and more. But Xtreme Heaters uses a different approach that makes them easy to install and user-friendly to operate.
We offer heaters in sizes 24' to 35' to work efficiently for the size of your boat. Once you find the right heater for you, you can install them permanently or remove them after winter, without tools, using a quick-release bracket.
Next Steps
Are you ready to take the next step with boat heater installation? Protect your vessel with an affordable, efficient, and safe boat storage heater. Browse our entire selection today from small to extra large, or get in touch to find out which heater will work best for your size boat.
