When you Prepare Your Boat for Winter you extend your enjoyment and time on the water when the weather turns cold. But you also need to consider your goals for the winter. Are you looking to stay warm, keep your boat safe, or both?

Depending on what you need, start by investing in a small engine compartment or battery heater to keep your critical components from freezing. They're efficient, affordable, and won't waste any unnecessary resources. But if you want to live on the boat during frigid months and entertain guests, you probably need a comprehensive heating system.

Not sure what to choose? Learn what to do to prepare your boat for winter, from choosing the right heater to staying warm. 

What Type of Boat Heater Should I Use?

There's no need to invest a fortune in a boat heater for your engine. Instead, the size of your boat will help determine what you need. Xtreme Heater offers three sizes to mix and match to meet your needs.

1) Our small XHeat features 300 watts for boats up to 24 feet

2) The XXHeat is our medium size are designed for larger boats of 21 feet to 28 feet for 450 watts

3) Boats over 28 feet need around 600 watts of power from our large XXXHeat. 

Fill Your Trailer Tires

If you plan to pull your boat out of the water, you should thoroughly dry and shrink-wrap it to endure conditions on a trailer. However, it's also essential to fill up your trailer tires before you do anything else. You want to prevent flats during winter that could damage your boat and complicate your winter storage solutions.

Come up with a Rodent Prevention Strategy

Storing a boat in a garage or shed may protect your vessel from harsh weather, but it also exposes you to rodents and curious critters. Fill up any holes or cracks in the area's foundation to prevent critters. Setting traps and keeping your engine safe from mice is also essential for your boat's winter protection.

Run Antifreeze

When you prepare your boat for winter, you may need to run antifreeze through the water systems. It will ultimately help protect your boat's water systems and prevent freezing. Adding a fuel stabilizer to your gas tank is also wise to make sure nothing inside your boat is freezing. 

Do You Have to Winterize Your Boat?

As temperatures dip below 32°F, you risk engine damage and harm to other critical components on your boat. Even tiny water droplets in your engine compartment or around your battery could freeze, expand, and crack. Beyond freezing, your engine compartment is prone to and attracting moisture and welcoming mildew. 

Winterizing your boat may be necessary, depending on how cold the water is in your area, but it takes time and resources. You may need to pull out your boat from the water during the winter if you're facing harsh, inclement weather. Otherwise, you may be able to prepare your boat for winter using a small heater.

Extend the Life of Your Battery

When you prepare your boat for winter, you want to make sure it's working efficiently. Your hidden components, like the boat's batteries, also need attention. Consider removing it altogether and using a trickle charger to keep it going and protect it during winter.

If you plan to do some boating this winter, your compartment heater can also help you cruise safely and promote slower batter drainage. We designed our Xtreme heaters to last as long as the life of your boat. You'll run your boat longer, more efficiently, and at a reasonable price point.

When Should I Buy a Boat Heater?

There's always a sense of urgency about purchasing and installing a DIY boat heater. You should have installed it before your first cold snap whenever possible. Although our heaters are easy to install and use, you want to ensure you're familiar with the operations and learn how to test them. But if it's already cold out and you're struggling to find solutions, purchasing a boat heater is still a good idea no matter the time of year.

Next Steps: Prepare Your Boat for Winter 

Our boat products are affordable, easy to mount, and incredibly safe to use. Xtreme heaters exceed Coast Guard and ABYC standards with MILSPEC (Military Specification). We passed ratings for heat, cold, moisture, and vibration. They're reliable in harsh weather and freezing temperatures. 

Ready to invest and extend your time on the water while protecting your boat? Browse our products today to prepare your boat for winter.