The arrival of autumn usually signals the end of sea outings for many boaters. It’s time to think about winterizing your boat to help it through the long winter months. But why winterize your boat, and is it better to winterize it ashore or afloat?
For some of us—and likely many—the autumn months, or November, mark the end of sea trips. Since early October, weekends at sea have turned into day trips, as nights start to get chilly. Of course, Mediterranean boaters will probably sail longer than boat owners in Brittany or along the English Channel. Yes, I know, a few of us sail all winter, during winter training for regattas or simply to sail alone on sunny days. But not many of us live close to our boats. Sorry for the others;).
The fact is, the sailboat won’t be sailing for at least 4 or 5 months. So, you need to winterize your boat.
Why winterize?
Winterizing a boat is important. Those who have been sailing for a few years know this well. The salty environment is quite harmful, even for a boat designed to sail at sea. Over time, rust takes its toll on stainless steel and metal parts. The boat needs rinsing. At the same time, moisture seeps everywhere. Condensation and rainwater leaks quickly dampen the interiors. Therefore, during winter, you must:
- Remove or stand up all cushions from the saloon and cabins.
- Remove all sheets, sleeping bags, mattresses, and various cushions.
- Place a dehumidifier in the boat.
But beyond fabrics, it’s important to take care of navigation equipment and parts. These will fare better in a garage than on the boat during winter. I’m thinking of life jackets, navigation books and charts that quickly absorb moisture, as well as all the DIY parts that can rust.
Finally, a boat that isn’t used ages faster than a regularly used one. To prevent this, you should:
- Winterize the engine.
- Store the sails in a dry place (sail maintenance is important).
- Loosen the rigging.
- Store or elevate the running rigging from the roof to prevent it from turning green.
All that said, the big question is whether the boat should be winterized ashore or afloat. Actually, it all comes down to budget, type of navigation, and mooring. Let’s explore this together.
Winterizing your boat afloat
The simplest and probably the cheapest option is to winterize the boat afloat. This is perfectly possible. In fact, this solution has two advantages. On the one hand, some of us—myself included—partially disarm the boat. It’s a way to extend the season for day sailing. In practice, I remove everything I won’t need:
- Covers, mattresses, sleeping bags, cushions, etc.
- Most navigation charts outside my restricted day-sailing area.
- Everything I take for long sails.
I keep only the bare essentials for sailing in “dayboat” mode. This allows me to sail while preventing moisture from soaking the boat during weeks without sailing.
The other option is to completely disarm the boat afloat. This means removing the sails and equipment, winterizing the engine, and stowing everything on the boat. Many owners do this while leaving the boat on a pontoon or at their mooring. This also allows you to run the engine occasionally.
If your mooring is well sheltered, in a protected ria or bay, there’s no problem. Just make sure to check your mooring lines thoroughly, or even double them.
Winterizing afloat, therefore, poses no problem. If you’re on a mooring, it’s ideal to have a solar panel to keep the battery charged. For those with a buoy in a tidal area, the boat will even be dry half the day. The downside is that if you winterize your boat afloat, you won’t dry the hull, which can affect the hull’s moisture level and the risk of osmosis. In any case, you’ll need to haul the boat out for at least a few days to perform antifouling.
Winterizing your boat ashore
The second option is to winterize your boat ashore. This solution is inevitably more expensive. The hardstanding has a cost that adds to the mooring fees during the winter months, meaning you pay for two spaces. However, some marinas offer packages that include hauling out without additional fees.
The advantage of winterizing a boat on dry land is removing it from the salty, humid environment. You can rinse it to remove all the salt so it stays dry all winter without risk of corrosion. At the same time, the hull is out of the water for several months, which is always a good thing. It’s an ideal time to inspect the hull and work on it. Indeed, it’s much easier to work on your boat when it’s on dry land than on a mooring. You have your car nearby with all your equipment and electricity if needed. It’s much simpler than making trips with a dinghy on water that’s just a few degrees above freezing.
At the same time, the boat is available to marine professionals if they need to work on it.
Finally, some insurance companies don’t give you a choice and require the boat to be out of the water in winter.
You have two options for winterizing your boat ashore. The first is to contact the harbor master’s office. They usually have a hardstanding area for winterizing boats. The second option is to contact a boatyard. They will pick up your boat with their own boat lift or the harbor crane. The boat will be stored in their yard, indoors or outdoors. This solution, not necessarily more expensive than the port’s hardstanding, gives you easy access to professionals.
Now, the choice is yours. The best approach is to talk to your mooring or pontoon neighbors to exchange tips and learn about the risks associated with mooring and the best deals for winterizing your boat ashore.