How cold does it have to be to winterize your boat?

As a general rule, you should look to winterize your boat before the temperatures drop below 25 degrees Fahrenheit, approximately -3 degrees Celsius.

Table of Contents

Do I really need to winterize my boat?

Winterizing a boat is an essential process unless you plan to make necessary repairs to your boat come springtime. If you do not winterize your boat, any water droplets left could freeze, expand, and crack the components they were in. This could cause anything from blowing off a hose to completely ruining your engine.

Can you winterize a boat yourself?

For the handy, self-sufficient boat owner, taking care of winterizing yourself is a great way to save money. Ironically, DIY can potentially even save you some time. Winterizing a boat can be done in less than an hour in many cases, less time than you’d spend just driving the vessel to and from the marina or shop.

What is boat winterization?

At its most basic, winterizing means draining any water aboard or replacing it with enough of the right kind of antifreeze to protect against the lowest temperatures your boat might experience.

How much antifreeze is needed to winterize a boat?

To winterize the engine with antifreeze, you’ll need a five-gallon bucket, and enough antifreeze for your engine and related plumbing (at least two gallons). If your engine takes a lot of antifreeze, you might also need a helper to add antifreeze to the bucket as needed.

How can I keep my boat engine warm?

Engine compartment heaters, like those from XTreme, are a safe and effective alternative to winterizing your engine (or engines). They cycle on and off in temperatures between about 40°F and 55°F and are safer than home space heaters or a constantly burning 60W light bulb.

How long can a winterized boat be stored?

Ideally, one year. But many a boater have pushed it to two years or more. Keep in mind when winterizing your boat for more than a year, you will need to take special care to check rubber parts and components for dry rot like hoses, impellers, engine primer bulbs and belts.

What happens if you don’t winterize boat?

If You Don’t Winterize Your Boat, Here’s What Happens: Water freezes and expands and can damage anything it’s trapped inside. Water may seep into unprotected spaces to do this. Acidic and corrosive wastes, salt and corrosion buildup can damage delicate parts in engines. Fuels break down or grow dirty.