Before the first hard frost
Boat winterizing checklist
Use this as a checklist for your own work or to check what a shop quote covers. Always follow your engine maker’s manual.
Engine and fuel
Stabilize the fuel
Add stabilizer, top up the tank and run the engine so treated fuel reaches it.
Change oil
Inboards and four-strokes: change oil and filter so acids do not sit all winter.
Drain or antifreeze the cooling system
Raw-water side drained or filled with propylene glycol antifreeze.
Fog the cylinders
Fogging oil protects against corrosion inside the engine.
Lower unit or drive
Change gear oil and look for water in it; check bellows on sterndrives.
Systems and hull
Fresh water
Drain tanks and the water heater, run non-toxic antifreeze through pumps and taps.
Head
Pump out, flush, antifreeze in the lines and holding tank.
Batteries
Charge, disconnect, or take them home to a tender.
Bilge
Clean and dry; pull the drain plug for storage ashore.
Interior
Remove food, electronics, PFDs and cushions or prop them up; leave lockers open.
Questions
Can I use car antifreeze?
No for drinking-water systems. Use non-toxic propylene glycol marine antifreeze. Follow the engine manual for the cooling system.
When should I winterize?
Before the first night below freezing, usually mid-to-late October in southern Ontario and earlier in the north and on the prairies.
Tell us about your boat. We find the spot.
Storage type, LOA, region and season. We check what is open near you and reply by email with options and prices.