A boat is an expensive purchase, which means that you need to protect your investment when it is not in use. When you are not going to be using your boat for a length of time, you should store it out of the water. This is the best way to ensure that all components on your boat remain in good condition. In order to increase the longevity of your boat, it is important that you are aware of the most helpful boat storing tips.

Support

It is important that your boat is properly supported when it is out of the water. This can be done effectively with the use of jacks, but it is also possible to get the same results by using blocks or a custom cradle to keep your boat adequately supported. The parts of the boat that require the most support when being stored are the engine, bulk head and keel of the boat.

Clean

You will also need to remove all dirt and grime from the surface of the boat before you place it in storage. It is much easier to remove these stains now than to let them set in during the boating off-season. You should use a cleaning solution that is designed to not be harsh. This means that you should not use traditional soap detergent.

Try finding a cleaner designed specifically for boat use that offers a neutral pH, because this will be the most gentle and will not remove the finish from the boat. Just make sure that the interior and the exterior of the boat are completely dry before you put it in storage to avoid the formation of mildew.

Engine

It is also important that you take the time to prep the engine before you store the boat. You can apply a grease cutter to the engine using a rag to remove all the grease that is present. It is also suggested that you add a type of stabiliser to your gas tank. This will make sure that condensation does not occur within the gas tank. Make sure that after you add the gas stabiliser that you run the engine of the boat for a few minutes to ensure that it circulates from the fuel line to the engine.

Battery

You should also remove the battery from the boat and store it in a warm and dry location until you are ready to remove the boat from storage. It will corrode at a more rapid rate if left in the boat.