Temperatures are dropping, and the time of the year has come to winterize your boat. Follow these tips by National Synthetics in Acworth, GA, to learn five essential steps you should be following this winter. 

Clean Your Boat

The first step to preparing your boat for winter is to give it a good scrub down. Starting from the inside out, clean out the cabin, heads, and saloon. Next, scrub the topsides with a non-skid deck cleaner and work it through the crevices to get the dirt out—next clean and polish and plastic and glass elements on the deck. Clean canvass and, if necessary, apply a waterproofer. Next up, clean and wax the sides of the boat and lastly, use a hull cleaner to remove the build-up of animal or plant life that happens when the boat is in water.

Change Your Engine and Gear Oil

The next step to winterize your boat should be to change your engine and gear oils. After being in your engine, moisture and acids in the oil can damage parts of your engine it gets in contact with. Before putting your boat in storage, you’ll need to drain it. For this, warm up the engine when it’s still in the water, so it’s easier to drain. Once you’ve drained the oil, replace it with quality oil like AMSOIL’s 10W-40 Synthetic Marine Engine Oil as well as the oil filter for better performance. Important: When draining the oil out, check to see if water comes out first or if the oil comes out lumpy or milky. This could mean the oil is getting contaminated by moisture which means your boat will need new seals before you take it out next season.

Following a maintenance routine to winterize your boat can help it perform better for longer. The experts at National Synthetics can guide you through the best products for your boat by calling them at (678) 799-9062 or visiting their online shop.

Use a Fuel Stabilizer

When putting away your boat for the season, it’s essential to take care of its engine using a fuel stabilizer. Fuel can deteriorate quickly when not in use, and it could cause harm to your engine. When fuel deteriorates, it retains moisture which is harmful to your boat. Even draining old gasoline isn’t enough to keep it from causing varnish and gum, so your best bet is to use a high-quality fuel stabilizer to protect your engine. Once you’ve added a fuel stabilizer, fill the tank with fresh fuel and run it a few times to get the new and treated gas through your engine.

Grease, Fog and Lubricate Your Engine

Lubricating your engine is also an important step to winterize your boat. Engine oil is used to protect your engine’s component made out of metal from coming in contact and corroding. Using a fogging oil spray which is a heavy lubricant, can be used to keep your components safe during the winter. While you’re at it, it’s also essential to locate your engine’s grease fittings and use a marine lubricant that will help to prevent corrosion, oxidation, and rust from forming on them.

Protect your boat with the best products on the market. Visit AMSOIL’s online shop today to place an order, or call the oil pros at National Synthetics at  (678) 799-9062 for advice on how to better care for your boat this winter.

Drain the Cooling Water

Next up is to drain the cooling water in your engine. Freezing temperatures could cause water to freeze and expand in your engine and damage it in the process. To avoid this, use water muffs to connect a garden hose to your cooling system and flush the engine with clean water. Then remove the drain plugs located in your engine and manifold and remove the water pump hose to finish draining it.

Store or Cover the Boat

The last step in winterizing your boat is storing or covering it for winter. Dry storage is your best bet to keep your boat in good condition and ready for spring throughout the winter. Still, dry storage can be expensive, so covering it with a sturdy and durable cover can also work well to protect it from the elements and make sure it's in good shape once you're ready to take it out for a ride.

Use the best products for your boat this winter, and you’ll be zooming around in no time come spring. Call the oil experts at National Synthetics at (678) 799-9062 and let them guide you through their extensive product catalog, or visit their online shop to place your order anytime!