Remember the two feet of snow that never ended last winter? Let’s hope we don’t have to prepare our boats for those conditions this year, but there are certain things we need to do for any New England winter.

First you will want to make a trip to the pump-out station and clean out your holding tanks. Then put fresh water through and pump it out again.

What about fuel tanks? There are two schools of thought on that. One maintains that it is best to leave your tanks topped off to minimize condensation. The other theory is that it is best to use up the gas and get fresh in the spring. In any case, do not fill the tank so completely that the gasoline is standing in the neoprene fill or vent pipes. That can soften them.

If you have an inboard fresh water cooled engine, make sure you check to see that the antifreeze is a 50:50 mixture. If it has been in a few years, change the antifreeze and replace it with an extended life good quality antifreeze –still a 50:50 mixture.

Before you haul out, heat the engine up – maybe a last short jaunt into the bay since idling at the dock may not heat it up enough, especially for diesel engines.  Then change the oil and put in a new oil filter as well. You’ll want to get rid of any acid built up in the oil that can damage engine parts and bearings. If you have a generator remember to change the oil in that also.

After you haul, have your engine seawater pump suck up about 4 gallons of a 50:50 mixture of special antifreeze through your engine. While you are doing that, pour Mystery Oil down the carburetor. Make sure you use eco-friendly antifreeze this time. Remember, it goes into the water or ground! This will generate smoke from your exhaust. That just shows that you have left a good oil film inside your cylinders so they won’t rust over the winter. Stuff a cloth in your exhaust so you don’t get an exchange of air into your engine from an open exhaust valve.

You also need to winterize your freshwater system. Drain your freshwater tanks including the hot water tank. Have your freshwater pump suck up a 50:50 mixture of ecofriendly fluid designed for winterizing drinking water systems. Do NOT use ethylene glycol! It is poisonous. Use a non-toxic mixture. Open each valve one at a time to ensure the mixture comes out each faucet, both hot and cold. If you do not have a hot water tank by- pass, you might want to install one.

Now for the head. Have the head pump suck up one to two gallons of ecofriendly antifreeze. Remember to have some go into the holding tank to protect that also.

Make sure each cell of your batteries is full of water and charge the batteries fully so they won’t freeze.

Remove as much gear as you can. Open your cupboard doors a little and tip up your cushions. You want as much ventilation as possible to prevent mildew and odors. Remove your compass so you don’t damage the diaphragms. Sailors, take off sails and have the stitching checked.

Cover your boat! Water collects around the windows and stanchions and then freezes. Snow sits on the deck, melts and freezes again. All this causes leaks. If you do not get your boat shrink wrapped, at least cover it with a tarp.

These are only some tips for winterizing. You should consult your owner’s manuals and go online for complete directions. It helps to have an experienced boater work with you the first time you do this. 

Now that your boat is taken care of, break out the hot cider, locate the snow shovel, and dream of next summer.

A trivia question: On a chart, lines of longitude are known as___? For the answer and more information, go to: www.northstarflotilla.com.