Even though it’s cold this week in North Carolina, it has started to feel like spring recently! And you know what that means: it’s time to get out on the water! Whether your boat has been sitting out in the weather all winter (we hope not), or stored somewhere safe, you’ll need to de-winterize your boat for the spring time before you start it up and hit the water. Keep reading to find out everything you’ll need to do once you take off your boat’s winter coat in order to get out on the water!
De-Winterizing Your Boat for Spring
The major systems that need de-winterizing include:
- Engines
- Plumbing Systems
- Batteries and Electrical Systems
In addition to de-winterizing systems, other spring commissioning tasks may include:
- Removing a Winter Cover
- Cleaning and Waxing
- Painting the Bottom
- Taking Care of Teak
Spring Commissioning for Plumbing Systems
Boats that have freshwater systems, heads with holding tanks, sinks, and showers, should have been treated with antifreeze in the fall. This means that now you’ll need to flush these hoses and lines with freshwater, until you’re absolutely sure all the antifreeze has been washed away.
- Fill all the tanks up.
- Open all the faucets and showers.
- Let them run until you stop seeing any discoloration from the pink, non-toxic, propylene glycol antifreeze.
- Then let them run for a minute or two more, just to be sure the lines are completely flushed out.
Spring Commissioning for Batteries & Electrical Systems
In most cases, the only thing you’ll need to do to get your boat’s marine battery ready for the new season is make sure it’s in place, hooked up properly, and fully charged. Many people remove the batteries from the boat and put them on a maintenance-charger over the winter, so in this case they’ll need to be put back into the boat with the leads properly connected. Even if your batteries stayed aboard, however, don’t neglect to hook up a charger before you try launching the boat—the number-one problem boaters report encountering on a spring shake-down cruise is a low or dead battery.
Come see us!
At Greenville Marine & Sports Center, we are your local boat, motor, and trailer dealer. For many decades, we’ve been serving Pitt and Beaufort counties and Eastern North Carolina. We offer many brands of boats and engines, and our experienced sales and service staff is excited to help you buy a new or used boat.
If you’re looking to buy a new or used boat, look no further! We’re here to help you make the best decision for you and your future boating life. Check out our boat inventory and let us know what catches your eye.
We are located at 3600 Greenville Boulevard in Greenville, NC. To contact our boat shop, please call (252) 758-5938. To contact our outdoor shop, please call (252) 758-5945. Come by and see us from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday through Friday, or 8:30 am to 12:30 pm on Saturday. We can’t wait to work with you!