THE ARRAN BOATS BLOG
How to prepare your boat for winter
I usually start by removing everything out of the boat.
Anything made from mild steel you leave in the boat for any length of time will rust and leave brown stains on the fibreglass.
Give the entire boat a wash with warm soapy water using a sponge and some elbow grease.
The power hose is a useful tool as it gets the dirt out of the hard to reach places.
My old toothbrush also comes in handy for getting in along the edge of the fendering and around deck fittings.
Special attention should be paid to cleaning the bottom of the hull which might be stained even if it was only ever used in freshwater for a short period of time.
Be careful not to wipe the perspex windows with a dirty cloth.
The window material is very difficult to break but has a soft surface and is easily scratched.
If the window rubbers start to leave black streaks on the surrounding fibreglass they have perished and its time to replace them over winter.
Old fuel should not be oft in the carb or tank.
Its best to disconnect the fuel tank and run the engine until the carb is dry and the engine cuts out.Use the fuel in the tank elsewhere as it quickly goes off.
