Preparing our boats/trailers for winter

[PYoung]

Now we are entering the colder months I wondered how people prepare their boats/trailers for winter when stored on the trailer?

These are a few of my questions.

1. Do I need to worry about any left over water in the ballast tank freezing? Add anti freeze?!

2. Loosen buoyancy tank covers?

3. Chock up the trailer and store wheels somewhere dry/warm to save the rubber.

4. Jack and block up the boat to avoid rollers deforming?

Be great to hear what you have been doing to ensure your pride and joy is match fit for the next season.

[mark1]

Well here's what I do,

1. I don't think a little bit of water freezing in the tank would cause damage, unless anyone has other experience? But it's surely better to dry if you can, so:
I dry my tank out by lifting the front of the trailer, sponge and towel, then (with boat level again) leave hatches off all three buoyancy compartments (Bre)  to allow them to dry out. I take any ropes etc out that could hold moisture and leave them in the cockpit which is under a cover.

2. see 1 !

3. I put the trailer on blocks to save the wheel bearings, the tires need replaced due to wear rather than rubber degradation this year. I suppose it depends on your mileage!

4. I've never yet had a problem with deforming boat rollers so don't jack the boat up. In fact this summer i sprayed silicon grease into the ends of the rollers and my boat comes off the trailer like a rocket!

[David 75]

We took delivery of our Baycruiser 23 in October and took her out for “sea trials” in November. We used the electric bilge pump to empty the ballast tanks which partially discharged the battery and then towed the boat home in the dark and put the winter cover on. The result is the battery is partially discharged, showing about one third on the solar control panel but I’m not sure how much credence to put in that. What do people do with their batteries in winter? I’m not sure whether to leave until next time we go sailing and hope solar power will charge them, take them off and charge up at home, open up the cover at the back on a sunny day etc.

[Graham W]

I bring my lithium batteries indoors for the winter, as I’m not sure that frost does them a lot of good.  I also try to leave them partially discharged - apparently this is better for them if they are unused for several months.

[Sea Simon]

.... battery is partially discharged, showing about one third on the solar control panel but I’m not sure how much credence to put in that. What do people do with their batteries in winter? I’m not sure whether to leave until next time we go sailing and hope solar power will charge them, take them off and charge up at home, open up the cover at the back on a sunny day etc.

What sort of batteries?
Conventional Lead Acid or Lithium, or???

Winterisation/storage regimes are very different.
Caution. That described above for Lith i will damage Lead A.

[globetrot]

I am also winterizing my boat for the first time this year and am also going through a similar mental exercise.

-I have tried to drain my tanks as much as possible.

-I have removed all of my buoyancy covers to try and dry the compartments out as much as possible

-I have not jacked my trailer up since it is a bit impractical for me to do. However, my trailer is resting on soft ground.

-I have also put a block under the rear-most horizontal brace (behind the axel) so that the trailer has four points of contact with the ground.

-I have completed de-rigged the mast

I have a question: do you take the mainsail off the track and roll it for storage OR leave in on the track and within the sail cover on the boom?