Winterising checklist
This is what we used for ITIKI when left in the water for 4-5 months in 2018/9. We will be out on the hardstand in 2019/20 so a few extra notes have been added. As you can see some if these things will need to be “undone” when we come back, so we will develop a “restart” checklist! If you like to be really organised you could past this into an excel spreadsheet or Google Keep checklist and tick things off as you go.
Domestics
Cleaning, Maintenance and safety checks
Winterising boat systems
Dinghy
Electrics
Thanks to Soni and Martin of SY Reflexion for sharing their list with us too.
This is what we used for ITIKI when left in the water for 4-5 months in 2018/9. We will be out on the hardstand in 2019/20 so a few extra notes have been added. As you can see some if these things will need to be “undone” when we come back, so we will develop a “restart” checklist! If you like to be really organised you could past this into an excel spreadsheet or Google Keep checklist and tick things off as you go.
Domestics
- Empty freezer and turn off
- Empty main fridge and turn off
- Empty bar fridge and turn off
- Stocktake dry goods and cull
- Beds stripped, all linen washed and dried, mattresses lifted to air
- Dust covers on sofa
- Turn off internal gas inlets and disconnect cylinders (stored inside boat)
- Euthanize herb garden (or plant in the marina somewhere...), clean pots for next seasons planting
Cleaning, Maintenance and safety checks
- Check all bilges for water and dry them
- Up the mast to check rig, add bird-scare tape and WD40
- Check all safety equipment, expiry dates etc and make a shopping list of anything that needs replacing
- All running rigging / Halyards washed and moused with tails led into forward hatch out of weather
- All running rigging removed, washed, dried and stowed; If on hardstand, also wash and dry all mooring lines
- Fuel tank filled – Some add biocide, we decided not to. Quite full of good quality fuel so do not expect condensation
- Gerry cans empty – breathing valves open
- Freshwater flush of holding tanks
- left filled with tap water and disinfectant (in-water); could be left empty with outlet open (hardstand)
- regularly cleaned with Hydrochloric acid during the season
- F/W tanks filled with desal
- Some people prefer to empty them completely, as we exclusively use desal in our tanks we leave them as full as possible, no additives. This is easier if you have a dockwater system that allows you to bypass tankwater whilst you are in a marina or on the hardstand.
- Cover/fill gooseneck end of boom, open ends of cross beam etc to prevent birds nesting; block any small holes that may be attractive to wasps looking for a home
- Pressure was, dry, remove and stow Bimini and cockpit tents
- Clean shower sumps and pumps
- Needs to be done every 2 months for owners side
- Service all winches
- Wash anchor and chain in freshwater (2 hours)
- Dropped anchor in the marina and washed chain with hose as it came up
- Washed out anchor locker while anchor was down (drilled drain holes at the lowest point)
- Headsail: inspect for any damage or required repairs; Pressure wash headsail, dry, and remove, brick and bag to store (forward cabin)
- Gennaker: inspect for any damage or required repairs; Pressure wash Gennaker, dry and stow furled (starboard hatch)
- Mainsail: inspect for any damage or required repairs; Remove mainsail (and battens), wash, flake and stow (starboard forepeak locker - challenging...)
- Spinnaker: Inspect for any damage or required repairs; Ensure it is dry on final drop and stow in starboard forepeak locker)
- Wash and remove all shackled-on, deck turning blocks
- Pressure wash all outside cushions, stow port-forward cabin
- Polish stainless steel (never ending job!)
Winterising boat systems
- Remove through-hull sensors (log and sonar) and clean
- Should be checked and cleaned every 2 months anyway
- Lock all storage lockers and stow tools and spares, life-ring inside
- Store gas cylinders inside (storage area not lockable)
- Remove chart cards from chart-plotter and store inside (we do this anytime we are off the boat)
- Turn off intakes for water-maker and GenSet at hull
- Turn off intakes for heads at hull - Port and Starboard
- Turn of S/W pump inlet (port side bottom of steps)
- Volvo engine service - oil changed; WD40’d
- Some people advocate a back flush of the engine and generator seawater cooling system with fresh water - not possible if you are in-water, but our “guardian” will run these once per month
- If on hardstand backflush should be possible
- Service and Oil change for genset
- Water-maker system flushed then pickled, pre-filter discarded - according to manufacturer's instructions
- Dockwater system - disconnect water, remove and discard filters and clean housings
Dinghy
- Pressure wash and dry dinghy and chaps
- Outboard – Fresh water flush of water intake (use ears and hose)
- In-water winterising: Left on Davits - remove drain plug and stow aft down a bit, secure well to boat and lock if possible;
- Hardstand winterising: lower onto pallet on ground and cover completely
Electrics
- Inverter off (to avoid risk of fire)
- Disconnect shore power, but leave cable handy for the "guardian" in case battery top up is required (if in water)
- We were advised not to leave the boat connected to shore power while we are away, to avoid potential problems with surges, power outage or overheating
- Leave solar on to keep batteries topped up
- controller and battery monitor on, they draw a little power but should have enough from solar panels even in winter
- Turn off switches and breakers so nothing can draw power
- If in water, leave bilge pumps on – check they work
- Disconnect starter battery from engine
- guardian will reconnect to start engines each month (if applicable)
Thanks to Soni and Martin of SY Reflexion for sharing their list with us too.
You can download our winterising checklist here
Here is a link to our blog on our first seasons winter preparations for in water wintering
Our second season we came out of the water
Also here is a link to a helpful article:
Here is a link to our blog on our first seasons winter preparations for in water wintering
Our second season we came out of the water
Also here is a link to a helpful article: