Checklist to winterize your sailboat
How to prepare your boat for winter
without paying a fortune to your marina
PART 2
Last week in
PART
1, we looked at winterizing your engine, raw water
system, head, fresh water system and the checks you need to make
on the other systems in your boat before snugging her down for winter.
Today I want
to talk about inspecting your sails, your mast and rigging and the
options you have for covering your boat for the winter.
1.
Mast and rigging inspection
In all cases
it’s probably better to pull the mast out of the boat for winter
lay up. Not only does this give you a good chance to inspect your
mast and rigging properly, but it also reduces windage and allows
you to use the mast as a support for your boat covers.
- remove all
the running rigging – remember to run a mouse for each so you
can re-reave
- take running
rigging home and wash gently in water to remove salt and grime.
- dry and store
- check the
mast carefully for any signs of cracks or corrosion around the
fittings. Any damage should be repaired before lay up.
- check the
crane and masthead sheaves for wear and stress cracks
- inspect all
exit boxes and turning blocks for wear and corrosion
- check the
spreaders. Remove any spreader cap covering and check the shrouds
where they pass over the spreaders.
- inspect the
wiring to the spreader, steaming and masthead lights.
- run a rag
over all wire shrouds and stays looking for “fish hooks” which
tell you it’s time to replace the rigging
- untape all
turnbuckles, check for cracks or corrosion, lubricate and retape
with new tape
- check the
mast at the gooseneck for stress cracks or corrosion
- inspect the
mast boot and replace it in the spring if worn and cracked
- inspect the
mast heel for corrosion
- check spinnaker
pole and jockey pole for cracks and corrosion. Lubricate beaks.
- check the
boom for corrosion and stress cracks.
- check the
outhaul and gooseneck operation and lubricate
2.
Sails inspection
You should take
your sails off the boat and inspect them under cover. Make a list
of the work to be done to them and send them to your sail maker.
- wash your
sails gently. Vigorous scrubbing can damage the coatings on the
sail and break down the resins in the cloth. Gently does it.
- dry your
sails carefully. Don’t dry them in strong sunlight as the UV can
damage the fabric
- inspect all
sails for wear and chafe, especially at batten pockets, boltropes,
grommets and seams.
- check the
stitching in the body of the sail. If you can break the stitching
with your fingernail, it’s time to restitch
- store your
sails carefully. Mice and other rodents can cause serious damage.
Put a handful of moth balls in each sail bag with the sails and
hang the bags up high.
3.
Covering her up
Unless you have
the luxury of an indoor haul out facility, you have three options
for protecting your boat from the elements during winter - shrink
wrap her, cover her with plastic tarps or get a custom made canvas
cover made.
You’ll need
a good framework over the boat to hold the covers above the deck
and off the lifelines. You can use your mast as the central beam
of this framework as long as you’re very careful with chafe protection
Shrink-wrapping
Shrink-wrapping
involves covering the boat with a one-piece plastic cover that is
shrunk to the contours of the boat. You’ll get a good, tight, weatherproof
seal and won’t have to worry about chafe and loose tarps.
You’ll need
plenty of ventilation openings to ensure good air circulation and
these are an extra cost. Any access panels you need for periodic
inspection also cost extra.
Shrink-wrapping
is a once-only operation. You can’t reuse the material next year.
There is also some danger of damage to the gel coat by the heat
guns that are used in the shrinking operation.
Total cost for
a 30 footer could be up to $450 plus the costs for vents and access
panel.
Plastic
tarps
They’re cheap
and nasty, but they can do the job if you’re prepared to do a bit
more work and inspect them frequently during the winter.
Get a big, heavy
duty tarp - one that will cover the whole boat. Don’t try to work
with several small tarps.
The grommets
are useless; they’ll pull out in the first storm. Get some tennis
balls and at each grommet position tie the tarp around a tennis
ball with cord. Then tie your tie-down around the ball.
Make sure you’ve
got plenty of anti-chafe material everywhere the tarp could chafe
on the hull and lifelines.
Run extra lines
right around the boat, outside the tarps, for extra security. Install
chafe protection where these ropes go over the gunnel.
Total cost for
a 30 footer would be around $80. The tarps should last two or three
years if well secured.
Custom
made canvas covers
Get
a quote for a custom canvas cover plus a custom framework. Sit down
before you open it.
Total
costs for a 30 footer could be $5000 plus. The upside is you'll
have the best protection for your boat, and the cover will probably
last 20 years.
Ventilation
Unless you have
good ventilation, you can be sure you’ll have a mould problem come
spring.
Underneath the
covers, your boat could experience tropical humidity, especially
on sunny days. And mould loves humidity.
The best solution
is a fan that pressurizes the hull and forces clean dry air through
the boat. Another method is to install a bilge blower fan, ducted
outside and rigged up to a time switch. This will suck air out of
the bilge and vent it outside, causing fresh air to be drawn into
the boat.
Either method
will eliminate most of your mould problems. Proprietary mould inhibitors
probably won’t.
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