Fishing Forum

I wanted to share the step-by-step preparation on how to properly winterize your Bass Boat. Keep in mind the cost for a new replacement 21’ tournament ready new bass rig will start around $40k and reach into the mid $50k. With this in mind I believe this process is worthy of the time it will take to protect your investment for years to come.

I am going to go thru this process step by step, the steps can be performed in a day, weekend, or a combination of days leading up to the final step of putting the boat away. I tend to spend the week prior purchasing the supplies needed to properly perform this task.

1. When possible, always attempt to run your fuel down to ¼ tank or less. At this point you then add the proper amount of fuel conditioner to your gas tank. With the fuel conditioner in the tank run your boat for at least ½ hour. Doing this will insure the fuel conditioner / stabilizer has made its way into the system.
2. Remove all of your tackle. This means everything including anchors, ropes, life vests, half used lures, left over trash such as coffee cups that might attract bugs etc.
3. With an empty boat and empty compartments you can begin the cleaning process.  To get a deep clean on your rungs and compartments I recommend heading to your local hand held pressure washer station.  I recommend you bring a car wash bucket and a stiff bristle brush with a handle with you. You first use the pressure washer to deeply soak down all carpets and compartments. Next, you mix up some car wash solution per the manufactures instructions in a tall bucket. You then need to scrub the carpets starting from the front work to the back. Lastly you start up the pressure washer for a final rinse. Doing this you can expect to spend about $8 – $12 on this step however, I feel that this method is well worth the time and money.
4. The next step is to dry all of your compartments and rugs. A wet / dry shop vac works great in decreasing the time it will take for everything to dry. Be sure to leave all of your compartment lids open to ensure the boat is dried out. This may take a few days depending on the weather.
5. Once you get everything clean and dry you are now ready for the final clean and preservation of your boat.  Check your compartments for any stubborn stains left behind from the wash down.  You can use an all purpose cleaner however I always recommend testing a small amount in an area that is hidden before you go blasting chemicals all over your boat.
6. At this point you are now ready to give your boat a nice fresh wax. Be sure to always use a good quality fiberglass cleaner and scratch remover wax and 100% cotton towels for this step. Prior to applying any wax the hull must be clean and dry. Dampen your cotton applicator to help make the wax flow a little better.  Start at the front of the boat and work your way to the back. I have found that using a stool with wheels makes this process a little less painful.
7. If your trailer has (PPG) paint with clear coat I recommend that you always apply a coat of wax at the end of the season. For this use a good quality automotive cleaner and scratch remover wax.
8. Now that the boat is clean dried and waxed you can move onto the final steps.
9. Verify that the drain plug is removed so any excess water will drain.
10. Next you add a few gallons of RV Biodegradable antifreeze to your live wells and run it through a few minutes to dissipate any reaming water in the pumps.
11. Depending on your motor you can fog it however I recommend if you have direct injection that you bring it to a trained profession perform your complete winterizing of your motor.
12. Be sure to verify your batteries are fully charged. I choose to disconnect all of my cables and remove the batteries from the boat and store them in my garage. (Some folks have luck leaving the batteries in their boat, your call)
13. If you have not done so I recommend that you remove and replace your lower end fluid. Be sure to use the recommended brand for your motor.
14. Remove and inspect your prop at this time. Check for any fishing line that may have became tangled behind the prop. Next apply a film of grease to the prop shaft prior to replacing the prop. Make sure it is torque to the manufactured specs. Lastly install a new safety cotter pin to hold the prop shaft nut securely in place.
15. The last thing to perform as far as maintenance is to grease all of your pivot points. I use good quality marine grease and a standard automotive grease gun. Be sure to give your bearing buddies a few fresh pumps of grease too. Finish this process by checking you tire air pressure, check your lugs and inspect your tires.

Now that your boat is cleaned, stabilized, charged, and greased the last step is to replace all of your safety equipment. You should verify anything that is going back into your boat will not be damaged when the temps dip below the freezing mark.

If you take these steps you are sure to have a much better experience come spring time when you are ready to get back out on the water. I want to mention if any step in this EXAMPLE seems to much to handle, you may want to have a trained professional complete for you.

This was written by Dave Dussault: Forum member = bmrev01