DIY Winterize and Spring Commissioning at the Marina

[Fill Ess]

Even though we're four months (plus) away from slip season, the marina is already asking what I would like done for spring commissioning.

Where I'm at now, the policy for working on your boat is pretty standard (I think), where you can do your own work but you can't bring in outside pros without authorization.

I do my own work, but I bought this boat last fall right at the end of the season, so it went right into storage and I had no choice but to have them do the winterization (potable water system, both engines, generator, AC, outdrives etc).

For anyone who stores their boat at a marina (especially shrinkwrapped), are you able to do your own winterizing and spring commissioning?

 

[RBB]

I believe if they winterized it I would let them summerize it in case there is a issue.

 

[yobub]

Yes. Sure. There are some limits as to what you can do, for instance they dont want sanding (dust all over other boats) or open flames (obvious) but they are fine with alot of work. We store inside so they might be a little more restrictive than if we stored outside, but we do work on our boat over the winter.

Most of the main winterization (oil changes, filters, water systems, etc.) happens before we haul out.

 

[Fill Ess]

I believe if they winterized it I would let them summerize it in case there is a issue.

I am leaning that way ... thinking more about the long term / next season.

 

[RBB]

Where we dock at you can winterize or do anything to your boat. But I am on the Ohio River and its
not a big boating area.

 

[Golfman25]

We are allowed to do pretty much anything, within reason -- ie; no sanding next to boats inside, clean up your messes. I usually let the marina winterize the engines and I do everything else -- change the oil, drain water system, head, etc. Summerization is extra so I just do it myself -- hook up the batteries and charge them before launch.

 

[Blueone]

Spring do it yourself... in the fall you can do everything in your slip but winterizing the engines ...If you can get them to block it for free then worth while... if not they usually have a setup do winterize right on the belts... which might be more economical. Changing the lube in the outdrive you can do that when you’re blocked

 

[RBB]

I will mention that are marina has insurance, if it freezes during winter the marina will pay to fix if they winterize it.
They had that to happen on a Tolleycraft. A diesel motor froze, the mechanic had done everything correct, just forgot to check condition on antifreeze. The owner had added water coming from the south trying to get it home. The marina was suppose to check it and failed to do so, it froze and busted block.

 

[Fill Ess]

You've convinced me to keep it at home starting next year. The co-captain was not on board with this decision at first ... but she's come around.

 

[b_arrington]

Check your insurance. I had a policy that covered freeze damage only if the boat was professionally winterized.

 

[HP12Sea]

I'm in Jersey shore area and they let us do whatever we want, except bottom paint related.

 

[Henry Boyd]

Phil,
Where are you located? We’re in Newburyport (although the Boat is inside up in Portsmouth). If you’re on the north shore I can suggest a couple yards if you are dissatisfied with your present location.

 

[Fill Ess]

Phil,
Where are you located? We’re in Newburyport (although the Boat is inside up in Portsmouth). If you’re on the north shore I can suggest a couple yards if you are dissatisfied with your present location.

Hi Henry, we're presently docked on the south shore but we live near Foxboro stadium. It's only a 30-min drive, but since I like to work on the boat myself as much as possible, it would be so much easier to do the winterizing and spring commissioning at home. For some things like replacing the zincs, I can do that next week no problem. But when it comes to something like pulling the outdrives to service and paint those, it could start to get really complicated trying to do all of that in the yard, remember to bring all the correct tools, etc.

Good call on insurance, I will check that.