Time to get ready for winter

Ahoy.

Labor Day weekend signals the end of another summer and also

signals the end of the boating season for many boaters across the

nation. Luckily, our boating season really never ends, especially

since Newport Harbor will not freeze over for us to go ice skating.

I do not predict any storms for the coastal areas this weekend,

but thunderstorms could hit mountain areas such as Big Bear and

Arrowhead Lakes.

While out on the water this busy weekend, I urge you to be extra

careful so that I will not have to write about you in next week’s

column, but if you see anything hilarious, please drop me a note.

If this is essentially the end of your boating until the Christmas

Boat Parade, then now is the time to begin winterizing your boat.

Let me explain before I get a flood of reader’s e-mails that we do

not need to winterize our boats because of freezing temperatures in

Southern California. Temperature only plays a role of how

aggressively you will need to perform your winterization, and we do

have snow and freezing weather in Southern California. Do you have a

trailer boat stored in the aforementioned mountain areas or the high

desert? Then you will have to winterize your boat completely.

But let’s see what to do if your boat is in one of Orange County’s

harbors.

Since we do not freeze, you do not have to worry about the

expansion of ice. You do not need to drain your fresh water tanks,

nor do you have to add antifreeze to all the boat’s plumbing. I do

recommend pumping out your holding tanks and adding an odor-treatment

product. A professional tip is to also dry out your sump pumps to

keep the organic gases from creeping up the drains.

One of the biggest culprits is mold, which loves to grow in dark,

damp areas -- sounds like a boat to me. Wet towels, swim fins,

bedding and cushions, and anything that might help mold grow should

be taken off your boat. Open all the cabinet and shower doors to

allow air circulation and I hang towels over the top of the doors to

block open.

Do not forget the lifejackets. Wash and sun-dry the personal

flotation devices while replacing any that are worn or damaged. The

electric dehumidifiers work very well if your boat has shore power,

or you can use the dry chemical dehumidifiers, but you will have to

empty the containers once in awhile.

It’s also time to change the oil to protect your engines -- mains

and generators. Do not wait until spring. The used oil contains

containments and water that you do not want sitting in your engine

all winter. Also, change all the filters, including the fuel filters.

During the off season, remember to start your engines at least once a

month and let the engines come up to operating temperature.

Now, pickle your water maker, check the water in your batteries

and replace the water pump impellers. Top off your fuel tanks to help

prevent water condensation by decreasing the internal amount of

exposed surface area. Most fuel docks will have a fuel stabilizer

that you can add at the beginning of next boating season.

Also, I recommend that you empty and dry out any portable fuel

tanks that you might use for your dinghy. The fuel docks in the

harbor can help you dispose of the fuel properly and safely.

Double check that all your bilge pumps are working before the

winter rains arrive. Give the interior a good cleaning and close all

the sun shades.

Lastly, you can start planning for any necessary haul outs, bottom

painting and repair work for the off season when shipyards and

mechanics are not at their busiest times. Each type of boat will have

a specific list of winterizing recommendations, so check with the

manufacturer of your boat.

The tip of the week is, do not use bleach (chlorine solutions) or

petroleum-based solvents to clean the sinks, showers and heads on a

boat. These solutions will erode the inner lining of the plastic

drain hoses. The inner linings are specially coated to help prevent

obnoxious odors.

Safe voyages.

* MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist. Send

him your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions by

e-mail to [email protected] or visit https://boathousetv.com.