Fall, do-it-yourself storage time. Part 4

We continue our journey dedicated to checks and work to be done on your boat in winter storage: we recommend some tricks to best “hibernate” your hull in anticipation of next spring.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Clean the street lights and exterior lights with fresh water, let them dry, and apply a protective spray to the contacts. Also use this product on the metal parts of the main electrical panel and the various motor and instrument control panels. Once the batteries are disconnected, check the fuses and that the wiring is all secure. When sailing, the vibrations and the impact of the hull on the wave in heavy seas could have caused the conductor to come out of the clamps.

FRESH WATER PLANT
Emptying the tanks, pipes, pumps, autoclave, and boiler would be best, but practically impossible. It is therefore convenient to add amuchin to the tank and run all water utilities so as to disinfect the system. If the boat stays in a harbor, where the temperature can go below freezing, an antifreeze liquid should be added, which should be removed with copious flushing of the system as soon as you return aboard in the next season.

WC MARINI
If they run with seawater, you have to flush the pump. Close the sea inlet, remove the hose and immerse it in a bucket full of fresh water and biodegradable detergent. Having cleaned the toilet, fill the bucket with one liter of Vaseline oil and run the pump until it is completely absorbed.

WINCH
Rinse them carefully, especially between the bell and the base. Remove the bell retaining screws and open the winch. Disassemble the central part with the roller bearings to access the gears. Remove the old lubricant and grease the bearings, shaft of the main shaft and gears with silicone or Teflon grease. Close the bell and spray lubricant on the screws. Take the handle and spin the winch to get grease to all the internal mechanisms. Wipe a cloth greased with Vaseline over the bell and cover them. Avoid plastic sheeting. In this way, the moisture trapped inside the bell cannot evaporate.

BATTERIES
They cannot be abandoned throughout the winter; they are the element of the boat most affected by loneliness. They should be partially discharged and recharged at least once a month. If the boat is far from your residence, find someone to start your engine for one hour a week, or take them to an electrician who will charge them at regular intervals. If they stay on board all winter, check that the clamps are well greased with Vaseline and that the acid is at the right level.