Winter Yacht Maintenance Suggestions!

It can be difficult to stay on top of all the essential maintenance needed to keep your yacht in the best condition possible. So, we’ve put together a list that might come in handy now that Winter is well and truly underway. You may want to add or remove jobs, but we believe these are crucial jobs to prevent any lasting damage and keep your vessel tip top!

Lay Up –

• Thorough clean of interior
• Thorough clean of exterior including any teak
• Remove head sails and covers for storing in a dry place (to prevent the harsh weather from allowing algae to grow, etc)
• Consider having sails removed, cleaned, and serviced
• Dinghy – inflate and clean before stowing away below
• Go through all equipment on board, make note of any repairs / defective equipment that needs to be fixed or looked at
• Check equipment that may have an expiry date (e.g. flares)
• Organise and send away any equipment that needs annual services (lifejackets, life rafts) – we are a drop off point for Seasafe and Ocean Safety
• Wash and clean all blocks, jammers, furling gear, ropes, halyards with fresh water to remove salt deposits
• Drain down the freshwater system
• Top up fuel tank
• Set up heaters and dehumidifiers
• Put batteries on charge
• Lift mattresses, cushions, and any soft furnishings to allow air flow (prevents damp and mould)
• Empty holding tanks and flush through with fresh water / tank cleaner

While Ashore –

• Service engine and winterise
• Service gearbox / sail drive
• Remove fenders, wash, and store below
• Plug into shore supply to ensure heaters and dehumidifiers are running

Before launching –

• Check condition of antifoul – does it need a fresh coat before launch?
• Hull Polishing – to remove minor marks / scratches
• Replace anodes as required
• Recommission engine (or to be done just after launching)
• Check skin fittings – especially if any maintenance has been carried out on them (our hoist operators will check for leaks when launching a vessel, but it’s a good idea to keep an eye out)