Is It Necessary to Winterize Your Yacht in Florida?

Is It Necessary to Winterize Your Yacht in Florida?

Heading out on the water with your very own boat is an incredible experience. If you own a yacht in Florida, you probably enjoy boating primarily during the spring and summer. Even though the weather in Florida doesn’t typically get very cold in the winter, you still have to contend with rainy and stormy conditions that can make boating less than enjoyable.

Many boaters choose to store their yachts during the winter months and wait until the weather clears up to begin using them again. Unfortunately, some boat owners don’t realize that they need to take some extra steps to ensure that their yachts can weather the Florida winters. There are important steps that you should take to prepare your yacht, even if temperatures in your region never dip below freezing.

Winter boat damage

In northern parts of the country, boaters often take drastic measures to prepare for the winter. Freezing temperatures cause a whole host of problems, one of the most significant being the expansion of water while freezing into ice. Fortunately, Florida yacht owners don’t have much to worry about when it comes to freezing temperatures.

Still, there are other yacht services in Fort Lauderdale, FL that are necessary before the winter begins. Any time your boat is going to be unused for long periods of time, you need to fog your engine to prevent corrosion. In Florida, where heat and humidity are the norm, the process of corrosion can become accelerated. It’s typically recommended that you fog your engine if you will not be using your boat for a period of six weeks or more. If you plan on using your boat more frequently than that and you opt to skip engine fogging, you should make sure to minimize the risk of corrosion by starting up your boat on a regular basis during the offseason.

Also, when ethanol fuel is left untouched for months at a time, there is a chance that the ethanol will sink and separate from the rest of the fuel. If this happens, it can lead to engine failure the next time you try to start up your boat. You can avoid this by fueling your yacht with a non-ethanol fuel that isn’t susceptible to separation.

Find outstanding yacht services in Fort Lauderdale, FL

It has been decades since snow fell for the first documented time in South Florida, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to think about winterization for your yacht. In order to be sure that your boat is ready for the cooler, stormier weather, it’s important that you take preventative maintenance and routine service steps. Regardless of what specific yacht services in Fort Lauderdale, FL you might need help with, the team at Starboard Yacht Group LLC is here to assist you. You can find a full list of our services along with reviews from our customers and more information about yacht ownership and maintenance on our website. Give us a call to speak with one of our team members about how we can help you!