Winterize your boat in Erie, Pennsylvania
Keep your boat safe from November to April.
Winterizing your boat is essential for a cold climate like Pennsylvania. According to Boat U.S., if you leave freshwater in your boat over winter, it can expand in volume by 9% when it freezes. It will then push outward “with a force of tens of thousands of pounds per square inch,” with potential to “crack an engine block, damage fiberglass, split hoses, or destroy a refrigeration system overnight.” Repairing this level of damage could require a complete engine replacement, or worse, says the celebrated boating organization.
It’s not just leftover water that you have to worry about. Winterizing your boat includes:
— Winterize the boat motor. Get any extra water out, perform any needed oil changes (or oil filter changes), and more.
— Getting all water out of the rest of your boat, including the bilge pump, any plumbing systems onboard, and more.
— Running marine antifreeze through various parts of your boat.
— Adding a fuel stabilizer to your fuel, while then running the engine and circulating the stabilizer safely.
— If leaving in the water, protecting from any leaks. If storing, we provide storage and shrink wrapping!
— Much more.
Storing your boat in Erie, Pennsylvania
We offer outdoor boat storage and boat shrink wrapping right at our Whaling Marine location (6797 W. Lake Rd., Fairview, PA 16415). First come, first serve. Limited space available.
Shrink wrapping services
Protect your investment and let Whaling Marine shrink wrap your boat for the Northwest Pennsylvania winter season. Shrink wrapping can help keep water off the boat (it doesn’t pool as often as with cheap tarps), and keeps heavy snow from weighing on your boat for multiple months. The correct choice in boat shrink wrap material can also help protect against UV rays, damaging winds and any animals that might want to hide in your vessel.
Whaling Marine offers shrink wrapping on-site. We check stored boats periodically through the winter, providing additional peace of mind to customers. We have security cameras on site. Pair boat storage with our winterization services.
De-winterize your boat in Erie, Pennsylvania
Prep your boat for spring launch! Let Whaling Marine handle all the little details. How do we de-winterize a boat?
— Check the engine, engine fluids, and perform an oil change to make sure your engine is running smoothly.
— Check all electrical systems. We’ll test your marine battery, charge it if needed, and check your navigation system for any issues.
— Refill your boat’s cooling system. Check your boat’s cooling system for any issues.
— We’ll inspect the following areas: the exterior of your boat, the bilge pump, your propeller, cables/hoses, and more. Let us know if you had any issues during the prior season.
— Remember, timing is everything. If you de-winterize your boat too early, you could encounter a surprise freeze (again, that pesky Pennsylvania weather). We’ll talk timing with you.
