Winterizing a boat you host guests on

Whatever you choose, put it in the listing description before you take bookings. A guest arriving to a dry water system in December is a refund, not a review.

• Drain the tank, then run the pump dry briefly to clear lines.
• Bypass and drain the water heater — it holds the largest trapped volume aboard.
• Pump non-toxic potable antifreeze through every tap, hot and cold, plus the shower, galley and any transom shower, until it runs pink.
• Open low-point drains and leave faucets cracked open.
• Drain and dry the shower sump and its pump.

• Pump out fully, then rinse the tank and pump out again. A guest season leaves more in there than your own use does.
• Draw antifreeze through the intake and discharge sides of the head pump until it appears in the bowl and hose run.
• Close and drain the raw-water intake seacock and strainer.
• Leave the bowl with antifreeze in it and the lid closed to slow odor.

• Change oil and filter warm — used oil left over winter is acidic.
• Run antifreeze through the raw-water circuit until it discharges at the exhaust; drain any block or manifold petcocks per the engine manual.
• Fill the fuel tank to limit condensation and add a stabilizer; replace fuel filters and drain water separators.
• Inspect the impeller; many owners replace it in spring.
• Grease the stuffing box or check the dripless seal per its manufacturer.

• If you host through winter, shore power and a thermostatically controlled heater are what protect the boat between guests — not the guests themselves.
• Inspect the cord and inlet for heat damage; a scorched inlet is the most common winter dock hazard.
• Keep batteries charged and topped up, or remove and store them somewhere above freezing if the boat is closed.
• Verify bilge pump and float switch operation before you stop visiting weekly.

• Remove and dry-store cushions, linens and life jackets, or lift and air them so nothing sits flat on a cold surface.
• Clean and dry the enclosure before storing; zippers and clear vinyl fail fastest when folded damp and cold.
• Ventilate. Sealed boats grow mold — use vents, dehumidifier or moisture absorbers.
• Empty the fridge and galley lockers of anything a guest left, and prop the fridge door open.
• Check dock lines, chafe gear and fenders for winter storm loading.

• Block the calendar for any period the boat is fully winterized.
• If you host cold, say which systems work: heat, hot water, head, shower.
• Note dock and gate conditions — ice, ramp angle at low tide, snow clearing.
• Reopen spring dates early; shoulder-season weeknights are the easiest income you have.