Posted on November 14, 2024

How to Winterize a Pontoon Boat: Protect Boat & Lift This Season

Written by HydroHoist Marketing

How to Winterize a Pontoon Boat and Lift: A Comprehensive Guide

With winter just around the corner, many pontoon boat owners are marking their calendars to schedule off-season maintenance. Preparing your boat and lift for the challenges of the colder months helps ensure they remain in optimal condition and ready for use when spring arrives. 

Why Winterizing Your Pontoon Boat Is Critical for Protection  

Winter brings unique challenges for both pontoons and boat lifts. Lower temperatures, fluctuating weather conditions, snow, and ice all lead to increased moisture, which can infiltrate the boat’s engine, water, and electrical systems. This added moisture can cause corrosion, rusting essential components, and potentially damaging critical electrical parts. Worse, freezing conditions can lead to engine, pipes, and hoses cracking, leading to costly and time-consuming repairs in the spring. 

Even the best pontoon boat lifts aren’t immune to winter’s harsh conditions. Seasonal weather shifts and prolonged inactivity can make lift components susceptible to rust and corrosion. Ice buildup can cause strain on cables, pulleys, and structural parts, leading to wear and potential failure. To avoid headaches in the spring, thoroughly winterizing your boat and lift is a must.

Step-by-Step Guide to Winterizing a Pontoon Boat  

Before starting, always consult the owner’s manual for specific winterization instructions, as each pontoon model may have unique requirements. If you’re not confident performing the steps yourself, we recommend seeking professional assistance to ensure everything is done properly to protect your boat fully. 

With that said, here’s a general breakdown to guide you:

• Clean and Dry the Boat Thoroughly: With the boat out of the water, remove all dirt, grime, and marine growth from the toons and side panels using a pressure washer or soapy water and a soft brush. Check the motor and propeller and clear them of all debris. Proceed to the interior, removing all accessories, gear, and equipment, as these can trap moisture and cause mildew growth. Clean the seats and storage compartments, removing bugs, leaves, and other debris.
• Change the Oil and Filter: As the experts from Barletta Boats point out, the offseason presents an excellent opportunity to perform annual maintenance, such as changing the engine oil and filter, gear lube, and greasing the propshaft (Lizzi, 2022). Changing the engine oil is particularly important, as old oil accumulates moisture and contaminants that can harm your engine. 
• Drain and Water Systems: Drain the water from the bilge, live well, and other water systems to prevent freezing damage. Disconnect hoses where applicable to allow any trapped water to escape. In colder climates, adding antifreeze to plumbing lines and the engine block helps protect against freezing damage. 
• Winterize the Engine: The steps may vary depending on your engine, so always check the manufacturer's recommendations and guidelines. For example, carbureted motors typically need fogging oil to protect internal components from moisture and rust. Meanwhile, fuel-injected engines need fuel stabilizers to keep the fuel from degrading and clogging the system over winter. If you're not confident about winterizing the engine, leave the job to the professionals to prevent potential damage.
• Disconnect the Battery: Remove the boat’s battery, store it in a warm, dry location, and connect it to a battery tender to keep it charged while in storage. According to legendary angler Kevin VanDam, if you’re storing the boat outside over the winter, it’s best to take the battery out, even if you have a built-in charging system (VanDam, 2023).  

We recommend shrink-wrapping your pontoon for outdoor storage to protect it from winter’s increased moisture. Alternatively, use a weatherproof cover specifically designed for winter that snugly fits your boat’s dimensions.

How to Winterize Your Pontoon Boat Lift for Maximum Protection  

Like the vessel it supports, your pontoon lift also needs seasonal care to keep it in optimal shape. Here’s a quick boat lift maintenance checklist to help guide you:

• Inspect Thoroughly: Start with the dock brackets and arm pivot bolts, ensuring they’re tightened and securely attached. Look for signs of wear on the cables, bolts, and moving parts. Whether you plan on storing the pontoon on the lift or offsite, addressing any issues promptly bodes well for the reliability and longevity of your lift. 
• Lubricate Moving Parts: Lubricate pulleys, gears, hinges, and other moving parts to prevent them from freezing over winter. Check all grease points and bearings, and apply grease as needed to maintain smooth operation.
• Use De-icers: In regions that commonly experience below-freezing temperatures and ice formation, we recommend removing the floating pontoon boat lift from the water. Ice can force the boat lift and the dock out of position, potentially causing structural damage. However, if removing the lift isn’t possible, you can install de-icers around it. These devices keep water circulating to reduce ice formation.  

For motorized lifts, disconnect the motor and consider removing it for indoor storage or covering it securely to shield it from winter weather. For more information and boat lift maintenance tips, contact your dealer. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Winterizing Your Pontoon Boat  

With all the tasks involved with preparing your boat and lift for the offseason, it’s easy to overlook the following:

• Not Drying Compartments: Moisture left inside storage compartments or under seats can lead to mold and mildew. Make sure all interior areas are clean and dry. We recommend putting mildew bags under the seats and other compartments that tend to get damp.
• Using the Wrong Covers: Many boat owners make the mistake of using generic covers that aren’t designed to withstand winter conditions. Similarly, a cover not tailored to your pontoon’s dimensions will flap in the wind and rub against the boat. This can result in swirl marks, scratches, and unwanted moisture buildup.

We recommend a professional winterization service if it’s your first winter with your pontoon. Not only will this ensure your boat is fully protected, but it also gives you a firsthand look at the process, making it easier to do it yourself in the future.

Choose HydroHoist Pontoon Boat Lifts for Superior Winter Protection  

Since introducing the first hydro-pneumatic boat lift in 1964, HydroHoist has established itself as the premier manufacturer of reliable and easy-to-own docking solutions. Our boat lifts feature marine-grade aluminum frames and rugged rotomolded polyethylene tanks, capable of supporting vessels ranging from 4,400 to 25,000 lbs and withstanding challenging marine environments. 

They also come with a standard control package that provides the fastest launch time in the industry by simply flipping a switch and turning the handle. Convenient boating experiences and superior protection–that’s what you get with a HydroHoist pontoon boat lift. Contact us today to learn more.  

References:

• Barletta Boats (Ashley Lizzi, January 17, 2022). How to Winterize a Pontoon Boat (6 Easy Steps). Retrieved from https://www.barlettapontoonboats.com/blog/how-to-winterize-a-pontoon-boat-6-easy-steps 
• Kevin VanDam YouTube Channel (2023). How to winterize your pontoon or fishing boat - with KVD. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/mqZnpiJk2_4?si=Y4AIp2-iwRp1MBB2 

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