So you’ve made it through another fabulous summer with your boating dock. However, as winter approaches, so does the inevitable sadness that comes with hunkering down your dock for the colder months.
If you wish to console yourself with the knowledge that your boating dock will be waiting and ready to go as soon as spring approaches, it is important to make sure your boating setup survives the winter. Put simply, the colder months can be brutal on any boating dock.
Colder water and icy temperatures can wreak havoc on the dock that you worked so hard to put together. With the approaching winter predicted to be one of the coldest in years, now is the time to prepare with some winter boat dock maintenance. Here are the five things you need to do.
1. Pack Up Your Accessories
The first boat dock maintenance you should be doing before winter is making sure the entire dock area is clear of accessories. This means removing furniture such as chairs and picnic tables, as well as fishing equipment and drinks holders.
Put them in your shed, barn, or storage unit for the winter months. If you leave them out, they probably will not be in a useable condition by the time the sun returns.
2. Install a De-Icer
One of the most important boat maintenance steps you can take this winter is to install a de-icer at your dock. A de-icer will operate throughout the winter, preventing the buildup of ice on the water around your dock.
When buying a dock de-icer, you get order it online and install it in minutes. Remember, some states such as New Hampshire and Minnesota legally require homeowners to put up a sign saying that a de-icer is in operation, to keep ice fishers and skaters safe.
3. Pre-Emptive Dock Maintenance
When it comes to winter boat care, there are many preventative dock maintenance tricks that will keep your dock in good shape. Much of what you can do may depend on the material that your dock is made out of (i.e. rust prevention versus wood preservation).
You should absolutely perform a deep clean and check that your dock is still watertight where it needs to be. Check for any structural problems that you will want to address before it gets too cold to do anything about it.
4. Get Dock Insurance
A central tenet of proper boat care is that insurance is king. You likely spent a lot of time and money getting your perfect dock up and running. The last thing you want is for one bad winter to sweep it all away.
Look into taking out comprehensive dock insurance that will keep you covered in the event of any severe weather. This will give you the peace of mind you deserve this winter.
5. Remove Your Boating Dock
If you have the option to do so, the most effective thing you can do is remove your boating dock from the water entirely. Removing your dock and placing it somewhere sheltered will take away all of the pressure of winter.
You won’t have to worry about ice expanding and destroying your dock, or frozen lake surfaces eating away at the support frame. If you can detach and store your dock somewhere safe then do so.
Life Hacks to Get You Through the Winter
Mastering these essential boating dock hacks will help ensure that your boating setup is ready to go as soon as the spring sun arrives. For more handy life hacks to make the winter of 2020 your easiest one yet, we have got you covered.
At our extensive How-To section, you will find life hacks covering everything from home maintenance to Christmas shopping, ensuring that the dark months ahead are an absolute breeze.
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