Winterizing
A lot depends on how much storage space you have at home and the potential for vandalism at the boat yard. 1. None of the electronics need to come off the boat unless there is potential for theft/vandalism. (Remove any portable equipment like a TV, but not the wired-in stuff.) Remove the positive cable from the batteries to avoid having them get turned on by accident then something running them down. Consider removing the batteries and storing them in a cool place but only if you have the means to do so safely. (They are heavy.) The batteries, if fully charged, are freeze proof to very, very cold. But batteries will self discharge fairly rapidly if warm. So if you leave the batteries in the boat and we get one of those freak 70 degrees snaps in January, consider going down to the boat with a trickle charger and topping things off for a few hours. The only risk is say, 2 or 3 weeks of really warm and sunny weather (which under the cover makes the boat 100 degrees) so the batteries discharge a good bit, then followed by a 20 degrees below zero night to freeze the batteries. Consider bringing home the cushions (and any other fabric parts) if you have room to store them. Helps to avoid musty moldy problems with them. Otherwise flip them up (air both sides) and open compartments for ventilation. Bring home any loose gear (mostly to avoid theft) but leave a couple old lines in case something needs tied on one of your visits. You can use the winter to inspect your gear for wear, decide if the kids have outgrown their PFD, etc. Visit every couple weeks to keep an eye on things. Open the seacocks so any water leaks can drain. 2. Don't need a custom cover. Any big old tarp is fine. Tie it very loosely, or it may shrink and tear. Some people barely tie the tarp at all, but hang 1 gallon milk (or juice) jugs full of water from all the grommets. (Size the lines so the jugs don't swing in the wind and pound on the hull or knock out a jackstand.) This will provide a light but consistent tension as the cover and lines shrink and elongate. 3. Uh, why every other year? If there is any chance that the water around the boat can freeze, get it out of the water. Sure, they got bubblers and pumps, but they sometimes fail. Around here they charge a lot for using them, too. Wintering ashore will help dry out the gel coat and it will be longer before it blisters than a boat stored in the water all year, every year. A boat ashore won't sink if the bilge pump fails / battery dies / etc. Hauling lets you look at the damage you did when grounding, lets you assess wear on antifouling (avoiding a mid season haul out because you want to repaint), lets you check the zincs, prop, etc. If you are in a really high theft area, consider removing the prop. In some places they leave the masts stepped. Around here most people unstep the mast, lay it on top of the boat (face up or down, not sideways). This gives you a good chance to inspect the rigging and reduces windage during our nasty winter storms. Fold or remove spreaders. (Don't use them to support the tarp.) Don't kink the rigging. Support mast with 2x4s every 5 to 10 feet so it won't sag and warp. Some places will let you store the mast in a warehouse for cheap. Some places charge a lot of $ for that. Most people here leave it on the boat. Whatever suits you. Just don't leave the mast laying on the ground where the rigging could get stepped on / driven over. I'm sure there is more, but this is all I recall so far.
