sorry to hear about your plight! i had copied and pasted these from Suite 101 for winterizing a boat. hope this helps!Here are some actions should be taken during boat winterizing: Wash and wax the boat hull right after it’s taken from the water. It will be easier to clean up for use next season. Clean interior carpets and floors. Remove cushions, lifejackets and other items that could mildew Have the engine serviced and prepared for winter storage Ensure that bilge spaces are clean and free of oil. It is a good idea to leave an oil adsorbent sock in the bilge bottom Drain, or winterize fresh water lines and fixtures with propylene glycol antifreeze. It is the pink nontoxic antifreeze commonly available at recreational vehicle supply stores. The green antifreeze, ethylene glycol, which is used in cars is highly toxic and hard to remove from fresh water systems. Dont use ethylene glycol to winterize a boats fresh water system With the advent of alcohol blended fuels, opinions now vary on the advantages of keeping fuel tanks full for the winter. Talk to the local boatyard operator or mechanic for recommendations Remove lead-acid storage batteries and store them fully charged in well ventilated, warm location. A heated garage would be a good choice Batteries should rest on a non-conductive surface that is up off the floor. Scraps of 2″x 6″ lumber resting on a couple of concrete blocks will work well for this purpose. Depending on the battery manufacturers maintenance recommendations, it might be good to consider charging batteries at periodic intervals during winter storage Check with boatyard management on the electrical safety requirements for using installed or portable heaters and air dryers on the boat while it is in storage Consider the use of a “shrink wrap” covering system or tarps to keep rain and snow out of the vessel. Ensure there is good ventilation under the covers to reduce corrosion or fungal damage to the boat Common Winterizing Errors The BoatU.S. organization published a list of common winterizing errors committed by boater every year. Among the top three were failure to winterize the engine, drain water from sea strainers, and close seacocks. Boats sink regularly in winter conditions if scuppers become blocked or excessive snow is allowed to build up. Boaters that store vessels in the water for winter need to take extra care to inspect their craft on a regular basis.Read more at Suite101: Winter Boat Preparation for Storage: Actions to Take After Being Hauled Out http://boatingsailing.sui…or_storage#ixzz0ysfMSZoehttp://www.vrbo.com/297770
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