It feels like the calm before the storm, as mild ‘grey’ weather precedes what winter has in store. Now is the time to get ahead with preparations to keep your boat safe for the winter.
. Whether your boat is in the marina or on a mooring, remove anything from on deck to reduce windage.
. Take down all dodgers, biminis, boom-tents, MOB gear, spinnaker or whisker poles and store your outboard, tender or life raft below deck or take it home.
. Stow the mainsail and headsail and if you must leave furled genoas bent on, don’t rely solely on the furling line to keep sails furled. A snapped furling line will result in a shredded genoa.
. If spray hoods, cockpit enclosers or covers need to remain in place, ensure they are properly secured and consider frapping them, with extra ropes over the top of the canvas.
. Carry out wear and tear checks on ropes and ensure fenders are fully inflated.
. Use twice as many mooring lines as normal to fully secure your boat through winter storms.
. Check fairleads and cleats to eliminate sharp edges, as it’s amazing how quickly a rope can be destroyed by a sharp edge. Protect your lines against rubbing by using old rags, sticky sail repair patches or split pipe.
. Check all scuppers and cockpit drains aren’t blocked by leaves and debris.
. Go below deck to close and lock all hatches, portholes and windows, so gale-powered rain doesn’t find a way in.
. Moor your boat facing into the prevailing wind, as most will suffer less risk of damage this way.
. Check your insurance covers winter mooring months and that third-party is sufficient to protect your investment, in case the worst happens.
Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour is in a sheltered location on the Solent and you can be reassured that our team is on hand to help, as well as walking the pontoons to help prevent damage.
We carry out regular checks and help with preparations when storms are forecast but it is always worth making more detailed checks yourselves, to give you peace of mind. You can help us by please regularly checking your boat and ensuring it is safely attached to its mooring.
Make the most of off-season by booking your slot to lift your boat out the water for winter maintenance. They’re filling up fast, so let us know the time you’d like from now until April 2025 and we’ll get you booked in. Don’t forget we give you 10% off boat lifts and launches, as well as 30 days of free storage at any time of the year if you’re a berth or mooring holder.
Winter berths and moorings are available with much-reduced rates from November 1 to February 28. Call our friendly harbour team on 01590 616200 or email harbour.office@beaulieu.co.uk to check the latest availability and book.
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