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If you are someone that stores your boat outside (with a boat cover) during the winter, you probably have noticed a large amount of snow piling up on the boat. You also are probably wondering if it is worth the time to go out and remove the snow off of the boat. In this article, we are going to talk about this exact thing!
So should you remove snow from your covered boat during the winter? You should always remove the snow off of your boat. This will allow you to easily access the interior of the boat when you need, however even more importantly, it will keep any structure on the inside of the boat from collapsing under the weight of the snow.
So let’s talk a little bit more about why you should keep removing snow off of your boat, and then we will talk about some ways to make that job easier!
1. Boat cover or structure won’t collapse
This is the most important reason to keep removing snow from your boat. If you don’t, the boat cover or structure on the inside of the boat can collapse under the weight of the snow.
This will not only cause damage to whatever structure you have, making next year’s water fun a bit less fun, but it will also mean you won’t have access to your boat until the spring thaw.
2. Easier access to your boat during the winter
Even if the boat cover or structure on your boat doesn’t collapse, having a pile of snow blocking the entrance can make it difficult to access your boat during the winter.
Removing the snow will give you an easier time to get inside and do any repairs or maintenance that may need to be done.
3. Less likely for water to find its way into the boat
As the snow on top of your boat melts and then freezes, it can cause a bit of damage to any boat covers that may be in place.
If you remove all the snow from your boat cover before this happens, there is less likely for water to find its way into the boat (and cause things like floor rot) during those colder months where everything seems to freeze.
So, as you can see, there are a few good reasons why you should take the time to remove snow from your boat during the winter. And, even better, we have some tips for you on how to make that job a little bit easier!
How can you make snow removal off of your boat easier?
Cover the boat completely with a tarp
If you have a boat cover, one of the easiest ways to remove snow from your boat is to simply cover it completely with a tarp like this one right here.
This will keep the snow from piling up as high, and it will be easy to take the tarp off when you are ready to use the boat again.
Tarps are incredibly slick, while boat covers are not. Once snow builds up on the tarp, you can easily push the snow off, and not have to worry about picking away at snow that is stuck on the fabric material that boat covers are made of.
Get a snow rake
Another way you can make removing snow from your boat a little bit easier is to get a snow rake like this one.
These are usually sold at places like home improvement stores, and they will allow you to easily push the snow off of boat covers or boat structures on the outside of your boat.
All it takes is one quick motion with the snow rake, and the snow is gone!
Park your boat somewhere easily accessible
If you are able to, try and park your boat somewhere that is easily accessible.
This will make it easier for you to get to the boat when it is time to remove the snow from it. You will be more likely to get up the energy to step out of your warm home to actually remove the snow from your boat.
Store the boat inside
Finally, next year you should probably just park your boat in your garage or pay to store it in indoor storage. This will keep the boat much safer, and you will have an easier time finding it once spring comes around.
So this is just a few ways that you can make removing snow from your boat during the winter months a little bit easier!
We hope this helps give you some ideas on how to get all of that snow off of boat before it becomes detrimental to your boat.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to leave boat outside in winter?
Leaving your boat outside during the winter is no problem, as long as you make sure to take all necessary steps for winterizing the boat, and making sure you account for snow and any wet weather conditions.
How do I prepare my boat for winter?
To prepare your boat for winter, you will want to winterize your boat, which means flushing the engine with antifreeze. You should also make sure to build up a structure to make sure snow or water is able to run off the sides, then cover it with a boat cover and a tarp.
At what temp should you winterize your boat?
You should be winterizing your boat around the time that temperatures are getting below freezing. If the water in your engine freezes, it expands and can damage internal components inside of your engine and possibly cause your engine to fail.
Conclusion
Keeping snow off of your boat is an important task during the winter! Not only can the snow cause damage to your boat, but it can also make accessing the boat difficult. The boat cover or boat structure can collapse under the weight of the snow, which will cause damage to whatever is in its path.
Removing all of this snow from your boat before it becomes a problem will make accessing the boat much easier when you need to get inside and do any maintenance that needs done.
