Off-season layup checklist: how to put a boat to bed so spring isn't a nightmare

How you store a boat over the off-season decides how much money and frustration you face come spring. Here's a practical layup checklist from the YachtBazar team — adjust for your climate, since a hard freeze and a mild winter ask for different things.

Start with the engine and fluids, because that's where neglect gets expensive.

• Change the oil and filter before storage — used oil holds acids and moisture that pit your engine all winter. • Fog the cylinders or follow your manual's winterizing steps, and stabilize the fuel; top off the tank to cut condensation. • Flush raw-water systems and run antifreeze through anything that can freeze — engine, head, water tanks, washdown. • Pull the batteries or put them on a maintenance charger, and disconnect to stop slow drains. • Pull the drain plug and leave bilges open so water drains out instead of pooling and freezing. • Wash, dry, and protect the canvas and upholstery; mildew loves a damp closed cabin. • Cover it so air still moves — a sealed wrap with no ventilation breeds mold. • Leave a few moisture absorbers below and crack a locker or two if it's enclosed.

Snap a photo of every valve or system you winterized. In spring you'll thank yourself for the reminder of what still needs reversing before launch.

What's the one step you forgot once and never skipped again?