Prepare the wintering of your semi-rigid boat

July 11, 2022 Orca Blog

Preparing your RIB for winter storage

What is wintering ?

Winterizing a boat - of any kind - consists of carrying out a series of maintenance operations on it before storing it for the winter, and thus protecting it properly against cold, frost, and other bad weather.

This is a vital routine in the life cycle of your boat, especially if you own a Zodiac-type craft. Indeed, semi-rigid boats are the most sensitive to winter.

Wintering must be done properly, and requires a certain investment of time and energy if you want to maintain your semi-rigid inflatable boat as well as possible, and guarantee that it will be back on the water and operating and performing well when you relaunch.

So, in this article, Orca Retail takes you through all the steps required to properly winterise your RIB.

1. Empty your boat

There are many good reasons why we as boat owners should empty our boats before wintering.

First of all, this allows you not to misplace anything or have anything stolen during the storage of your boat. So you may need some of this equipment when you're not out and about.

Secondly, this is the ideal opportunity to review the inventory of your equipment, and in particular to check its state of wear and therefore to plan replacements so as not to be caught short next season. Who knows, you may also find items you thought were lost!

Finally, evacuating your boat protects it and its equipment during the movements required to move your RIB into its shed or storage room.

Also take the opportunity to rinse and clean anything that can be, whether sporting equipment (masks, fins, snorkels, wakeboards, fishing rods), electronic (GPS, VHF), safety (life jackets, buoys, distress flares, fire extinguishers ...), or other.

2. Saddlery and battery maintenance

These are the parts that can suffer the most during winter, being sensitive to cold and damp. Remove them to store in a dry place.

Here, too, is an opportunity to pamper these parts of your boat, especially the upholstery, which you can clean and maintain with the appropriate products. As for the battery, this is your chance to recharge it !

If you can't disconnect your battery from your RIB boat, try to check it anyway and recharge it once a month. Batteries that are too discharged wear out more quickly.

3. Winterising the engine

If you can, remove your engine. But before you do, don't forget to carry out the maintenance steps: rinse with fresh water, change the oil and fuel.

Now turn your attention to your engine parts.

The propeller: remove it to check its condition and to grease the shaft.
The spark plugs: check that they don't need changing.
The baseplate drain: drain your gearbox every 100 hours of sailing.
The anodes: as with the spark plugs, inspect them and change them if necessary.
The fuel system: clean or change the engine system filter and drain the carburettor bowl.
The launcher rope: check that it is still solid.
Other parts and joints : to be greased.

4. Cleaning

Now you need to clean the whole of your semi-rigid boat. This starts with the fairing.

Boat careening involves cleaning the boat's hull and applying several coats of antifouling to avoid oxidation. Clean with a sponge and cleaning products before rinsing (preferably with a karcher). Once clean and dry, apply your coats of antifouling to the hull.

For the rest of your boat cleaning, see our dedicated article " How to maintain your RIB boat ". Here, too, we describe all the steps, products and equipment you need to look after all the parts of your RIB: hull, floats, deck and engine.

It's also during this stage that you can deflate and look at the condition of your floats. If you see wear and tear or want to change their appearance, consider our cut boat repair fabrics!

5. Storage

Your boat is now ready for the final stage, storage. Find a suitable location so that during the winter your boat is protected :

from UV rays
from cold
humidity
acidity of rainfall
various pollution

Prefer a closed and dry location (garage, warehouse) and cover your boat with its cover or a wintering tarpaulin.

Beware, it's important to let air circulate to avoid mould. This is particularly true if you have cupboards or storage space: it's advisable to leave them open.

Would you like to call in a professional to winterise your semi-rigid boat?

Consult on our website our page dedicated to our partner network of boat repairers, or our blog articles by department or region to find where to service your Zodiac near you.

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