Winterizing your boat means properly preparing for the coming season. Don't forget that a regularly maintained boat is a boat that will last a long time and will take you far and wide. So, let's get on with it !

The TEMO team offers you a step-by-step guide in 8 stages to cover everything. With, of course, on how to correctly winterise your TEMO electric oar. 

1. Winterizing and servicing your boat’s main engine

LThe engine should preferably be serviced at the end of the season. Shut down for the winter, in optimal conditions, this will improve its life expectancy. This is also the occasion to carry out its annual overhaul. You can entrust this to a professional or undertake it yourself: you’ll need to consult the maintenance manual.

Tip : Always start by taking care of winterizing the engine first. Cleaning the hull is the last step.

2. Emptying the boat

In order to preserve your equipment and help ventilate the boat through the winter months, all moveable equipment should be rinsed with fresh water and stored in a dry place.

• Leisure equipment

• Electronic equipment : Handheld VHF, GPS, etc. When taking these off the boat, remove the batteries, rinse/dry the outside of waterproof equipment.

• Batteries: Batteries are best maintained at 80% of their charge. At 100% over an extended period of time, they may become damaged. For overwintering afloat, the battery supplying the bilge pump must remain on board. All batteries must be recharged once every three months or connected to a wind turbine or solar panel to compensate for natural discharge.

• Bedding: machine wash or dry clean duvets and pillows. Store mattresses on their side. 

• Food supplies

• Sails, including the genoa unfurled from its furler. Also, undo the sheets and furling or other lines. Retract the halyards as far as possible at the masthead by fitting them with a messenger line.

Tip : Take a photo of the rigging before undoing everything, this will help you to quickly prepare for your first outing in the spring.

3. Checking the equipment

Once all the equipment has been removed from the boat, take the opportunity to check its condition and replace it if necessary. This includes equipment that is date-expired:

- Clean using a sponge, ideally with ecologically friendly cleaning products, and dry the inside of furniture and lockers.

- Leave doors, lockers and cupboards open, and mattresses raised: air must circulate freely and everywhere.

- For the heads, after careful cleaning, pour WC maintenance oil into the emptying pump to prevent the
joints from sticking, then close any valves.

- Clean, rinse and empty the black and fresh water tanks.

5. Clean and check the deck

- Service, rinse and grease the windlass and winches.

- Check all stainless-steel parts. If necessary, remove rust and rinse ;

- Scrub the deck with a brush and water.

Tip : Start rinsing from the highest point of the boat - and the anchor locker - to the lowest point. This way, as the water drains, it will naturally rinse the cockpit floor.

6. Clean and check the hull

For cleaning the hull, a brush, water and elbow grease are the most effective and environmentally friendly remedies. You should take advantage when doing this to check the condition of the propeller shaft, rudder, sounder, etc…

Did you know ? Up to 20% of engine power can be lost due to a dirty hull !

7. Protecting the boat

Winterizing afloat

- Close all portholes, doors or deck hatches and through-hull seacocks ;

- Remove any bung(s) from the cockpit drain(s) and store in a safe place ;

- Check that the bilge pump is working correctly.

- Double-up the mooring lines. Those in contact with the hull can be protected with a length of old hosepipe. Check the correct arrangement of the fenders.

Winterizing ashore

Less worry over mooring lines and bilge pump functioning. The best option? Store your boat in a shed, sheltered from the sun and rain.

Tip: Whether ashore or afloat, a well-arranged winter storage cover will be worthwhile. Raise it up in the middle and stretch it out at the sides with weights such as sandbags etc, attached to the eyelets.

8. Focus: winterizing your TEMO electric oar

Your TEMO is not only light, quiet, powerful and beautiful, it is also easy to winterize because the mechanical parts have been reduced to the strictest minimum. So to winterise your TEMO : 

• Recharge it thoroughly ;

• Run it for 10 minutes in fresh water. This will rinse the motor block and bring the battery to its ideal charge level.

• Remember to rinse the rest of the TEMO with running water. Especially the telescopic point, the inside of the gills on the blue tube and the handle.

• Dry it as much as possible.

• Spray the charging socket with a contact cleaner  such as WD 40 ; 

• Apply the same spray also through the holes in the blue tube to dry and clean the motor connector without opening it.

• Store your TEMO in its cover, in a dry place, away from UV light and rain;

• Every two months, charge it for 1 hour pour le remettre à son niveau de charge idéal.

​ ​ ainsi qu'une ​

And like this, your TEMO will be able accompany you throughout the years without ageing prematurely!

It's not goodbye forever… Winterizing a boat is in fact the best way to preserve your equipment and your wallet. By making these few gestures part of your annual routine, you can protect yourself from breakdowns and premature damage to your equipment. In short, good winterizing is a guaranteed recipe for a great season that you’ll enjoy from the very first beautiful days!

What are your tips for successful winterizing?