Offseason boat projects can be just the cure for the northern winter blues. The phrase “Stupid Winter. I Miss My Boat” that adorns awesome sweatshirts from Salty Crab Co. out of St. George, Utah pretty much sums it up. So, we decided to reach out to a number of our customers up north to see how they pass the time during the long winter months. We found out that many dive headlong into projects that are tough to find or make time to do when they want to be outdoors enjoying themselves. Of course, many of
these offseason boat projects make the time they do have on their boat a lot more enjoyable, reduces the worry of mechanical problems and 
increases their boat's longevity. So, without further delay, the following are the top eight offseason boat projects for northern boaters.
#1 - Repair, Rebuild or Replace
Ok, this is a big catch-all category because we received a number of different responses of very worthy projects in this category.
Replace Old Hoses and Hose Clamps
Hoses and hose clamps are not the most glamorous parts of boating and you may not even think much about them until...one fails. A few guys mentioned that they spent a couple of hours doing a thorough inspection of all of their hoses and their related clamps. Of course, any hoses that are cracked, kinked, punctured or frayed should be replaced. Ideas of areas to check include: fuel supply and return lines, freshwater systems, heads and holding tanks, drains and overboard discharges, raw-water supply lines for generators and engines, washdown pumps, and hydraulic steering system hoses. While checking your hoses, check your hose clamps to make sure they are intact and not rusted. Missing, rusted, or otherwise compromised hose clamps need to be replaced.
Replace Boat Hatch Gaskets
This is somewhat self-explanatory for boaters who have hatches that let in light, air or access to a small, tucked away areas of your boat. Overtime, these gaskets become dry, loose, cracked, etc. and will leak. They occasionally need to be replaced.
Repair or Replace Broken Navigation Lights
Avoid both accidents and U.S. Coast Guard citations by making sure that your navigation lights are all working. The most common failure is simply a burnt out bulb. However, sometimes lenses become cracked or clouded from the salt and/or sun. Or, lenses can sometimes meet an untimely demises do a collision with a dock or piling. Yet another problem point can be the bulb base (where the wire connect and the light bulb snaps or screws in). The bulb base can become corroded and stop working over time. If you can effectively replace the failed component, that’s great. Otherwise, you will need to replace the navigation light itself. 
Rebuild Your Small Outboard’s Carburetor
Unless you very faithfully use fuel additives, thanks to the ethanol in gasoline, you will need to rebuild your carburetor from time to time. Actually, we wrote an article about this a while ago that might be an interesting resource - “Ethanol Gasoline - Why It Is a Problem.”
Repair Small Gel Coat Scratches and Chips
More significant gel coat repairs are more involved, but a clever product from Evercoat makes repairing small scratches or chips a breeze.
This Gelcoat Repair Kit makes easy, permanent, color-matched repairs on hairline cracks, small scratches and chips in gel coat without sanding or using catalyst. Color mistakes can be removed with mineral spirits.
#2 - Instrumentation Upgrade
If your gauges are more than 10 years old, you might want to consider replacing them as one of this year's offseason boat projects. If you replace the
gauges yourself, here are a couple of quick tips. First, take a picture of the dash before you begin the work to make sure you know the position of each gauge. Secondly, as you remove each wire, attach a piece of masking tape and mark each wire with a marker to make reinstalling the gauges a lot easier.
#3 - Bilge Makeover
Generally, a thorough scrubbing and rinse is enough, but sometimes a more comprehensive makeover is in order. If a larger makeover is needed, you will need to not only
clean, but also remove any bilge pumps or pickups, wiring, hoses, etc. before sanding and prepping for the appropriate bilge paint. If you do not have a work area that is sufficiently heated, you may have to wait until warmer weather to apply the paint. Once you’re done, assess whether your old bilge pump is worth reinstalling. If your bilge pump is old, potentially corroded, etc., now is a good time to replace it. Back to cleaning the bilge for just one moment. Although this project is kind of a pain and can be a bit smelly, there are a number of biodegradable bilge cleaners on the market to make the job a lot easier.
#4 - Prop Tune-Up or Replacement
Props can easily become out of balance or collect small dings in them. This wear and tear will most definitely impact your ride. Most boaters will need to rely on their local marine mechanic for a prop tune-up/repair. However, upgrading your prop is an excellent consideration if you are looking for a performance upgrade and if you’re handy, this a fairly straightforward DIY project.
#5 - Check Your Battery(s) and Remove Corrosion
Have your batteries tested to make sure they are still able to hold a solid charge. If you discover that you need a new battery, now is the time. Also, remove and corrosion on the battery terminals and products like Yamashield Rust & Corrosion Protectant and Mercury’s Quicksilver Corrosion Guard are very to help prevent corrosion in the future.
#6 - Marine Audio Upgrade
Winter is the perfect time upgrade your boat’s audio system. Add new amps, subwoofers, in-boat speakers and tower speakers. Of course, make sure you install marine audio equipment as these products are designed to withstand the elements.
#7 - Light It Up
Your navigation and safety lighting is a must. But, once that is taken care of, maybe consider a little flare. Marine lights can basically be added to anything - speakers, towers, around the cabin, underwater - you name it.
#8 - Upholstery & Carpet
Last, but not least, maybe you need to repair some smaller tears or maybe some of your interior needs to be replaced. Also, what a great time to thoroughly clean and protect your seating and overall interior. The winter months are also a really good time to clean or replace your carpeting - maybe even consider upgrading your carpet to new non-skid flooring. 
We know that most of you in colder climates are longing for the summer. But, hopefully some of these project ideas will help keep you busy and be even more prepared to enjoy your boat as soon as possible.
1 comment
My dad gave me his old boat when I told him I was moving to a coastal town soon, so I need help customizing it with upgrades soon. I appreciate your advice when you told us to consider replacing the gauges of our boat if they’re more than a decade old to give the boat a simple instrumentation upgrade. I’ll take note of this suggestion while I look for services to hire for marine customization soon.