Simple Guidelines on Storing Your Pontoon Boat
The pontoon boat is an ideal vessel for diverse recreational water activities, including fishing, general water sports and pleasure cruising. This type of boat is favourable because it can support relatively heavy weights with ease. In addition, pontoons are fabricated using materials such as nylon, PVC and metal frames, so the structure is not susceptible to easy damage. Unfortunately, a pontoon boat is not completely infallible. The vessel is particularly vulnerable when it is in storage because the problems can fester unchecked over a long period. Here are simple tips on safely storing your pontoon boat.
Treat the Surfaces
The boat can be vulnerable to damage if certain materials are left on or in the vessel over a long period of time. Therefore, you should clean the exterior and interior parts of the boat before storing it. Food debris will encourage infestation by rats, mice and other pests and rodents. Moreover, moist materials will encourage the growth and establishment of mildew and mould in the boat. After cleaning, apply fungal protection on the boat surfaces to discourage these unfavourable growths. In addition, place some repellent against insect and rodents strategically around the vessel.
Prevent Moisture Damage
You should never store the pontoon boat when there is moisture on the surfaces. In addition, you should take practical steps to prevent the build-up and subsequent accumulation of moisture. It is important to remove extra accessories, fishing gear and other equipment that you keep in the boat for your activities. These provide nooks for dampness to grow over time. You should purchase a protective cover for the boat to shield the vessel from the harsh climatic elements. The boat accessories supplier should be able to recommend a quality product that will lock out water vapour from the pontoon surfaces.
Protect Motor Components
You should protect the powering elements of the pontoon vessel to prevent damage due to lack of use. It is critical to apply special fogging oil on the carburettor module and even sparkplug holes. This will prevent corrosion of the engine module and keep it lubricated. You should also fill the tank with fuel to prevent rusting by limiting contact of the surfaces with moisture and air. Remove the battery and charge the component. It is advisable to store it in a secondary cool place to prevent damage in the potentially harsh boat storage space. Additionally, drain the coolant fluid because it can freeze in cold conditions, and then replace it with glycol antifreeze. Finally, if your local region is prone to freezing, you should dry-dock the pontoon to prevent ice damage.
If you take all the proper precautions and your pontoon still gets damaged, contact a company like Coastal Pontoon & Jetty Repairs to fix it up for you.
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