Winterising Your Boat – Preparing for the Cold Months Ahead

As the sailing season draws to a close across the Northern Hemisphere, many boat owners are thinking about lift-out and winterising their boats. A little preparation now can save a lot of time, effort and expense when spring returns.  Jimmy Green Marine has put together some practical pointers and a simple checklist to help make your winter preparations smooth and effective.

1. Check Your Rigging

Give your standing rigging a close inspection. Look for frayed wires, loose or damaged fittings and missing pins. Insurance companies typically recommend replacing standing rigging every 10–15 years, so if you’re due, now’s the time to plan ahead.

If you’re considering a re-rig:

• Tape up turnbuckles before lowering the mast to protect threads and prevent dirt ingress
• Measure and photograph your rig prior to removal, or…
• Box up the parts you want replaced and send them to us — we can supply a like-for-like replacement from your existing set-up.

When the mast is down, support it properly on trestles to maintain its natural curve, rather than laying it flat on the ground.

2. Running Rigging and Ropes

Mouse all halyards before removing them, it’ll make re-rigging at the start of next season much easier.

Consider giving your ropes a gentle clean: coil them loosely, place them inside a pillowcase, and put them through a mild washing machine cycle. Hang them to dry naturally on the line.  Once clean and dry, store them in a dry, well-ventilated place for the winter.

If any lines show signs of fraying or stiffness, take note now and plan to replace them before launch. We can supply custom built running rigging complete with professional splicing to your exact specifications.

3. Chain, Anchors and Deck Hardware

Check your chain thoroughly for wear and deformation. Wash it with fresh water and flake it out in the sun to dry completely before storing. Make sure your anchor locker is also clean and dry, and fit or refresh your chain markers at the same time.

While you’re at it, hose off the deck and all fittings with fresh water to remove salt deposits – this helps prevent corrosion on metal parts and keeps blocks and shackles moving freely.

4. Safety Equipment

Remove safety items such as jackstays and OSCAR Man Overboard Recovery Slings and store them indoors, away from UV exposure. Check jackstays carefully. If they’re several seasons old or showing fraying, consider replacing them.

Inspect lifejackets too:

• Ensure the automatic salt tablet is within date.
• Check that the CO₂ canister is rust-free and securely fitted.

It’s also a good time to replace any expired flares and service fire extinguishers.

5. Winches and Deck Gear

Servicing your winches over the winter is time well spent. Many manufacturers recommend annual maintenance and with the boat on solid ground, it’s an easy DIY task. Clean, grease and reassemble so they’re ready to run smoothly next spring.

6. Below Deck

Moisture control is key. An energy-efficient dehumidifier can make a huge difference in keeping the interior dry and fresh over the winter months. If you don’t have power available, moisture traps are a good alternative.

Encourage airflow wherever possible and wipe vinyl surfaces with white vinegar to prevent mould. Remove soft furnishings, bedding and sails for storage at home, where they’ll stay dry and ventilated.

7. General Maintenance

Winter is the perfect time to carry out those jobs you never get to during the sailing season – from polishing metalwork to replacing worn ropes, upgrading blocks or fittings and checking shackles and thimbles.

If you’re planning rigging replacements or rope upgrades, or if you need new chain and anchor gear, Jimmy Green Marine can help with bespoke solutions, professional splicing and trusted marine hardware – ready in time for launch.

Winterising Checklist

• Inspect standing rigging for wear and missing pins
• Tape up turnbuckles before mast removal
• Mouse halyards for easy re-rigging next season
• Wash and dry ropes; replace damaged ones
• Check and clean chain and anchor locker
• Flush deck fittings and blocks with fresh water
• Remove and inspect safety equipment (jackstays, lifejackets, flares)
• Store mast on trestles to maintain curvature
• Service winches and deck hardware
• Manage moisture with dehumidifier or traps
• Ventilate and wipe interior surfaces
• Replace or upgrade worn rigging and ropes
• Clean and protect metal fittings

Final Thought:

Winterising is about prevention – keeping your boat clean, dry and structurally sound through the cold months. A little attention to detail now will reward you with a quicker, easier launch when the season starts again.

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Jimmy Green Marine is a globally renowned, family-run business founded in 1981, specialising in bespoke rope, wire, webbing and chain solutions.

JimmyGreen.com offers a unique Online Custom Build System, empowering customers to order first-class spliced, terminated, finished and ready-to-fit running rigging, standing rigging, anchoring systems and mooring solutions.

The Jimmy Green Rigging and Sewing Team can offer speedy turnaround times with state-of-the-art WireTeknikRoller Swaging, Cabco Talurit Wire Pressing and UltraSew Automatic Profile Stitching.

Team Jimmy Green is an umbrella for the committed crew that makes up the Splicing, Rigging, Sewing, Sales and Despatch Teams, bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to delivering an outstanding service worldwide.

Their Bespoke Custom Build Solutions are produced from leading Global brands: LIROS and Marlow Ropes, KOS, hamma and Petersen Stainless Steel Wirem and cromox, Hackett, Lofrans, MF and Titan Chain.

Their focus is on select manufacturers to deliver absolute assurance, including a complementary range of supportive deck hardware from Lewmar, Harken, Selden, Barton, to name  just a few.

Visit JimmyGreen.com to learn more about their products and services.

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 Related Links:

• About Jimmy Green Marine
• Custom Splicing, Rigging and Sewing Service
• Worldwide Shipping

Other Articles for Noonsite by Jimmy Green Marine:

• See the Jimmy Green Marine Business Listing on Noonsite

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