Before the Cold Settles In: Preparing Your Boat and RV for a Smithfield Winter

Parking a boat or RV for winter takes more preparation than finding an open space and leaving it there until spring. Water systems need attention before freezing conditions arrive, interiors should be cleaned and emptied, and batteries, tires, fluids, and exterior components should be checked before a long period of inactivity. At our Smithfield property, you can compare storage options in Smithfield for boats, RVs, trailers, and other vehicles once you've worked through the preparation itself.

Start With the Manufacturer's Winterizing Procedure

The correct winterization process depends on the vehicle. An RV with plumbing, holding tanks, and a water heater doesn't have the same requirements as a boat with an outboard motor, and boats with ballast systems introduce another set of components where water can remain.

Follow the winterization procedure in the owner's manual for your specific RV, boat, engine, and installed equipment. Our general RV and boat storage guide also recommends draining water systems when needed and following manufacturer instructions for tanks, plumbing, motors, and other components before colder weather.

Clean the Exterior Before Storage

Wash the boat or RV before parking it. Road grime, dirt, plant material, lake residue, and other debris are easier to deal with now than after the vehicle has been sitting for months. Cleaning also gives you a chance to inspect the exterior before putting the vehicle away.

For boats, Utah's aquatic invasive species rules add another reason to pay attention to cleaning and drainage. Utah State Parks instructs boaters to clean plants, fish, mussels, and mud from their boats and drain water from places such as ballast tanks, bilges, live wells, and motors as part of the state's Clean, Drain and Dry approach.

Remove Food and Clean the Interior

Food, trash, and other materials that can attract pests shouldn't remain inside an RV or boat during storage. Empty cabinets and compartments, clean floors and surfaces, and check less obvious places where crumbs or damp materials may have collected. Remove loose personal belongings that don't need to spend the winter in the vehicle as well. Life jackets, towels, bedding, and other equipment are easier to inspect, clean, and dry when they're taken out rather than packed into a closed compartment for months.

Deal With Water Before Freezing Conditions

Water left inside plumbing or other systems is one of the main concerns when preparing an RV or boat for winter. Drain applicable tanks, lines, motors, and plumbing according to the manufacturer's instructions for your equipment. Don't assume that simply emptying the freshwater tank means the rest of the system is ready. Boats also have to account for water in components beyond the obvious storage tanks. 

Check Batteries, Tires, and Fluids

Inspect battery condition before storage and follow the manufacturer's recommendations for long-term battery care. Different battery types and vehicle systems have different requirements, so this is another area where the equipment manual should control the procedure rather than a one-size-fits-all rule. Check tire pressure and condition too, including trailer tires. Look over relevant fluids and address maintenance that shouldn't wait until spring. Our own RV and boat storage guidance includes tires, fluids, and batteries among the basic checks to complete before a vehicle sits for an extended period.

Secure the Exterior

Walk around the entire vehicle before leaving it. Covers, straps, hitches, mirrors, ladders, motors, and exterior compartments should be properly secured. If you use a cover, choose one intended for the specific vehicle and follow its installation instructions. A cover isn't a substitute for winterization. It deals with exterior exposure, while draining systems, cleaning, battery care, and other maintenance address what happens inside the vehicle while it sits.

Measure Before Choosing a Parking Space

Our Smithfield facility has outdoor parking from 12x15 through 12x40. The current lineup includes standard parking plus pull-through 12x30 and 12x40 spaces, which are useful for longer vehicles and trailers because you don't have to back into or out of the space.

Measure the full length, width, and height of your setup before selecting parking. Include the trailer tongue, hitch, motor, spare tire, ladder, mirrors, or other equipment extending beyond the main body. A boat itself may fit within a particular length while the boat and trailer combination does not.

Utah Boaters Have Another Step to Consider

Winter preparation isn't solely about protecting the boat from cold conditions. Utah's aquatic invasive species program requires boaters to follow rules intended to prevent the movement of invasive mussels between bodies of water. Requirements can depend on where a boat has been used and its systems.

Utah State Parks' Willard Bay guidance, for example, tells boaters to clean, drain, and dry their vessels and states that boats coming from infected waters must be decontaminated. Its published self-decontamination guidance specifies longer drying periods in winter than in summer. 

Know the Smithfield Parking Setup

Our property at 405 W 4600 N sits on the north end of Smithfield, just off US-91. In addition to standard outdoor parking, we have pull-through parking in 12x30 and 12x40 dimensions. The property is fenced and gated with security cameras, and current access hours run from 4:30 a.m. to midnight every day. Because parking dimensions matter with large vehicles, checking the complete measurements of your RV, boat, and trailer before renting is more useful than choosing a space based only on the vehicle's model name.

Put It Away Ready for Winter

A good winter storage routine starts before the vehicle reaches its parking space. Clean it, remove food and damp belongings, drain systems according to the manufacturer's instructions, check the battery and tires, and secure exterior components. Boat owners should also make sure they've met Utah's current invasive-species requirements.

Once you know the complete dimensions of your vehicle and have finished the winterization work, you can explore storage options from Aspen Springs Storage to compare the outdoor parking at our Smithfield property.