There’s nothing quite like the sense of freedom that comes from owning a boat, but it comes with its unique responsibilities as well. Before you take your sailboat out for a cruise on Lake Michigan, you should understand your potential liabilities. Whether or not you’re required by law to purchase insurance for your boat depends on your circumstances, but everyone should take out a policy to protect their financial and personal interests regardless of their situation.

When You’re Required to Purchase Boat Insurance

Despite universal statewide laws regarding insurance on cars, Michigan’s regulations for boat owners aren’t stringent. Anyone who owns a sailboat needs to register their watercraft on a semi-regular basis, but it’s an affordable and simple process. Registration decals cost a mere nine dollars and only need to be renewed once every three years. Michigan does not require your sailboat to be insured to take it out on open waters.

The exception lies in cases where you don’t own your boat outright. To protect your investment, banks with outstanding loans for a boat require their lessees to keep and maintain insurance on their boat. The particular terms can vary from bank to bank, but no bank wants to see their financial investment go delinquent due to an unfortunate accident. According to Trusted Choice, Marinas also often require boats moored in their docks to invest in insurance as well, and organizations often require anyone participating in their events to be fully insured. If your boat isn’t insured, you’ll want to speak to the people in charge to determine exactly what is required of you.

Why You Should Still Invest in Boat Insurance

While you may not be legally required to take out insurance on your boat, insurance is a practical investment that’s well worth the cost. Plus, it’s not hard to find cheap boat insurance. Accidents can happen at any time, and just because you’re not at fault doesn’t mean that your investment is secured. Inclement weather, hazardous obstacles, and reckless drivers can quickly turn your beautiful watercraft into scrap, and you’ll have little recourse if you haven’t decided to purchase insurance. Insurance can also protect you from damage like floods or fires while your boat is moored or acts of destructive vandalism.

And just because Michigan doesn’t require boat insurance doesn’t mean that you’re protected from litigation. A civil suit can come in many forms. Whether a passenger suffers an injury while sailing on your boat, choppy conditions cause a collision with another boat, or an unexpected fire starting at your boat spreads to other docks, you could be responsible for damages. When you invest in boat insurance, your company will provide you with a defense attorney to represent you in court; and if the court rules against you, you can expect your company to pay for damages up to the total of your liability coverage.

What insurance you think you need will depend on your personal preferences and capacity to absorb risks, but making use of online quote comparison tools and speaking with an insurance agent can help you get a better understanding of the options available to you.

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As the weather gets colder, it is time for you to think about moving and winterizing any watercraft you have still on the water. To protect your investments, make sure that you consult the owner’s manual and your insurance policy to ensure you are following any guidelines laid out in case something unfortunate happens. Taking the time to protect and properly store your boat now will ensure its performance when you bring it back out on the water when the weather warms up again.

Deciding Where to Store Your Boat

Moving your boat will depend on how you choose to store it in the off-season. If you live in a warmer climate and are storing it in the water, make sure to clean the interior of the boat before covering it. Consider placing products like DampRid throughout the interior to prevent mildew.

However, if you live in Chicago or another cold climate and must store your boat out of the water, you will need to decide where you will store your boat before you hook it up to your trailer or have it transported. There are several places in the Chicago area that offer outdoor storage or indoor heated storage, plus shrink wrapping services to keep your boat protected from the elements. Here are some of the storage facilities we recommend checking out:

Chicago Park District
541 N. Fairbanks Court, Suite 1020
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 742-8520

Chicago Yacht Works
2550 S. Ashland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 666-6670

Crowley’s Yacht Yard Lakeside
3434 East 95^th Street
Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 221-9990

Properly Preparing the Boat for Winterization

Once you’ve decided on a storage facility, it’s time to prep your boat for storage. Most storage facilities offer all these services as add-ons, but of course, hiring them to do the work can get pricey. If you’re more of a DIYer, here are some things to do to make sure your boat is thoroughly prepped.

If you are choosing to store your boat offshore here are some tips to consider before beginning:

1. Make sure to properly support your boat

The engines, bulkheads, and keel are areas of special importance. Randy Hess from Sea Ray warns that “Onshore storage demands additional diligence in supporting the hull.”

2. Make a maintenance checklist

Write down anything on the boat that requires maintenance before next spring and get the work scheduled. If there are any blisters in the hull have them repaired soon.

3. Give it a good cleaning

Power wash all the barnacles and slime off the hull, rudders, props, shafts, struts, and trim tabs. Also, take any valuable items out of your boat such as fishing gear, electronics, fire extinguishers, and flares. Additionally, remove the batteries and store them in a warm, dry place.

4. Drain water tanks and heaters

After shutting them off, flush antifreeze through all the systems and turn on all faucets and sinks until the antifreeze comes out. Also, pump out the holding tank and flush with fresh water, followed by antifreeze.

5. Allow water to drain from seacocks by leaving them open

Not properly draining water from your boat will lead to damage caused by freezing water or corrosion and rust on working parts.

6. Fill her up

Put fresh gas in the tank until halfway full and use a fuel conditioner. During the winter, the fuel octane level will drop which can cause engine damage. To avoid this, fill the tank with fresh gas before using your boat the next spring.

7. Cover it

A boat cover is an essential part of winter storage according to Patrick Galvan from Storage Talk. “The last thing you want is to have the inside of your boat become filled with snow and debris.” Cover prices will vary be boat size and shape, but many people choose to shrink wrap their boats for the best protection.

Moving the Boat Yourself

If you’re transporting the boat to storage yourself, make sure you have the right trailer for the job. Mark Scocco from Bergen Bass Masters states that “the most important thing to do to the trailer is to re-pack the bearings. If a bad seal has permitted water to get in, they’ll surely rust while sitting idle for the winter.” If there are any signs of wear to the bearings or tires have them fixed or replaced before loading your boat. You may wish to consider jacking up the axle while your boat is stored to take the weight off the tires. Also, remember to check the taillights before taking your trailer out onto the road to avoid being pulled over.

Hiring Chicago Movers to Transport It for You

Most people, especially sailboat owners, opt to hiring a boat moving company to transport their boats to storage. Sailing a large vessel on open water is one thing, but trying to navigate city streets with a huge trailer is quite another. If you’re looking for affordable movers in the Great Lakes, here are some of the best options:

Anchorage Marine Service
Phone: 616-399-6745

Cheap Chicago Movers
(773) 570-9878

Great Lakes Boat Haulers
(989) 893-6777

Following these safety tips to ensure the protection and maintenance of your boat throughout the winter season. If you’ve properly prepared and winterized your boat, it will be ready to set sail again as soon as the snow thaws!

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Sailboats are usually small in size unless you own a luxurious yacht, and there’s probably very little space on board for your belongings. To get the most out of your boat’s square footage, here are seven ways to maximize storage on the water.

1. Bulk Items

Things that need to be stored in large numbers, such as bottled or canned beverages, can take up a lot of space. To free up space on your boat, try to divide your items into smaller portions and store them under seats, beneath beds, and in other small compartments that can’t fit larger items. This can leave space for other belongings that can’t be split up.

2. Linens

Towels, tablecloths, and other textiles can take up too much space on an average size boat. Instead of packing a lot of linens onto your boat, try to limit the number of items that each person can use and wash each one frequently to save space. If you can’t go without a big selection, consider investing in a vacuum packer to help shrink larger blankets and towels.

3. Multitasking Tools

Ordinary objects such as tongs, mugs, and spoons can be used for a variety of different tasks on a boat, and it’s a good idea to bring utensils that can serve more than just one purpose. Using these tools can allow you to leave others behind, which can open up some much-needed shelf space for other things.

4. Collapsing Containers

Instead of bulky boxes, try to use collapsible containers such as canvas bags on board your boat. You can shrink them once they’re empty, which allows for more space in the area and makes packing and unpacking a breeze. It’s also easier to squeeze extra supplies on board when you know that your vessel will be less cramped within a day or two.

5. Wall Space

The cabin walls on a sailboat can provide valuable storage space that many people tend to ignore. Permanent shelves are an excellent way to take advantage of this space, as well as attaching hooks or suction cups for storing hanging goods. Just remember to be careful when hanging objects near an important walkway, since it’s easy for people to knock things off a wall in a tight space.

6. Hammocks

There’s a reason why professional sailors used hammocks back when sailboats were the latest and greatest in maritime technology. Traditional beds can take up too much room on a boat and can’t double as a storage space. But by stringing up hammocks, crews can conserve what little space they have and even roll up their hammocks during the day. Not to mention, a hanging hammock that moves with the waves could be more comfortable than a stiff bed!

7. Oversupplying

Remember, try not to store too much on your sailboat. It’s good to be prepared for an emergency, but packing excessive supplies wastes both space and money. When you stock your boat, look at each item and think carefully about whether you expect to use it or not. If the odds are low, it’s best to leave your belongings on shore.

With these simple tips, you can reduce the amount of clutter on your boat and maximize the storage space that you do have. For more tips and tricks on living in tight quarters, check out the helpful storage hacks blog written by Imperial Self Storage (imperialselfstorage.com). This New York storage company knows how to make cramped Manhattan apartments more functional, which translates well to living on a boat.

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As the excitement of the holiday season quickly fades away, the remaining winter months can seem endlessly dreary. When the snow starts turning into a muddy slush and skies become increasingly dark and gray, it’s hard to have a sunny disposition. And if you’re starting to feel a little glum yourself, it’s time to beat […]

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For those who enjoy sailing on large bodies of open water, the Great Lakes of the American midwest are the perfect place to visit. With ocean-like expanses of fresh water, charming coastal towns, and private coves that dot the coasts, the Great Lakes are ideal for those who love to sail. For sloops and schooners […]

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