Tips for Laying Up Your Boat
Rigging and Sails
Remove sails, including the roller furling jib.
Consider removing lifelines. Sunburn and dirt will age them quickly.
If you have internal mast halyards, pull halyards into the mast with throwaway line and bag them at the base of the mast or cover them in some way. Halyards and sheets left out will be extremely dirty and aged.
After removing the mainsail, consider putting the mainsail cover back on the boom to protect the boom, base of mast (winches/pin rail), bagged halyards, and reefing lines. Wrap a line around the cover to secure it from high winds.
Those with external halyards should consider completely removing them using a messenger line.
Below Deck
Remove perishables.
Don’t stow anything heat sensitive directly under decks, particularly if you have teak decks.
Don’t store spray paint, WD-40, or anything with propane propellant.
Cover ports with curtains or foil.
Disconnect antenna leads.
In the event of switch failure, remove fuses from bilge pump, gas sniffer, or anything else that could inadvertently turn itself on and drain your batteries. Consider disconnecting the amp hour monitor as well, as the small light in the unit will drain your batteries over time.
Remove electronics to dissuade theft.
Videos, CDs, and cassette tapes should be stored down low or removed.
Remove your medical kit, especially any temperature-sensitive medications.
Consider leaving a few buckets full of water to add extra humidity. Although some may say it’s humid in the summer, those who put buckets of water around their cabins came back to find the buckets empty.
Wash out fridge/icebox with bleach and leave it open.
Set cockroach traps or place boric acid, particularly in the fridge (with the lid off) and sinks.
If you have screens on your dorades, consider leaving them on. Solar vents are helpful too.
Take down items hanging on sticky back hooks or double-sided tape. The sticky backing tends to degrade in the heat.
Lubricate port gaskets with silicone grease.
Lubricate galley and heat piston-type seawater pumps with silicone grease.
Remove batteries from all battery-operated gear and store them down low.
Flush head and sink lines with fresh water.
Run a bit of mineral oil through the head to lubricate the seals.
Engine
Change engine oil.
Flush the engine with fresh water and vinegar.
Remove the raw water impeller, packing it with Vaseline and sealing it in a zip-lock bag. Heat and prolonged storage can permanently misshape the vanes.
Outside
Remove everything outside on deck.
Do not use plastic bags to cover items.
Immediately after haul out, scrub the bottom before allowing it to dry. Carefully check the hull for damp spots after drying for blisters or voids. Consider opening up any blisters for thorough drying in the summer heat.
Close all thru-hulls except for the cockpit drains. Plug them with cloth to discourage insects from settling inside.
Place bronze or vinyl wool in cockpit drain thru-hulls to allow water to run through and keep bugs out.
Plug up other orifices (vents, tanks, gaps around hatches) to avoid insects, especially spiders, from taking residence.
Check the date for your life raft’s next service.
Outboard
Flush with fresh water.
Run all gas out of the engine.
Cover and lock the outboard or stow it below (if left on the bracket, make sure the cover is secured with extra line wrapped around it).
Duct Tape
Duct tape is great for covering thru-hulls but should not be used to secure anything inside or outside. The glue will remain intact while the cloth deteriorates quickly, and the petrified glue can be difficult to remove.
Tankage
Empty water tanks and add Clorox to prevent algae growth. Some with water makers reported serious algae buildup. To clean scummy tanks upon return, use dishwashing detergent (such as “Cascade”) and water.
Fill diesel tanks and add biocide.
Batteries
Set the solar panel regulator to a float level or use a small solar array. Batteries left unattended in the heat for a long time can suffer from sulfation. Some people completely disconnect all batteries with mixed results. Lead-acid batteries should definitely be disconnected to avoid them drying out in one or two months.
Upon Returning
Grease thru-hulls.
Check/replace packing in the stuffing box and rudder stock. Packing tends to dry out in the heat, which can score the shaft.
Don’t check engine alignment until you’ve been back in the water for a couple of days.
Final Thoughts
Some may think this list is excessive, while others may feel it’s incomplete. The goal is to provide a framework for a summer lay-up. You’ll find your own way, and you might swear it’s the best way. As a wise old salt once said, “Ask ten yachties an opinion on something, and you’ll get eleven answers.”