REVENUE GENERATOR: BOAT WINTERIZING SERVICES
Offering boat winterizing services to your slip owners can be a great way to boost revenue in the off-season. Some marinas offer boat winterizing services to slip owners as part of their original slip agreement or for an additional fee.
Services provided can include:
- flushing the engine;
- draining oil, fuel, and other fluids;
- disconnecting the electric components;
- cleaning the interior; and
- cleaning the hull.
Cost is definitely something boat owners consider when deciding whether or not to take advantage of a marina’s offered services. According to betterboat.com, the average cost of DIY winterization for a boat is around $300, depending on the size of the boat. Smaller boats could cost as little as $100 but larger boats like yachts, cruisers, and speedboats could cost upwards of $500. This can influence how much a marina charges for the same services. Some boat owners are very willing to pay extra to have someone else do the work for them!
If you allow slip owners to DIY, they’ll want to complete all the same steps from above. In order to do that, there are a few essentials they’ll need, which a marina store could provide as a DIY kit. Be a helpful resource. Offer them printed instructions or guidelines on how to winterize.
Things like:
- DIY boat flushing system
- Fogging oil
- Fuel stabilizer
- Oil
- Antifreeze
- Filters
In both cases, the marina or the do-it-yourselfer will also want to disconnect and fully remove boat batteries and put them somewhere warm until spring.
If your marina has heated indoor storage for boats, make sure your patrons know they can rent and store their boats there during the winter. Some marinas that don’t offer indoor, heated storage will include shrink-wrapping services with winterization.
Winterizing boats is a must. Whether you do it for your customers or allow the DIY alternative, make sure you’re offering plenty of options.
