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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Prepping my boat for winter haulout

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5509 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/06/2026 : 07:13:30

Passage, my C25, will be hauled out next week. In a typical year, I�d generally haul around the end of October, however, this year my marina will be dredging, so our deadline to vacate is the weekend of October 17. It�s been a cooler and wetter than average fall season, so it�s probably good to be hauling early.

In winter, I generally remove all water (e.g.: washing water for the sinks, bottled drinking water, port-o-potty blue water, etc) to prevent freezing. I also bring home any summer clothing, hoodies, and beach towels for a spin in the washing machine, but I leave my spare down coat, wool hat, and gloves. I remove the interior cushions.

I prep my engine by running fresh water through before haulout with a little �Saltaway� to clear out the cooling passages in the engine. Once on the hard I�ll change the engine oil and bottom unit oil, and check the spark plugs. I don�t remove the engine in the secure boatyard, but I have a padlock and cable to deter theft.

I�ll take down the sails and remove the boom, and remove the sheets. I also remove docklines to lessen the effects of UV on them over the winter.

As soon as the boat is hauled, I remove the rudder to prevent it from freezing. Others have had their rudders damaged by water intrusion into the core, then a freeze will expand the core beneath the skins, and create cracks along the forward or rear edges of the rudder.

I keep the battery in the boat all winter. I maintain the battery charge using a small solar panel. This allows me lighting and radio during my visits to the boat over the winter.

My boatyard requires that I drop the mast, so I use the standard A-frame method with the mainsheet to control the mast coming down. I built an adjustable height �mast catcher� that sits in the rear of the cockpit by the transom with a V-shaped notch to cradle the mast as it comes down. Once caught, I reset the height adjuster so the mast lays horizontal across the bow pulpit, the cabintop, and the stern.

I strap the furler to the mast with a 1 by 3 board to support the furler spindle end, preventing it from dangling beyond the foot of the mast.

I don�t use shrink wrap, instead I use two large tarps to cover the boat. The mast acts as a ridge and I use about a dozen 1� PVC pipes to support the tarps to allow snow and ice to slide off the tarp.

I�m sure that you all have your own favorite haulout preps and techniques. Mast up, engine off, pink antifreeze, battery out, etc. What advice do you have?

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5937 Posts

Response Posted - 10/06/2026 : 16:17:33

I use only ethanol free gas in my small engines and antique car engines and never have them gum up from winter storage. With ethanol free gas I don't need to use Sta-Bil in the engines. There appear to be two stations in your areas that sell it. They are at 19 Danbury Rd and 84 West St. It usually costs about $1.00 more than regular gas.

People can find locations that sell ethanol free gas in their area at this website: https://www.pure-gas.org/

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4322 Posts

Response Posted - 10/07/2026 : 20:28:15

Sounds like a nice plan.

I have a Harken furler on my boat with the rigid extrusions. It's never been down sine I had it installed. Curious, how do you handle the furler as you lower it? I assume the lower end is attached to the A-frame but how do you get it down without bending the extrusions?

Association Member

GaryB
Andiamo
'89 SR/WK #5862
Kemah,TX

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5509 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2026 : 05:34:43

Steve - thanks for the recommendation and locations of the ethanol free gas stations. New Milford is about an hour away from me, but I plan to be near another station over this weekend. I�ll buy a gallon.

Gary - mine is a Hood furler. It wraps the forestay with segments of aluminum tubing that can take a little bowing or sagging as the mast descends, but since the forestay is under tension while the mast comes down, the segments don�t bow by very much.

Once the mast lays down, I keep the tension on the forestay until I can strap a 10ft 1x3 to the bottom 10 feet of the furler (including the spindle), so it remains rigid and straight. I strap the furler plus board to the mast from top to bottom.
It hasn�t bent yet (fingers crossed).

Because the spindle is heavy and extends past the bottom of the mast, I prevent it from dangling or drooping by securing it to the board.
I�ll try to get a photo next week.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 10/08/2026 05:38:42

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5509 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2026 : 05:42:11

We had a rare windless fall day on Saturday so I took the opportunity to remove the sails. When unfurling the genoa without a jib sheet while on the dock in a brisk wind, you can sometimes get knocked off the foredeck!
Sails are now packed up and ready for my sail washing service.

Also removed the bimini and boom - now safely stored in the barn.

We�re getting Isaias� post-hurricane tropical downpours today and tomorrow morning, so I�m going to try and take down the mast tomorrow afternoon. I�ll take a few photos of my rig (if I have a spare hand) to post afterwards.

I�d like to transport the boat to its winter boatyard on Wednesday or Thursday, however, the National Weather Service�s forecasts are still quite uncertain: will it be wet or dry?, warm or frosty? Only the New England weather gods know!

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 10/11/2026 05:56:14

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5509 Posts

Response Posted - 10/13/2026 : 20:26:59

I dropped the mast on Monday. The weather was warm and dry, however, when I was ready to bring down the mast, the sky clouded up and the winds picked up from behind the boat. I was all set with my A-frame (controlled by the mainsheet) and the aft mast crutch that was ready to catch the mast on its descent.

Wind was blowing around 10-12 kts with gusts to 25 from directly behind the boat. The wind was actually keeping the mast upright. I was glad that we didn�t have any crosswinds.

I had to time the gusts to wait until the gust blew itself out before beginning to push down the mast. With the leverage of the 4:1 mainsheet, the 80 pound-plus mast was easy to control on its way down. Once down, it took awhile to lace up the mast and the shrouds and stays, and now the boat is secure and ready to move.

Wednesday will be sunny, warm and mild, however, we are expecting a dry frontal passage around 2PM. Winds will be around 6-8kts most of the day, however, an hour or two around 2PM we will see crosswind gusts around 25kts. This is generally not a problem except that we�ll be arriving at the docks with a 2kt current plus heavy wind, so this might present challenging conditions.

We�ll get out early to get it done, but there�s always something! Always wear your PFD!

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5509 Posts

Response Posted - 10/15/2026 : 06:50:02

Weather was good when I left my marina sailing (motoring) to the haulout. Wind was brisk, but warm, summerlike temperatures made it very pleasant.

Once I arrived at the haulout, a thunderstorm surprised us with a bit of wind, rain, and a few cracks of thunder.

Afterward, I had time to flush the engine, and wash the boat�s topsides, cockpit, and hull. I cleaned out the anchor locker (sand and mud sometimes clogs the drain).Cleaned out the fuel locker. Bleached the life ring and fenders .

I assume they�ll haul me today after which I can check the jackstands and service my outboard.
All part of the seasonal cycles.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 10/15/2026 06:53:39

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5509 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2026 : 08:14:13

Passage is still awaiting haulout, so in the meantime I�ve been unloading several things like summertime items, towels, cabin cushions, extra clothes, the cooler and dry goods, and spare lines and ropes.
I generally empty out and keep the porta potty aboard all winter. And the battery stays onboard too.
I recently swapped out my old group 27 battery for a new group 29. The old one was dated July 2014!
And it still takes a charge.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.