Taking Your Summer Lake Gear Out of Storage
#Personal Storage
Prepping Your Boat & Fishing Gear for a MN Summer
The weather is warming, the sun is shining, and you’re getting ready to get out and enjoy the Land of 10,000 Lakes. It’s time to dig your lake gear out of storage and prepare for your long-awaited weekend trips!
It’s important to take care of your equipment, including your boat and fishing gear. Doing so will keep it in good condition, meaning less-expensive repairs, fewer replacements, and an all-around better experience throughout the summer.
Removing your equipment from storage is easy, especially if you took proper precautions ahead of time. Just follow these few simple steps, and you’ll be out by the water before you know it.
Inspecting Items from Fishing Gear Storage
Take the time to thoroughly look over your fishing equipment. Visually inspect your rods, reels, line, hooks, lures, and other items. Over time, certain materials can be warped if the temperature in their storage unit is too drastically high or low. This may be less of a concern if you rent a climate-controlled storage unit for your fishing gear storage.
Another concern to look for is mold and mildew. If you see spots on your equipment, such as on foam or cork handles, there are a few ways to clear it up.
Cleaning Off Mold and Mildew
If you dig out your gear and find that mold or mildew has developed since you put it into storage, you don’t have to immediately throw out everything and reinvest in new equipment. You may still be able to salvage items if you try one of the following methods:
- Dish soap. Warm water, unscented dish soap, and a cloth could be all you need to remove the spots.
- Vinegar. Apply vinegar with a spray bottle for an inexpensive yet effective mold killer.
- Mild bleach. One cup of bleach diluted with one gallon of water can kill mold on surfaces.
- S.O.S. Pads. An S.O.S. Steel Wool Pad can clean mildew off your gear without scratching or damaging the paint.
De-Winterizing Your Boat
With the offseason coming to a close, you’re probably more than ready to pull your boat out and race to the waters. If you followed our five tips to prepare your boat for offseason storage, you your boat should be in good shape. But first, you must de-winterize your boat so it’s seaworthy and ready to go. At a minimum, you should check the following:
- Engine. Inspect your boat’s engine for any signs of rust or damage that may have developed while your boat was in storage. Address anything you find, and change the oil and oil filter while you’re at it.
- Fuel line. The cold climate can easily cause fuel lines to crack. Replace any you see that are no longer in good condition.
- Cooling system. If you properly winterized your boat before storing it, your boat should be ready for a coolant refill. Be sure none of the system’s hoses have cracked before adding coolant.
- Battery. Recharge and reconnect the battery. Run your boat to ensure everything is connected and in good working order.
- Cleaning. If you covered your boat with a tarp or waterproof boat cover, you may not have much cleaning to do. Look for any pests that may have found their way in, and use warm water and mild dish soap to clean off any dirt or grime that has collected.
Keeping Your Gear Close to the Water at Acorn Mini Storage
With many convenient locations to choose from in Minnesota, you can easily store your lake gear and your boat close to your favorite destination at an Acorn Mini Storage facility. That way, all you have to do is swing by, grab everything, and get out on the water. Keep your rods, tackle, boat, and other items in a storage unit. Rent drive-up storage, climate-controlled storage, or boat storage at an Acorn Mini Storage facility today!
