As the warm weather fades, it is always a good time to stock your shelves with inventory to help your customers winterize their personal watercrafts. Winterizing will help ensure that PWCs will be ready to hit the water when the weather warms up.
Cleaning Products, Waxes
Before PWCs can be docked for the season, make sure they are cleaned, waxed and protected from UV damage and scrubbed in the bilge area to remove algae, dirt and muck. If a PWC isn’t cleaned properly at the end of the season, it can lead to grime buildup, rusting and damage to much more than the exterior of the PWC.
Lubrication, Oil and Fuel Stabilizers
When water accumulates with ethanol fuel, it settles in the fuel tank and can lower the octane rating of gasoline and destroy a PWC engine. To prevent this, offer a fuel stabilizer and instruct your customers on how to use it properly according to the make of the machine.
After stabilizing, make sure that PWC owners are equipped with lubrication for seals and cabling as recommended by the manufacturer and fogging oil for the cylinders. During this maintenance, they will need to remove the air filter to access most of the internal parts; this would be a great time to promote the benefits of purchasing a new filter.
Batteries
Owners will need to remove the battery from their PWC in the off seasons. Make sure you have batteries, chargers and connection equipment available in your store. Batteries that may not need to be replaced can efficiently be cleaned with a wire brush to avoid corrosion.
Covers
To avoid dust and weather damage and to prevent critters from making a home in their PWC, offer a variety of covers and storage equipment to your customers, which may include docks, brand-specific slips, covers and tie downs.
Don’t forget to encourage your customers to maintain their vehicles or assist them in the process
if you offer winterizing in your service
department.
