The physical marina is closed December 1 through April 1. There is no on-site service, inspection, commissioning, installation, or customer access during that period. We can generally arrange boat pickup. Ask us about availability for your boat and location. You can also...
Quick answer: Harris Boat Works publishes its current 2026–27 winterization and storage rates on the HBW rate card. The boat-specific quote depends on the exact engine and serial number, maintenance due, engine and gearcase condition, onboard systems, number of engines, and whether shrinkwrap or outdoor winter storage is included. Submit the boat details at hbw.wiki/service.
The physical marina is closed December 1 through April 1. There is no on-site service, inspection, commissioning, installation, or customer access during that period. We can generally arrange boat pickup. Ask us about availability for your boat and location. You can also complete hbw.wiki/service, then drop off anytime, including after hours.
HBW operating scope and pricing references verified August 27, 2026. All amounts are CAD before HST unless stated otherwise.
What Does Boat Winterization Cost in Ontario?
The honest answer is: it depends on the written scope for the boat in front of the technician.
Older generic ranges and individual line-item estimates were not an approved HBW price list and have been removed. They should not be used to budget or compare a current job.
Instead, ask whether the quote identifies each cost driver:
| Cost driver |
What must be confirmed |
| Engine and drive |
Exact brand, model, serial number, engine count, and outboard or sterndrive configuration |
| Maintenance due |
Engine oil, filter, gearcase lubricant, spark plugs, impeller, anodes, filters, and lubrication only as the applicable schedule requires |
| Condition found |
Water or metal in gearcase lubricant, leaks, corrosion, damaged seals, fuel issues, alarms, or other repair findings |
| Boat systems |
Livewell, washdown, potable-water, head, bilge, pumps, and other systems that can retain water |
| Storage preparation |
Engine storage procedure, battery plan, drainage, moisture control, and approved cover or shrinkwrap scope |
| Hull and trailer work |
Shrinkwrap, outdoor storage, trailer service, and repairs listed separately when requested |
| Spring work |
Spring commissioning is included for HBW winter-storage customers and is $99 for non-storage customers as of September 2026 |
A useful quote states what is included, what is excluded, what requires approval if discovered, and when the work can be considered complete.
What HBW Uses to Build the Quote
The cowl horsepower is not enough. Two motors with the same horsepower badge can use different oil capacities, gearcases, fuel systems, storage procedures, and maintenance parts.
For an accurate request, provide:
- Boat year, make, model, and length
- Engine brand, horsepower, model, and serial number
- Single, twin, or multi-engine configuration
- Outboard, inboard, or sterndrive
- Current engine hours when available
- Known alarms, leaks, fuel problems, or gearcase concerns
- The last completed annual service and winterization
- Every onboard system that holds or moves water
- Whether you are requesting shrinkwrap or HBW outdoor winter storage
- Trailer concerns or other work you want quoted
HBW can winterize other engine brands when the requested scope is accepted. Engine repairs are limited to Mercury and MerCruiser.
What a Mercury Winterization Scope May Include
Mercury's owner resources tell owners to use the operation and maintenance manual for the exact engine. The products, access points, engine state, and sequence can change by family and serial range.
A professional scope may address:
- Fuel storage preparation: the specified fuel treatment and circulation procedure for the engine and fuel system
- Internal engine protection: the exact model's storage procedure; do not assume every FourStroke uses the same intake-fogging method
- Engine oil and filter: changed when required by the applicable annual or hour-based maintenance schedule
- Gearcase lubricant: inspected and serviced as required; milky lubricant or metal is a repair finding, not something to hide with fresh oil
- Cooling-system preparation: the approved flushing and drainage method, with cooling water supplied whenever an outboard is run
- Lubrication and corrosion protection: grease points and protection steps identified by the manual and inspection
- Storage position: the position specified for the engine so water can drain as designed
- Battery plan: charge and condition check, then disconnect to prevent parasitic draw
A healthy battery may remain aboard only if fully charged, disconnected, secured, and permitted by the approved storage plan. The model/serial manual and approved storage plan control. Removal is not a universal HBW requirement.
Winterization and Annual Service Are Related, Not Identical
Winterization protects the engine and boat during storage. Annual service follows the maintenance table.
The two scopes often overlap, but one does not automatically prove the other was completed. For example:
- Treating fuel does not prove the gearcase was inspected
- Changing gearcase lubricant does not prove the onboard water systems were drained
- Shrinkwrapping the boat does not winterize the engine
- Winterizing the engine does not approve unrelated repairs
- A completed fall work order does not promise the boat is automatically ready to launch in spring
The invoice and work order should show what was actually completed.
From the Shop: 584 Winterization Records in One Fall
HBW recorded 584 completed winterization records from August through November 2025. That number is useful because it shows how varied the work really is: portable outboards, fishing boats, pontoons, larger Mercury engines, MerCruiser packages, and boats with very different onboard systems do not belong under one generic price.
The repeat findings are practical:
- The serial-number procedure matters more than a generic internet checklist.
- Water or metal in gearcase lubricant needs diagnosis before storage.
- A battery left connected can be discharged by parasitic loads.
- A wrapped boat can still have an improperly prepared engine or water system.
- Newly discovered repairs require approval; winterization is not blanket authorization.
That is why the service request asks for the actual boat and engine details before the scope is confirmed.
Shrinkwrap and Outdoor Winter Storage at HBW
HBW offers outdoor storage with professional shrink wrap, outdoor uncovered storage, and shrink-wrap-only service. We do not offer indoor or heated boat storage. We also do not offer climate-controlled, summer, or year-round storage.
Winterization, shrinkwrap, storage, trailer work, and repairs are distinct items. Whether they appear together on a quote depends on what the customer requests and HBW accepts. Do not assume a bundle discount, a per-foot rate, or a service is included unless it is written on the current quote.
We can generally arrange boat pickup. Ask us about availability for your boat and location. HBW does not deliver boats, ship motors, offer mobile, dockside, or on-site service, recommend transport providers, or quote third-party transport.
How to Start
Complete hbw.wiki/service, then drop off anytime, including after hours.
HBW is closed December 1 through April 1:
- No on-site winterization, repair, inspection, or installation work
- No customer access to stored boats
- No winter pickup or drop-off
- No spring commissioning during the closure
Remote planning and approvals can continue. Physical work resumes after reopening.
Spring Commissioning Is a Separate Acceptance Step
As of September 2026, spring commissioning is:
- Included for HBW winter-storage customers
- $99 for non-storage customers, before HST
The approved work order controls the actual scope. Plan pickup or launch only after HBW confirms the authorized work is complete. A fall winterization, storage contract, or commissioning booking does not create a guaranteed launch date.
DIY or Professional Winterization?
DIY can make sense when the owner has the exact manual, the required tools and products, a safe cooling-water supply, and the ability to inspect and refill fluids correctly.
Stop and request professional service when:
- The engine or storage procedure cannot be identified confidently
- Gearcase lubricant contains water or metal
- There are alarms, leaks, fuel contamination, corrosion, or damaged seals
- The boat has water systems you cannot drain correctly
- You cannot run the engine with the cooling-water supply required by its procedure
- The work is outside your tools, training, or safe workspace
For Mercury owners, start with Mercury's official guidance and then follow the exact manual for the serial number. The related DIY Mercury outboard winterization guide is a decision framework, not a replacement for that manual.
Request the Current Scope
Submit the boat, engine, trailer, storage, and requested-work details at hbw.wiki/service. HBW will confirm whether the requested work is accepted and what the current quote includes.
Official Sources
