Have you stored your Outrigger Poles properly for winter? It's not too late to incorporate these quick tips for safe winter storage of your Outrigger Poles.
At TACO, we manufacture a variety of aluminum and carbon fiber outrigger poles. Proper winter storage will help keep the products in top condition for years to come.
1. DO NOT KEEP YOUR POLES OUTSIDE
If your boat is kept outdoors in areas of freezing temperature during the winter, we recommend removing the poles from the boat. If you are using TACO mounts and are going to remove the outrigger poles for the winter, we also recommend that the tubes on the mounts be left at a slightly downward position to prevent rain/water from settling in the bases; possibly freezing and potentially causing the base arms to crack.
2. CLEAN OUTRIGGER POLES
To remove all salt deposits before storing the poles, mix warm, freshwater and marine-grade boat soap, fully extend the poles and wash the poles using a clean, soft cotton rag. After washing the poles, spray them thoroughly with a freshwater shower to remove all soap residues.
Lightly spraying a salt solvent solution, such as Salt Terminator, Salt Away and Salt Off, on the poles is also recommended, as they leave a protective PTEF (Teflon) coating, which helps repel future salt and dirt grime from building.
Allow the poles to dry completely. Once dry, apply a small amount of marine-grade lubricant, such as Corrosion Block, to the roller bearings, swivel collars and/or eye-ring threads to help eliminate corrosion.
3. RIGGING MAINTENANCE & CARE
To keep the halyard lines and rigging components in good operating condition, use the same process to clean the rigging as used to clean the poles. To remove salt deposits, thoroughly spray all of the halyard lines, release clips and swivels with a freshwater shower. Use warm, freshwater and marine-grade boat soap with a clean, cotton rag to wash all of the rigging hardware. Spray the rigging again with a freshwater shower to remove all soap residues.
Again, lightly spraying a salt solvent solution, such as Salt Terminator, Salt Away and Salt Off, on the poles is also recommended, as they also leave a protective PTEF (Teflon) coating, which helps repel future salt and dirt grime from building.
Allow all components to dry. Once dry, use a small amount of a quality, marine-grade lubricant (no grease) on the moving components of the rigging hardware.
Once the poles and rigging are cleaned and lubricated, collapse the outrigger poles one section at a time to help control the length of the halyard lines as you proceed to store them as follows:
To store the halyard lines, use TACO Line Caddies, or neatly coil each halyard line separately and secure it with a disposable wire tie. This helps keep the lines separated so they are easy to release and use for the next season. Always check the operation and condition of your rigging components before reinstalling the outrigger poses. Check halyard line condition, release clip operation and swivel movement to help eliminate potential failures when on the water.
4. SAFE & HARMFUL CLEANERS
Believe it or not, many cleaning products can damage outrigger poles. Use the handy graphic below to review what cleaning products to use before washing your outrigger poles.
5. ADD AN EXTRA LAYER OF PROTECTION
As mentioned above, for additional protection, use a marine-grade lubricant, such as Corrosion Block, on specific areas of stainless steel, brass components and pop-out pins on each pole section. Then lightly wipe down with soft cloth. (Silicon-based lubricants are not recommended.)
6. SAFE STORING
Once the poles have been washed and dried, and after you’ve applied any optional lubricant to the hardware, the poles should be stored in a dry, not-too-cold environment.
7. YEAR-ROUND POLE MAINTENANCE
If you don’t store your boat for winter and are on the water year-around, we recommend periodically removing your outrigger poles for cleaning. A freshwater wash down with marine-grade soap every so often is a great way to ensure your poles stay in top condition for years to come. Use the same cleaning tips above and don’t hesitate to reach out to us for any outrigger storage or cleaning questions.
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