Having an inflatable boat is awesome because you don't have to worry about getting a tow to lug it around, and it's easy enough for a day trip without having to pay docking fees. However, summer doesn't last forever, and there's a good chance that you're going to need to put your inflatable boat away and store it for a few months until the weather gets nice again. You want to be sure that when you take your boat out of storage that it is still in as good of shape that it was when you put it in. Here are some tips for cleaning and storing your inflatable boat.

1. Store Loosely

The first thing that you have to do is commit to finding space in your home or garage where you can store your boat so that it is loosely rolled. This means that you are not going to be able to shove it away in the smallest place possible. The optimal solution is to not roll it up all the way and to simply let it sit, deflated. However, most people don't have the space to do this. If this is your situation, consider simply rolling it very loosely and placing it somewhere.

2. Store Where It Can't Be Invaded

The next thing that you have to do is store where the boat cannot be invaded by rodents. These rodents like to burrow in inflatable boats and can cause catastrophic damage. In order to store your boat correctly, be sure that you roll it up loosely and put it in a plastic box that doesn't have any holes in it. Then, take this box and place it above ground level, preferably on a shelf or other surface where it is difficult for rodents to climb. This will allow you to keep your boat hole-free.

3. Store It Out of Sunlight

Your boat can be damaged and weakened by direct sunlight, which would likely result in holes that would ruin your first excursion of the year. Be sure that you store the box that has your inflatable boat in it out of direct sunlight.

4. Clean Before Putting It Away

Finally, be sure that you clean your boat using a cleaner recommended by the manufacturer before putting it away for the winter so that you can remove any potential environmental debris that could cause damage.

For more information, talk to a company that specializes in inflatable boats.