Winterising my narrowboat — what do I do to get my narrowboat ready for winter

Winterising My Narrowboat – Preparing the Grey Wagtail for the Cold Months Ahead ❄️🚤 As winter closes in, it’s time to get my narrowboat, the Grey Wagtail, ready for the colder months. In this video, I take you step-by-step through my winterisation routine. (I can't believe this is my second winter.) First up, I tackle the heating systems — giving both diesel stoves a clean, removing stubborn carbon build-up, and sweeping out the chimneys. There’s a surprising amount of soot, and rust, involved. Then it’s on to the Webasto diesel heater, where I clean the fuel filter, check the pipework, and test whether the system will restart smoothly after being serviced. I also check the antifreeze and coolant levels in both the Webasto system and the engine, using a hydrometer to make sure everything’s properly protected against freezing temperatures. The radiators get bled, the fuel lines inspected, and the gas locker and electrics checked for damage. No winter prep would be complete without a look at boat safety, so I test the smoke, gas, and carbon monoxide detectors, and finally revisit my fire extinguishers — making sure the pressure gauges are actually working, not just showing green. By the end of this video, you’ll have a clear idea of how I prepare my narrowboat for the winter — and maybe a few tips to help you do the same. If you’re a fellow boater getting ready for winter, or just curious about what goes on behind the scenes of canal life, I hope you find it useful (and maybe a little entertaining). 👉 Please subscribe to the channel for more narrowboat maintenance, cruising adventures, and life on the UK canals. 👉 To keep up with my adventures on the Grey Wagtail, check out the newsletter - https://nickswanderings.substack.com 🛒Channel Amazon Shop - https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/nickswa... - things bought from the shop help to support this channel ☕️If you would like to help support my efforts, then please feel free to Buy Me a Coffee - https://buymeacoffee.com/nickswanderings Video Equipment Used (* are affiliate links) iPhone 17 Pro Insta360 X5* - https://amzn.to/4jJnQvP Insta360 selfie stick* - https://amzn.to/40Fc8wp Insta360 Mic Air Transmitter* - https://amzn.to/4fBaHVn Insta360 Folding 2-in-1 Selfie Stick with Remote* - https://amzn.to/4fdCieK Insta360 Quick Release Mount* - https://amzn.to/4fO83u0 Memory cards* - https://amzn.to/4fTCC1k External hard drives* - https://amzn.to/40SbXOe Hollyland Lark M2 Wireless Lavalier Microphone* - https://amzn.to/48OMLdy Edited using Final Cut Pro - https://www.apple.com/uk/final-cut-pro/ Edited using Final Cut Pro on an iPad - https://www.apple.com/uk/final-cut-pr... Edited on an iPad Air M3* - https://amzn.to/4mKl1gF Social Media 🦋 - https://bsky.app/profile/nbgreywagtai... Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome and Overview 01:40 - Chimney Cleaning - Refleks Diesel Stove 02:40 - Cleaning the Refleks Stove - how to take it apart 06:11 - Checking Coolant - Refleks Stove 06:39 - Using a hydrometer to check antifreeze - Refleks Stove and Webasto 08:20 - Checking radiators on a narrowboat 09:04 - Checking general pipe work on a narrowboat 09:25 - Cleaning the fuel filter on a Refleks Stove 11:57 - Cleaning the Boatsman's Stove Chimney 13:00 - Cleaning the Boatsman Cabin Stove 14:12 - Webasto Heater - cleaning the fuel filter 19:49 - Starting the Webasto Heater post filter clean 23:20 - Boat safety checks - smoke alarm, CO detector, gas alarm 23:55 - Fire extinguisher check - including gauge check 25:26 - External Electrics check and gas locker check 26:11 - Wrap-up and Summary #narrowboat #canallife #boatlife #narrowboatmaintenance #winterising #winterisation #webasto #dieselstove #boatinguk #liveaboard #ukcanals #canalboating #boattips #offgridliving