Scott Shemtoff | How To Prepare Your Boat For The Winter | Tom Rowland Podcast Ep. 380

Scott Shemtoff, a representative of Empire Covers who attended the University of Miami, joins the Tom Rowland Podcast to break down the critical steps for winterizing and protecting your boat from UV damage, salt air, and environmental debris. Whether you're in the Florida Keys facing year-round sun exposure or preparing for a cold-weather shutdown in northern climates, Scott reveals why battery maintenance can actually kill your batteries if done wrong, how the wrong boat cover fabric can cost you thousands in upholstery damage, and the surprising new mooring cover system that lets you secure your boat while it's still in the water. This episode answers the most common winterization questions from the TRP audience with actionable advice you can use this season.

Why Battery Maintenance Can Destroy Your Investment

Tom opens the episode with a warning that surprises many boat owners: you can actually kill your batteries by trying to maintain them. The key is understanding exactly what type of batteries you have before implementing any winterization or storage strategy. Lithium batteries require a completely different approach than traditional lead acid batteries, and mixing up the protocols can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars in premature battery replacement. Tom uses Lithium Pros batteries and explains his specific process for long-term storage, but emphasizes that every manufacturer has different specifications. Scott confirms that this is one of the most overlooked aspects of boat storage, especially for seasonal boaters who assume all batteries need the same treatment. The full battery maintenance breakdown starts at 02:54.

The Florida Keys Problem: When Sun is Your Biggest Enemy

While northern boaters worry about freezing temperatures and ice damage, Tom explains that Florida Keys boat owners face a different destroyer: relentless UV exposure combined with salt air. This combination will wreck upholstery, fade teak, destroy electronics, and age a boat years in just months of exposure. Tom and Scott discuss why even boats stored in covered boat barns still need protection—because unless you're on the top rack, you're getting rust stains, grease, and debris from the boats above you raining down constantly. The surprising revelation is that many boat owners think they're protecting their investment by using rack storage, only to pull their boat out and find it covered in rust stains and environmental damage. Scott explains how the sun beats down on boats even in cold weather northern climates, making UV protection critical regardless of geography. The Keys-specific protection strategies start at 04:21.

Decoding Denier: How to Choose the Right Boat Cover Fabric

Scott breaks down what most boat owners don't understand about cover fabrics: denier measurement and why it matters for your specific situation. Empire Covers offers marine-grade polyester in 150, 300, 600, and 1,200 denier options, and Scott explains that the denier measures the thickness of the threads woven into the fabric. But here's the strategy most people miss—you might actually want two different covers. A lighter 150 or 300 denier cover for daily use when you're parking under trees or doing short-term storage, and a heavy-duty 1,200 denier cover for winter or long-term outdoor storage. The lighter fabrics are significantly easier to handle on a large boat, potentially making the difference between being able to cover your boat solo versus needing help every time. Scott reveals that all their covers are treated with UV protection regardless of denier, but the heavier fabrics provide more durability for harsh conditions. The complete denier guide starts at 09:23.

The New Mooring Cover System That Changes Everything

Scott reveals Empire Covers' newest product launching the week after this recording: a mooring cover with a nylon rope ratchet system that allows boaters to put the cover on while the boat is still in the water. This solves a major problem for boat owners who keep their boats on lifts, dock at marinas, or stop at waterfront restaurants and bars during extended trips. The traditional strap system requires throwing straps under the boat, which is impossible when you're tied to a dock or sitting on a lift. The new mooring cover still includes the traditional strap system for trailering on highways, making it a true two-in-one solution. Scott explains this has been one of their most requested products, particularly from customers who want to protect their boats in rack storage facilities where the boat never leaves the water. The application for boat barn storage is particularly interesting—you can cover your boat at the dock before the forklift picks it up, protecting against all the rust and grease from boats above you without the hassle of traditional under-boat straps. The mooring cover reveal starts at 20:06.

Final Thoughts from Tom

This conversation with Scott came at the perfect time. We've been getting tons of questions from the audience about winterization, and honestly, battery maintenance is something I see people screw up all the time. The lithium battery protocol is completely different from lead acid, and if you don't know what you've got, you can literally kill a perfectly good battery trying to maintain it. That's an expensive mistake.

What really surprised me was Scott's insight about boat barn storage. I always thought rack storage was the gold standard for protection, but he's absolutely right—if you're not on the top rack, you're getting rust and grease raining down on your boat constantly. Even the top rack isn't immune to debris from the ceiling. A good cover is way more affordable than shrink wrapping every season, and you can reuse it year after year.

The new mooring cover system Scott talks about is legitimately smart. I've dealt with the frustration of trying to cover a boat on a lift or at a dock, and throwing straps under the hull is just not practical in those situations. If you keep your boat in rack storage or on a lift, that ratchet system is worth checking out. This episode has real actionable advice whether you're in the Keys dealing with year-round sun or up north preparing for a hard winter. Listen to the whole thing—it'll save you money and headaches.