Kitty Litter in the cabin to absorb moisture?

[Z-Worthy]

This is my first winter with our "big" boat, and also my first winter in heated storage. My father stores his sailboat in heated storage, so I'm familiar with some of the steps required to maintain diesel fuel quality and general maintenance. But what does everyone do to keep the moisture down in the cabin? Everyone's been on a boat that smelled "musty" in the spring, and that smell never really comes out of mattresses and carpet and things of that sort. My father uses a few pounds of kitty litter layed out in big shallow rubbermaid containers, but he also doesn't have any carpet and he removes most cushions.

What does everyone else do to cut down on moisture during their winter layup?

 

[Dieseljeff]

Winter layup? Wat Dat?

When my boat was kept outside, I had a 65 pint De-humidifier that drained into the galley sink. The humidity level was adjustable.
A little over kill? Maybe but IMHO, it worked killer!



Jeff

 

[PMC]

Around our parts, moisture bags do the trick without any musty smells. I've heard of the DIY mix of kitty litter and rock salt in an open container. Never tried, but suspect it works fine.

Dehumidifier in a freezing climate would be a no go for me.

 

[Lazy Daze]

A few years ago, I bought a 15lb bag of desiccant (the stuff in moisture bags and those little white packets that you find in some packaged goods) at a craft store (they use it to dry flowers). I might have paid $10-$20 TOPS.

Agree - dripping water from a dehumidifier is OK in Florida, but wouldn't be advisable in Ohio.

 

[MancaveII]

All of the above, and to maintain a fresh smell and prevent spiders...dryer sheets. I swear by them...someone told me years ago and I throw a bunch around the interior of the boat and makes it all smell great the entire winter.

 

[The Bill Collector]

a couple of these works great.....
http://www.fisheriessupply.com/ironwood-pacific-drywave-air-dryer-1-000-cu-ft-model-015-1

 

[JimFromMD]

Here in the mid-atlantic I use 2-3 of the medium sized "damp rid" buckets. I put one in the galley sink, one in the head sink, and one in the cockpit sink. I also either prop open the refrigerators so that they are dehumified or put one of the small plastic dehumidifier packet trays in each. WM sells all of the above. Have never had a problem.

I do put them in the sink and stabilize them with a rag/towel just incase the plastic tub cracks with frozen water. I have never had it happen, but I'd rather it drain into the sink than into the carpet or a cushion. I learned that lesson from a friend who had one knock over on a cushion while the boat was being blocked. The some of the desecant material dissolved in the water it collected. When it soaked into the cushion and dried they thought no big deal.... Then all summer, they had a moist spot in that cushion where the desecant was in the foam. It colledted summer humidity from the just like it's supposed to!

 

[HUMPH]

Damp Rid is the ticket! You can get it at Home Depot or Walmart. We like to use the ones that hang on a clothes rod but the smaller buckets work great in cabinets that have no rods. Made a huge difference when we started using them.

 

[AFD]

i use damp rid buckets. 3 of them, also spread dryer sheets around to smell nice in the spring. never noticed bugs so i guess it must be the dryer sheets keeping them at bay although i never thought about it..

once the spring arrives but before launch time, my dehumidifyer goes in and dumps into the head floor. also how i test and rinse out my shower sump. my boat smells great all year. i bring the dehumidifyer to the marina a couple times during the nasty parts of summer though because i dont have ac to keep moisture down.

 

[SloBurn]

Kitty litter will attract strays ,

just use the Damp Rid and dryer sheets.

 

[RollerCoastr]

It probably goes without saying, but you want to get rid of the moisture in the first place:

Make sure the condensate trays are dry
Wet-Vac the sumps, and either remove the check valve to empty the discharge hose first or put the vacuum at the through-hull
Make sure the toilets are dry
Defrost and prop-open the fridge ahead of time so it can dry out
Change the beam vacuum bag
Allow the holds and areas under the seats to get air