moisture control

S

sebagoman007

New Member
Oct 6, 2006
352
Ipswich, MA & Sebago Lake, ME
No matter what we do in the fall, every spring when we unwrap the boat there’s a significant amount of mildew in the cabin. We use the dessicant moisture absorbers which are clearly working, but the ugly black spots persist. I’m sure that the moisture is due to the way we use the boat in the summer (bathing-suit boating), carpets get damp from wet suits, condensation from humid air and the relatively cool water temps, and therefore hull temps and so on. It never gets thoroughly dry before layup time. I’m thinking that some sort of forced ventilation under the shrink wrap might help. Since I don’t have 120 VAC in the winter, I was thinking about a DC “muffin†fan from a computer, installed in the porthole in the head. Power would come from one of those flexible solar cells the sailboat guys use to charge their batteries while at sea. I’d hang the panel on the shrink wrap on the sunny side of the boat, ensuring the fan would run for a few hours each day. By leaving the head door and the companionway open a crack, it would draw air from under the cover, into the cabin and overboard. Is this a completely cockamamie idea, or do you think it would work? Does anyone else have this problem and, if so, what have you done to alleviate it? I welcome your thoughts and experiences. I can’t be the only one with a moldy boat…………

Thanks!

Bill
 
Hmmm. . . doesn't your shrink wrap have vents?

This is one primary reason that I tarp my boat, instead of Shrink Wrapping. Even replacing the Tarp every year, it is FAR cheaper than shrink wrapping. (The other reason, of course, is that I can still get access to the boat over the winter).

The other thing I do is remove EVERYTHING that is not bolted down from the boat. Life jackets, tool kits, cushions. Of course. . . space in the HOUSE becomes a minor issue after I do this. . .
 
Just remove all carpeting and cushions from the boat before lay-up and store them somewhere dry. I usually professionally clean them and after thoroughly drying them, store them in a cedar closet in the dehumidified basement.
 
comsnark,

It does indeed have vents. Since I store it in ME, and I live in MA, access over the winter isn't an issue for me. There usually isn't much of any mildew in the cockpit, only down in the cabin.

I too remove everything that I can, but the cabin carpet is glued down, and most of the cushions are permanently attached to the hull.

jg300da,

I do the same with my cockpit carpets. Wish the cabin ones came out that easily.........

Bill
 
Bill,

Been using this system for years, and the last boat I had surveyed at 9 years old, the surveyor could not believe the freshness of the cabin, considering the age.

Try to put the boat away dry, and vacuum just before covering.
Any water, in the sump, is sponged and dried.
We remove all cushions, and mattresses, and stand them upright, still in the cabin, for ventilation. We open all cabinet doors, head door, drawers, floor hatches, ...anything possible.
We also stand the cockpit cushions upright, in the cockpit.
When it is shrink wrapped, make sure there are plenty of vents, high and low, so that a venturi effect is realized. It is best if the boat is stored in the sun, so that warm air will rise and escape. Let the winter sun work for you. We have her shrink wrapped to the waterline to protect the unpainted fiberglass.
Because of the size of the cabin in our present boat, we use 4 of the moisture absorber desiccants, as sold by West Marine. We do not buy cheap ones from Christmas Tree Shop, as, while they may be the same, we don't want to chance it, as you only have one shot to do it right. Set them around and about inside the cabin, and put each inside a cheap kitchen sink dish pan in order to collect any water runoff and not stain carpets.
Leave the cabin door open, so that it ventilates into the cockpit.
It's amazing how warm it can get inside even during the winter, and the natural venturi will keep your cabin pretty dry.
 
Thanks for the detailed response, Steve.

I've forwarded this along to my yard guy for his thoughts. Although my cockpit cushions are all fixed, I can still do a lot of this. My guy uses dark (blue) shrinkwrap which should only make things warmer. (In fact, the higher temp. might contribute to the mildew, hmm.....) He also builds a steeply piched frame, like an A-frame house for the shrink wrap. If we ventilate the peak well the chimney effect ought ventilate things nicely. We'll find out in about 11 months, I guess!

Thanks again,

Bill
 
You could leave it open. :grin:

Or, wipe it out well and put an open pan of fresh charcoal briquets inside. The charcoal should absorb the relatively small amount of remaining moisture. My mother does something like this when she "summerizes" her Florida house in the spring before heading north. Works for her...........

Bill
 
I used two Happy's Air Dryers (one in cabin, one in cockpit), a BoatSafe bilge heater in the engine room and sprayed mildew guard on carpets. The Happy's are great and very effective!
 
T-bird:

I leave my frig and ice maker doors open to keep that down. Also, dry out the catch trays on each.

M
 
The absolute best way to store is inside heated storage. Next best is inside cold. Outside is tough on boats. Clean and dry is a must as well.
 
We did most of what other people have already suggested with great results. We did use Christmas Tree shop de-humidifier "salts"and West marine equivalent with equal results. Also used a spray mildew preventer that we purchased at West Marine. Sprayed it on surface of carpets, curtains, surfaces, etc. Wiped interior of cabinets and drawers with it (didn't want to risk direct spraying). Left most cabinets open and brought V berth mattress home. It worked great, even with outside, shrink wrapped New England storage. Any place that helps with indoor allergies also has similar sprays. We hope for heated indoor storage this winter, but were glad that all was well this spring. Good luck.
 
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