I have always taken all of the interior and exterior cushions home for winter storage in fear of mildew damage. Some of my friends do the same, others leave them on board. The amount of work to move the volume of the cushions on a 40' boat is great and I would love to avoid the task. However, if the risk of damage is significent, then I have no choice. I have a full cover that envelopes the boat like a tent so that I can leave ports open for ventilation. What do you do and if you leave them aboard, do you take any steps to protect them? Special ventilation? Moisture absorbing pellets? Any disasters? I am located in Mystic, CT where winters are moderate.
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Ken Palmer
Leave them on-board
My wife refuses to let me bring home the cushions. I have done it in the past, but last year I let her win the battle. I propped up all the cushions, opened up all the cabinets and storage areas, and put in a couple large buckets of water absorbing pellets. I left one port open, and covered the boat with blue plastic to keep the snow off the top. This spring there was absolutely no mildew damage or any other signs of problems. Now the wife is saying "I told you so". Good luck. Ken Palmer S/V Liberty Rochester, NY
My wife refuses to let me bring home the cushions. I have done it in the past, but last year I let her win the battle. I propped up all the cushions, opened up all the cabinets and storage areas, and put in a couple large buckets of water absorbing pellets. I left one port open, and covered the boat with blue plastic to keep the snow off the top. This spring there was absolutely no mildew damage or any other signs of problems. Now the wife is saying "I told you so". Good luck. Ken Palmer S/V Liberty Rochester, NY
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Bob Zolczer
Leave them aboard
I live in Milford, CT. I leave them aboard my 29.5. I do use a small thermostatic heater; open all cupboard doors and leave one vent open. I store the boat wet (I use a bubbler) and I haven't had problems for the past three years.
I live in Milford, CT. I leave them aboard my 29.5. I do use a small thermostatic heater; open all cupboard doors and leave one vent open. I store the boat wet (I use a bubbler) and I haven't had problems for the past three years.
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Ed Caro
Keep them on board
I've stored mine onboard for the past two seasons with no problems. I used 3 of the water absorbing pellet containers and also hung some mildew preventers by Star-brite around the cabin. The cushions were arranged standing around the main salon. No problems what so ever in the spring
I've stored mine onboard for the past two seasons with no problems. I used 3 of the water absorbing pellet containers and also hung some mildew preventers by Star-brite around the cabin. The cushions were arranged standing around the main salon. No problems what so ever in the spring
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Gary
No worry
I store mine (Long cold Minnesota winter) on the boat. No heater, light bulb, etc. the storge facility does not allow them. Never even considered moisture absorbing pellets. I lock the boat up as tight as possible, cover the boat with a custom canvas cover I had made and forget about it until spring. I like the cover as I have no curtains and it keeps the sunlight from fading them any worse than they already are. But I have no trouble after four years with this method.
I store mine (Long cold Minnesota winter) on the boat. No heater, light bulb, etc. the storge facility does not allow them. Never even considered moisture absorbing pellets. I lock the boat up as tight as possible, cover the boat with a custom canvas cover I had made and forget about it until spring. I like the cover as I have no curtains and it keeps the sunlight from fading them any worse than they already are. But I have no trouble after four years with this method.
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Geoff Kloster
allergy
In another forum a person wrote that he always took his cushions inand kept them in a warm dry place. He hoped to decrease the mold growth because he had allergies to mold and suffered every year when he started sleeping on the boat. One year he left them on the boat and, presto, no more allergies come next year's boating season. He hypothesized the freezing temperatures killed/disabled the mold. Trying to remember my biology from many years ago, I don't think freezing destroys spores, so perhaps his finding was an anomoly. Nevertheless, if mold bothers you it might be worth trying.
In another forum a person wrote that he always took his cushions inand kept them in a warm dry place. He hoped to decrease the mold growth because he had allergies to mold and suffered every year when he started sleeping on the boat. One year he left them on the boat and, presto, no more allergies come next year's boating season. He hypothesized the freezing temperatures killed/disabled the mold. Trying to remember my biology from many years ago, I don't think freezing destroys spores, so perhaps his finding was an anomoly. Nevertheless, if mold bothers you it might be worth trying.
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John
Mold Takes Time
For the first several years we had the boat I left the cushions on board but then one year the mold started showing up and since then I've taken them off. I'm talking about the the aft cabin and V-berth cushions because that is where the least air movement is. The important thing to know is that it takes a few years for mold to get started but once it does it is really hard to get rid of. On our H-35 which is in Puget Sound and I have one goldenrod under the engine and two round heaters (60w? ea) with no fan (to avoid a fire), one forward and one aft. The boat is partially covered (cockpit to the mast) with a plastic tarp supported by a plastic pipe rib cage with the ribs at 18" O.C. Last spring I installed a Nicro solar vent (4000?) in the forward hatch to help keep the air moving and this year I think I'll add a light in the V-berth area because this has been the worst for mold. After reading a post about the 'better' Hella fans I think I'll try this too and maybe wire them to a solar pannel (which I'd like to get); purchase is subject to the approval of the Admiral. Additionally, I don't connect the shore power to the boat to avoid electrolysis problems. The shorepower cord is run to the hatch and from there is a heavy duty short extention cord with three outlets from where I plug in the accessories.
For the first several years we had the boat I left the cushions on board but then one year the mold started showing up and since then I've taken them off. I'm talking about the the aft cabin and V-berth cushions because that is where the least air movement is. The important thing to know is that it takes a few years for mold to get started but once it does it is really hard to get rid of. On our H-35 which is in Puget Sound and I have one goldenrod under the engine and two round heaters (60w? ea) with no fan (to avoid a fire), one forward and one aft. The boat is partially covered (cockpit to the mast) with a plastic tarp supported by a plastic pipe rib cage with the ribs at 18" O.C. Last spring I installed a Nicro solar vent (4000?) in the forward hatch to help keep the air moving and this year I think I'll add a light in the V-berth area because this has been the worst for mold. After reading a post about the 'better' Hella fans I think I'll try this too and maybe wire them to a solar pannel (which I'd like to get); purchase is subject to the approval of the Admiral. Additionally, I don't connect the shore power to the boat to avoid electrolysis problems. The shorepower cord is run to the hatch and from there is a heavy duty short extention cord with three outlets from where I plug in the accessories.
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