Storage of items during the winter?

[star302]

Hi,
First a thank you to all for being so helpful with information. Being new boat owners, it seems there are always questions. We live in CT and have winterized the boat we just purchased. Our concern is keeping the interior must and mold free during the winter months. We have a fairclough cover on it, not shrink wrapped. We have thought about removing mattresses and bringing them home for the winter. We just want to do whatever possible to keep the boat free of must/mold, given we have allergies...Thank you for any help and advice!

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Your cover will allow some ventilation as long as you keep some windows/hatches cracked open. It isn't necessary to cart all that stuff home if you use some common sense by picking up the mattresses, opening cabinets, clean the interior and remove any standing water.
When we had our boat in RI, we used to place canisters of calcium carbonate as a dessicant in each cabin to absorb some of the ambient moisture and renew it monthly.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

We have thought about removing mattresses and bringing them home for the winter. We just want to do whatever possible to keep the boat free of must/mold, given we have allergies...Thank you for any help and advice!

If possible, I'd suggest taking all fabric items home for the winter if you have somewhere warm and dry to store them.

We've done that for 14 years since the boat was new and all fabrics are still without any odour.

 

[Rich Stidger]

I subscribe to Don S/V Illusion's method. After hauling and cleaning the bilge, I wet-vac out all the water in the bilge and shower sumps. I open all cabinets, and prop-up all the cushions.

I also have a Fairclough cover, but I don't keep any hatches cracked open. I've always thought that leaving a hatch open would let in more moist air.

But what I do that removes several gallons of water over the spring months, is to set out seven buckets of calcium chloride. Calcium chloride is the white pellet stuff that is used for ice melting on sidewalks. A 40# bag will last for 5-6 years in a sealed container. When you buy it be sure that you are getting pure calcium chloride and not the mix with common salt that is cheaper. Then go to your local dollar store and buy seven plastic buckets and seven plastic colanders that will fit onto the top of the buckets. Place the buckets around the cabins and place 2-3 cups of the calcium chloride into each colander. The calcium chloride will absorb the moisture in the air and the water will drip into the buckets. Check pictures below-

 

[Solstice]

I also have a Fairclough and pretty much do what has been mentioned here. My mattresses and big cushions are impractical for me to remove. I used to prop them up, but I use Hypervent under the mattresses year round and use the cheap closed cell pipe installation noodles under the other cushions. You can buy a 4-pack for $2.50 at the big box stores and they are great for putting under remaining cushions.
The one item that I've never been clear about is whether to leave a couple of hatches cracked open?? It's really the shoulder seasons I worry about where the dew point is very high and the temp swings great. The dead of winter is usually a non-issue with very little RH. Even though the dessicants pretty much stop working below 45 degrees, I do find them useful in Fall/Spring, but often wondered if they are just absorbing moisture from the atmosphere if I leave the hatches cracked open. I can't plug in on the hard, so my dehumidifier is not an option. Any thoughts on whether to close up or ventilate??

 

[Rich Stidger]

I still think that a cracked hatch will just let in moisture. A dehumidifier will not work very much below 50 degrees, so being able to plug on in is not a real advantage.

Now having ventilation under the cover is a good thing because it eliminates the condensation on the deck that promote black mold. A Fairclough cover breathes fairly well but shrink wrap requires a few of the clam-shell vents.

My experience with the calcium chloride buckets is that most of the moisture is collected in the Spring.

 

[Sailm8]

When we lived up North and had to winterize, some people swore by open trays of mothballs. Supposed to fight mold/mildew/mice.

 

[quadrille38]

We live in Michigan and have been winter storing a boat for over 25 years.
I have never and wouldn't leave a hatch open. Too easy for driving rain to potentially enter, especially if something were to happen to the cover (rip perhaps). Besides the boats are not air tight anyway. There's air infiltration at the companionway, the cowel vent, and the engine compartment exhaust blower which vents the bilge just to name a few places.

A dehumidifier is a bad idea. A fire hazard and most yards would never let you leave one plugged in and running even if it did work.

We had all new fabric on our cushions a fee years ago and we talked to the company that recovered them about winter. Their recommendation was to prop them up for good air flow, make sure their are no water leaks anywhere, and they will as long as they are dry be fine. Once the air turns really cold it's quite dry.

The dehumidifier pellets are a good safety net as long as you make sure they have ample room for the accumulated water.

With my Catalina 34 the first few years we owned her I used to bring the cushions home. But then decided that there was more risk of dirt / damage in hauling them back and forth and I stopped doing it. With our Hunter 38, there are just too many cushions and the queen mattress to even think about it. The whole bunch won't fit in my truck and I'd be looking at maybe 2 to 3 trips for the whole bunch.