HELP WORTS NIGHTMARE

[pnichol080]

I just got a call from the marine where I have my boat in storage, and he informed me that my boat is filled with mildew and mold. The owner of the marine where I keep my boat said "when your boat was winterized they never removed the drain plug" . I am going on a trip in 10 days and this is the worst news I could get. Also when I picked my boat up from the dealership it was raining and the cover was on and the poles were not put up to hold the cover firm. It looked like a small pond on top of the cover and ran over the sides into the boat and left water in the hull of the boat which eventually molded. Maybe I'm somewhat to blame, not sure how or even if it matters. PLEASE HELP.

[zabooda]

I had a problem with my cover last winter and it leaked water in. I pulled everything out of the storage compartments opened all of the storage areas and uncovered the boat during dry days. I got to the mold and mildew early and it cleaned right off. The stock canvas boat cover lost its repellancy and the water dripped in and I'm getting a new custom cover made as we speak. I went a little too long with this cover.

[pnichol080]

My buddy just went to pick it up and called me and said it's everywhere. Also the dealership called me and said that it should not mold unless there is a mold problem inside the place I stored it. Sounds like a crock to me, the storage owner says it's the dealers fault for leaving the plug in it. The dealer says it's a mold problem at the storage place. I guess I'm on my own on this one besides the advice I'm getting from everyone which I really appreciate.

[pnichol080]

Someone please tell me what I should do.

[qb12]

listen to what diggs said over on ww.

it will clean up. just check more into the electrical and if that is all okay you should be fine with some elbow grease.

hope all works out okay...db

[zabooda]

You need to start drying out the boat. 1. Remove everything from your storage areas 2. Suck out as much water as you can with a shop vac and if your floor is saturated you may want to get a shampooer and get the mold and water at the same time 3. Clean and dry the fabric and any area that has mold. Other threads have discussed the cleaner to use. 4. Air the boat out if your days are dry and warm or get a heated storage unit and keep it opened up with a fan to dry the carpet. If that is too much work then some detailing shops may be able to do the work. Wish you the best. My opinion, I would hold off on the electrical and keep the battery disconnected until the boat is throughly dried out to allow any moisture in the stereo to dry out and if we're lucky (I'm going through the same thing) the stereo will work fine.

[smokedog2]

Well, clean then dry. Mold cleans best wet so get after it soon. Finish with Aero 303. The musty smell in the carpet will come out with the Arman Hammer pet odor stuff – that stuff is magic. Time and sun will also help the stains and smell.

My first question would be what do the other boats in the building look like? Do they have their plugs in or out? (I bet it makes no difference). I store four boats including my own in a metal building; I know I expect the owners to dry their own boat. The dealer did not remove the plug but you didn’t either. I suppose if they had and you sunk your boat it would be on them as well?

You cannot store these boats wet, plug or no plug. I never cover mine in storage except for the winter when it is completely dry – even then I drop a light bulb inside. I run a fan and when it is really bad I run a dehumidifier in the summer. I remove EVERYTHING when it is wet to get air in and dry it out – standing water in the bilge was not your problem. Damp throughout your boat from trapped humidity and a wet cover was.

My guess is that if you are in Ohio and you are talking about a marina, you drove at least three hours in the rain, popped the hitch and hauled the mail for home.

I doubt it is anything that a few hours (or more) of cleaning will not solve. Log it as a stupid tax and press on, good advice above on the electrical however. I really think pinning this on the marina or George is a reach.

SD2

[JoeTechie]

Marine Spray 9 does WONDERS on mold / mildew ! Kills it and cleans it! That plus clean water, and a good brush and your boat will look/smell spic and span in no time. Drain and vac as said above, and let the sun and breeze get everywhere. Dry is good, wet is bad.

Your cover may need a wash in one of the big coin-op washers with some lysol in the water, or use a big flat area and hose and scrub by hand.

If the mold is bad, use a mask while working till most of it is gone if you are sensitive to it.

Finish with 303 as stated above as well. That will make it look as good as new.

It will all be OK!

-Joe

[deepcove]

In the future I would recomend you alway put a couple "Dry-Z-Air" units in your boat when stored for long periods of time. These are an inexspensive moisture remover that prevent mold.

[pnichol080]

Smokedog ?, I'm not looking to put the blame on anyone although through conversations with other dealers and boat owners you always take the drain plug out when you winterize your boat. Shame on me for not checking. When my boat was picked up it was mentioned to the owner of the storage place that place I had my boat winterized thought it was a mold problem so he was happy to let my friend look at other boats in storage. None of them had a mildew problem. The only thing that upset me with the co. that winterized my boat was that the poles were not put under my cover which filled up with water and over flowed inside my boat amd left a huge stain on my cover. No I did not just drop it off at storage after I picked it up from being winterized. I used a shopvac to get the water out and let it dry a couple of days, maybe not long enough. Yes I know it is my responsibility to make sure my boat is dry before I put it away for the winter. Hey mistakes happen I made one by not fully understanding the process of winterizing my boat. I did not know there was anything I needed to do to make sure there was no water in the hull of my boat. I assumed that was taken care of lessoned learned. There is also the possibillity there was a mold problem before I bought the boat and the conditions were perfect for it to grow like wildfire. Who knows, I'm just glad it came clean.