How bad is rain water in boat?

[taylorchix28]

Re: How bad is rain water in boat?

I remember when i was younger my family boat had a pool of water in it from rain. unknown to my busy parents, the water led to mold and mildew. it cost thousands to fix and the boat was never the same. it stank so bad and we definitely learned our lesson. no with our boat, we really jack the front of the trailer way up (even on cinder blocks) and leave the plug out.

Oh, once i forgot to put the plug back in the boat at the lake. after trolling around for a few minutes, we noticed a small pool in the back of our boat then we idled to the shore and put it in (really hard to do in the water with a rear deck!). needless to say, i wont do that again! lol

a.t.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: How bad is rain water in boat?

I learned from my gulf coast wooden boat buddies not to worry too much about taking on fresh water in the hull. Just pull the drain plugs as nomal and put several handfulls of ordinary rock salt in the areas that get wet. The fungus that causes dry rot can't stand salty water. My wooden hulled steamer has salt boxes nailed between the ribs under the deck. Since using rock salt, I have stopped using chemicals like cuprinol and had no rot problems.

I guess the old timers knew how to stop dry rot cold! The downside of this treatment is that it can cause your trailer to rust faster if the drain water is allowed to contact the trailer stringers and the runoff can kill your grass if it is allowed to collect in pools. I have a gravel drive so it is no problem. Where I lived previously I had a system that sent the runoff to the storm sewer where it was tested to be far less that the runnoff from salting our streets for the ice.

 

[Marcq]

Re: How bad is rain water in boat?

My wooden hulled steamer has salt boxes nailed between the ribs under the deck. Since using rock salt, I have stopped using chemicals like cuprinol and had no rot problems.

What is rock salt and where do you buy that stuff ?

Thanks, Marc..

 

[DRIFTER_016]

Re: How bad is rain water in boat?

What is rock salt and where do you buy that stuff ?

Thanks, Marc..

Marc
It's the salt you use to melt snow with.
Buy it at any hardware store.
Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Ace Hardware.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: How bad is rain water in boat?

Marc
It's the salt you use to melt snow with.
Buy it at any hardware store.
Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Ace Hardware.

It is also used when making homemade ice cream! Used to crank for hours on Memorial Day weekend.

Sorry, old guy stuff.

 

[Dakota47]

Re: How bad is rain water in boat?

(rock salt)its also used in water softenrs,,,

 

[DallasJeff]

Re: How bad is rain water in boat?

The best simple solution I've seen is a PVC frame placed under the boat cover. Make two A-frames of the proper height, one for the bow and one for the stern. Maybe add a third A-frame for the center depending on the length of boat. Then add a long PVC pipe that runs the length connecting the apex of each A-frame. Then put the tarp over that. Makes a nice tent that sheds water off the sides. Of course the cover should be waterproof.

PVC pipe and connectors are cheap, less than ten bucks to make and the joints disassemble easily.

 

[sturdavj]

Re: How bad is rain water in boat?

No question it's great for wood. I have seen 50+ year old ice houses and the wood framing that has came in contact with the salt looked and wore like iron.

I am getting ready to re-floor/benches/deck = (plywood) a Kalamth fishing boat.

Any thoughts as to what rock salt might do long term to aluminum hulls/stringers ?

I have seen what it does to concrete?

 

[bds85466]

Re: How bad is rain water in boat?

I've found that if you're looking for cheap collapse-able poles, there's cheapy shower curtain rods which extend by twisting them. You can get em at like target or walmart (fleet farm anyone?) I've got one under my bow cover and one under my stern cover for those dead spots that the cover can't seem to shed water from. Also, keeping that cover waterproofed is a good idea I think.

 

[dingbat]

Re: How bad is rain water in boat?

Is it bad to get a boat wet????????? ROTFLMAO

Rain is bad for floating family rooms. Boats could give a darn.