How long for mildew to form?

[jkust]

So I am in Minnesota and my Chaparral fiberglass bowrider has been in the shop in line waiting to get winterized for about 10 days now. In those 10 days we have had several inches of snow and a couple inches of rain with another 3/4 of an inch of rain on the way. It has a snap down mooring cover on it. I am certain some water has penetrated by now especially where the cover directly touches the sunpad. Temperatures have been from the low 20's to about 60 F. My question is can mildew or mold have formed on the seats or on the cover in this amount of time with those temps? I have about another week in line before it is ready. I feel like I am neglecting the boat by this point.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: How long for mildew to form?

That sucks. Over the summer my boat got a terrible mildew coating inside under the cover in just 2 weeks. However it was really hot an humid then. If you have access, I'd go check it out.

Also, please update your profile with your location. Even though you listed what the temps have been...my instinct was still to look to see where you are located to determine how big a problem you've got. Congrats on your iboats promotion

 

[jkust]

Re: How long for mildew to form?

Ok well, I went over the the shop to check on the boat. I think they thought I was crazy for checking up on it after two weeks. But since we have had rain or snow every other day I just had to. So many of the newer bowriders on the lot waiting were just so beat and neglected I was suprised. It looks like the Taylor Made snap down cover did a reasonable job considering it had several inches of snow on it recently. The indented area around the ski storage cover was filled to the rim with water so clearly water got in from the front and ran back. That is the area that is supposed to drain into the overboard drainage system but because it was on a dirt field, the boat wasn't completely level so it couldn't do it's job. The seats were all dry with no hint of moisture or mildew and I wiped up a few puddles on the sole. I will have to re-spray the cover with some waterproofer during the off season.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: How long for mildew to form?

waiting to get winterized ... Temperatures have been from the low 20's to about 60 F...

I'd be MUCH more concerned about those two statements than I would have been with any mold! Yikes!

 

[RWilson2526]

Re: How long for mildew to form?

Yea, thats what worried me too.....I would hope that a place that has that many boats to winterize is experienced enough to at least drain the water out of the blocks until they get to it....

 

[jkust]

Re: How long for mildew to form?

Yea, thats what worried me too.....I would hope that a place that has that many boats to winterize is experienced enough to at least drain the water out of the blocks until they get to it....

I hope so too. I dropped it off the eve of the first 20 degree reading. If you drop it off after the first low temp they apparently charge you to verify that the block didn't crack and you aren't looking to scam the shop. When I dropped it off then, they told me that they drain the block right away and get to the winterizing maintaince as your number comes up. My thought is that I dropped it off a few hours before closing and just before those cold temps came in. They would have had to jump in the boat and drain the block practically as I left. I would really hate to summarize it next season to find a cracked block. Funny thing it has been snowing and raining again all day today again. There is a guy advertising here that will show you how to winterize and actually provide all the supplies for $120. I may just do that next year. I feel a little like an idiot for not knowing how to winterize my own boat. I've got two hands just like the guys at the shop so to me it is just silly not to learn to do it myself.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: How long for mildew to form?

I feel a little like an idiot for not knowing how to winterize my own boat. I've got two hands just like the guys at the shop so to me it is just silly not to learn to do it myself.

Don't feel like an idiot, just learn how to do it. It's not hard at all.

 

[jkust]

Re: How long for mildew to form?

Finally got my boat back yesterday. Almost a month to get it winterized. What really bugs me are the two small scratches in the transom gelcoat. This will be the last time I get it professionally done but the cover did its job which says a lot after our 5th wettest October on record.

 

[coastalcruiser]

Re: How long for mildew to form?

Almost a month to get it winterized. What really bugs me are the two small scratches in the transom gelcoat.

You can probably do the winterizing in one day instead of waiting a month!
Check out the engine section on this forum and download the manual for your engine.
The real issue here is doing it right, I recommend you have someone show you how the first time, write down the procedure in your log book

Reason why we get mildew is when you put a cover over your boat it wont let the air circulate.
The moisture becomes trapped. The best thing imo is to cover the boat with a carport or tarp but leave the ends open so that air can pass through. The sun will turn a damp boat into a bacterial culture. so thats where the ventilation helps.