Thoughts on winter dust cover

[Donald0039]

So my boat in Delaware is stored on a rack all year long. Inside a huge building. I have a new Sunbrella conv top.

Previous years before I had a working conv top, I put a loose blue tarp over the boat mainly to keep our dust or bird poop for the winter. Not for snow or rain as it's inside.

I would like to leave the Sunbrella top up and just lay the blue tarp over it.

My only concern is the blue tarp touching the Sunbrella. Will mold or mildew form on the areas where there is contact between the two materials.

Blue tarp will come off in April.

Thoughts or concerns?

 

[Texasmark]

Canvas covers, tarps, and tents work because the stitching is tight enough to block water molecules from entering yet allow high humidity air to escape. Condensation usually occurs when you have sharp temperature changes over a short period and a high humidity situation and the body that develops/contains condensate can't change temperature as fast as the air....like a steel object for example. If you have a means for this moisture laden air to exit then you have no condensate buildup and no reason for mold or mildew again if the area can change temperature relatively fast. If you don't you don't and expect it.

One example of too slow to change are farm tractor tires that are partially filled with fluid. The (top) part of the tire that is air filled follows the temp change and there is no condensation buildup. The lower part of the tire containing the liquid can't change temperature that fast and you have a distinct change where the two areas meet easily identifying how full the tire is of fluid.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would get some cheap king sized sheets and cover the boat since its inside with no wind or rain, just dive-bombing turd rats

 

[Scott Danforth]

another thought. I have an RV cover on the travel trailer that breaths and keeps the UV rays from baking it. these are basically a big box shaped cover. Got it on Amazon for about $100 a while back.

 

[Donald0039]

another thought. I have an RV cover on the travel trailer that breaths and keeps the UV rays from baking it. these are basically a big box shaped cover. Got it on Amazon for about $100 a while back.

Won't the typical blue tarp breathe?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Won't the typical blue tarp breathe?

No.

 

[Jeff J]

The sheets recommended above should work good inside the building. It makes a huge difference on stuff I cover that doesn’t get used often in the shop.

 

[redneck joe]

Goodwill and buy sheets.

 

[dingbat]

I keep my boat in my barn not far from you. Tried everything over the years.
Gave up and just pull a trap (loose) over the hardtop as a dust cover and call it good.

The problem is not condensation, it's the humidity. The extreme temperate fluctuations that promote condensation during layover are few and far between given the proximity to the coast. Happens maybe 2-3 times a winter to the point that water is running down the outside of hull from 50-100 gallons of now cold fuel stored in the tank.

The high humidity is what gets you. Unless you shrink wrap the boat, you will have mold and mildew issues come Spring. Doesn't matter, covered or uncovered, your always going have some level of mold or mildew in the Spring.

If boating in saltwater, the one thing I've found over the years to reduce growth is to wash the boat down really well prior to winterization. It greatly reduces the amount of mold you have to deal with come Spring. Guessing the nutrients in salt water promote mold growth.

 

[Donald0039]

The boat is a 27' Chapparal with small cabin. I put Damp Rid buckets in the cabin.

I have covered the boat for several years with a blue tarp that was loosely tied mainly so it would not blow off. No issues. Convertible top was not on the boat. Needed a new one and did not get around to it for a few years.

If I cover the boat again with the blue tarp there will be an area where the tarp and Sunbrella are in contact. That's my concern.

I see breathable tarps on Amazon. I think they are mesh.

Or just put sheets over the seats. And wash the boat in the spring.

 

[dingbat]

Convertible top was not on the boat. Needed a new one and did not get around to it for a few years.

If I cover the boat again with the blue tarp there will be an area where the tarp and Sunbrella are in contact.

Had a full enclose on last boat. No problem keeping a tarp on over the winter.

A “breathable” tarp is an oxymoron

 

[Donald0039]

Had a full enclose on last boat. No problem keeping a tarp on over the winter.

A “breathable” tarp is an oxymoron

I think the breathable tarp seems to be more of a mesh.

 

[airshot]

If you have power, add a fan inside your boat to keep air moving. Even with my boat stored in my barn, I keep a 10" fan running to move air, it only costs pennies to operate, much less than a bottle of mildew remover !
Neighbor has a barn with no electricity and uses his boats battery to run a small 12v fan. Swaps out the battery for another about once a week, takes the other to his garage to recharge. I keep telling him to run an extension cord, would be much easier on his back !

 

[redneck joe]

If you have power, add a fan inside your boat to keep air moving. Even with my boat stored in my barn, I keep a 10" fan running to move air, it only costs pennies to operate, much less than a bottle of mildew remover !
Neighbor has a barn with no electricity and uses his boats battery to run a small 12v fan. Swaps out the battery for another about once a week, takes the other to his garage to recharge. I keep telling him to run an extension cord, would be much easier on his back !

Tell him to buy a solar panel

 

[Donald0039]

Tell him to buy a solar panel

It's inside a building so no sun and no power. Battery switches off. Given there might be 10,000 gallons of gas among 300 boats they want to really reduce the chance of fire.

There is a huge tank outside maybe 50 feet tall and 50 in diameter of water or maybe water & foam to use for fire fighting.