Winter Storage - Take it all off or zip'er all up tight?

[KnotConnected]

Hello!

The Cabrio 280 went into indoor, heated storage last week. As I'm going through the fall work, pulling the batteries, cleaning it up, etc, I'm wondering if I could get people's opinion on the following. Is is better to:

1) Open up the hatch and all the port holes to get air through the boat all winter (they keep the warehouse at about ~50 degrees)

or

2) Close everything off up tight and place a bunch of damprid and StarBright Long-lasting slow-release anti-mold stuff all over the boat.

 

[airdvr1227]

As long as it's inside I'd open her up. Know that there will probably be a pretty good layer of dust accumulated next spring.

 

[Mikeopsycho]

I agree ^^^^^^^. I'd open 'er up if it was up to me, and I'd also put in an electric dehumidifier if there's power, or a 'dry Z air' unit, or something like it, if no power.

 

[JimS123]

Detail the boat - clean, wax, 303 the upholstery, etc. Keep the hatches open and cover the entire boat with a canvas cover. Canvas breathes. Add a vent in the canvas for extra protection. Come Spring the boat will be pristine.

 

[GA_Boater]

Detail the boat - clean, wax, 303 the upholstery, etc. Keep the hatches open and cover the entire boat with a canvas cover. Canvas breathes. Add a vent in the canvas for extra protection. Come Spring the boat will be pristine.

+1 The worst is some minor cleaning cuz you'll find something you missed before covering. :smile:

 

[Blind Date]

I store my SeaRay with everything thing closed up. And the cockpit cover snapped in place. I see your in WI, I'm in MN. The air is so dry in the winter that I've never had an issue with mold or dampness of any kind when storing. When I go to get it next spring, it will be dry as a bone inside and the only smell will be coming from the many bounce sheets spread around the cabin to keep the mice out. My boat sits in an exposed out building at a farm in a rural area so I keep everything shut because the floor is dirt and it's dusty.

If your in a heated building with a cement floor and don't have to worry about a lot of dust I'd probably open the port windows and the door to the cabin and leave any hatches closed. When I had my own garage with a cement floor that was nice & clean, I stored my boat w/port windows open.

So you could shut everything up without problems IMHO unless the interior of the boat is already wet/damp, but if you have the option to open it up for a little air flow, I'd do that.

 

[KnotConnected]

Thanks everyone! I have access to the heated storage warehouse, and the slackjawed yokle of a prior owner left the poor thing out in a farm field when he wasn't using it (trailered the 280 in and out every use), so there's been a ton of cleaning to do since I've owned it. We've been buffing, buffing, buffing, polishing polishing and waxing every winter, so I keep it pretty opened up. I've just always noticed the cabin seems to irritate my eyes and throat while we're in there in winter and in spring until we mold-bomb it (which seems to work) , so I wasn't sure if there was a better way to go about it.