Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

New to Pontoons. Just bought a new Manitou 26ft SHP tritoon. I notice everything we store in the storage areas is getting damp. This can't be normal can it?

Even the storage area under the dash is damp. Any help appreciated.

Where is your boat when you aren't using it? Is it covered? What type of cover? Is the cover vented?

When things get swampy in my seat bases I just prop the cushions up on a piece of pool noodle to let it breathe.
The hollow armrests are always wet & smelly inside though.

Thanks. good idea. We also got some of those moisture absorbing bags to hang and they got some of it from the floor tube storage.

If you're putting your boat away and things are damp, such as the floor and seats, or a life jacket, etc. and then you cover your boat with a non breathing/vented cover, things will stay pretty damp. Mold and mildew will soon set in, too.

When we are not using the boat and it is on the covered lift (uncovered boat, however), I leave the center tube floor storage door open to allow moisture to escape.

Puto wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 22, 2020 6:39 am

When we are not using the boat and it is on the covered lift (uncovered boat, however), I leave the center tube floor storage door open to allow moisture to escape.

One problem I found in our old seats was there was moisture/water in the seat bases. We drilled weep holes in the corners of the bases to allow any water to drain.
If I cover mine, (and no weather expected) I leave a side gate and the front gate open to allow air to move through. BUT -- uncovered seems as though it should dry pretty handily.

@OP: What kind of cover do you use?

I put dri-dek in all my storage areas. Lets air get under and around things in stow.
As mentioned above, never put wet stuff in closed compartments

guy48065 wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 23, 2020 5:38 pm

@OP: What kind of cover do you use?

Not sure. It is not the canvas type I'm used to. Seems breathable. Heavy rain here yesterday and the puddle of water on the cover was dripping inside. I had to crawl onto the boat to lift up and get the water off and reset the pole height so no puddles no more I hope.

I bought a 2020 Manitou last month so the cover is new but I do not know what material it is made of.

Does your cover have any vents in it? If not, I'd recommend adding 3 or 4 of these.

https://www.amazon.com/Boat-Vent-Cap-II ... B00HXITKP8

steve1313 wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 27, 2020 3:05 am

Does your cover have any vents in it? If not, I'd recommend adding 3 or 4 of these.

https://www.amazon.com/Boat-Vent-Cap-II ... B00HXITKP8

Thx. Yes the cover has vents much like those in the link.