Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

What's the best method for preventing mildew during storage? My boat is under a cover and under a carport without sides, so rain can seep through under the rail just above the deck and through the small opening on the cover where it goes around my bimini supports. This is only on one side, but the carpet on the outside of the front corners or the back inset for the battery in front of the transom can also get wet if the wind blows hard enough the right way.

A friend has said they spray lysol on everything just prior to covering it which sounds really easy, but I'm not so sure. I thought about a dehumidifier, but with it technically outside, I'm afraid it would be overtaxed. I am also thinking about those tubs with moisture absorbent in them but am afrid I would have to change them too often. I also thought about little packs of dessicant scattered about but didn't know how long that would last either. I am in Alabama so you know it will be humid some days.

Also, is there something I can put along the side where the rain will seep under the edge (I assume the carpet will touch and drag a little of it in frequently) to keep this from happening?

Thanks. I'm glad to have found this forum and am looking forward to learning from your experiences.

If I lived as far south as you do living in Alabama, I'm sure there would be times I'd want to utilize my boat all year long. As such not to make it to big of a pain to use on those occasional nice winter days I'd try improvising additional protection that would be easy to remove and still protect the boat and your investment.

You state you've got a carport to store her under and that should protect it from the majority of the elements. Maybe you should consider purchasing an additional tarp. Lay your bimini top down flat on your mooring cover and it's supports, and then cover the entire boat with an additional tarp that large enough to cover to below the fencing and rub rails. You can then tie milk jugs or whatever on the gourmet's as weight to hold the tarp in place. This should give you total protection and still allow the boat to breath some.

I have the same problem as you boat covered under a carport and mildew. I have yet to be able to stop it at all everywhere the top touches the seat tops forms mildew on the seats. The carpet gets it around seat bases and console base. I have figured out not enought air circulation.

try a bucket of charcoal as charcoal will attract the water into itself

Yep I do charcoal and dryer sheets for critters and bugs! Mine looked fantastic in March when we cracked her open.

Thanks for the tips. Anybody else have ideas?

Oh, do you have to change out the charcoal monthly or at any time?

I forgot to add that I was also considering a box fan or smaller fan blowing continuously as someone posted about air circulation.

Before we built our big barn I covered the cover with a plastic tarp that covered past the side rails. With the read entry I could still get air flow to keep it ftom molding very bad. I think the fan is a great idea as that is what we still use when boat is covered. I set it in the rear door and let it flow.

Unfortunately, I do not have rear entry and in fact have an almost blocked off area with 2 fishing chairs in the back, which will probably require a second smaller fan to ensure airflow, but at least fans aren't that expensive.

I don't change the charcoal at all. I put a hole in the bucket the first year, thinking I didn't want it to fill up. I changed my mind on this since the charcoal (water) would stain the carpet. Never been an issue...

Our boat sits on a lift all year round. We have good luck with cleaning the seats in the fall, then sealing them with UV protectant. We usually put an old sheet over the seats after we seal them. Any mold or mildew comes off very easy, similiar to a normal cleaning. We have friends nearby that do not do this and end up spending a day cleaning theirs in the spring.

STEVEBRENDA wrote:Our boat sits on a lift all year round. We have good luck with cleaning the seats in the fall, then sealing them with UV protectant. We usually put an old sheet over the seats after we seal them. Any mold or mildew comes off very easy, similiar to a normal cleaning. We have friends nearby that do not do this and end up spending a day cleaning theirs in the spring.

Welcome to the best pontoon site. how you been? good to see you here

I have been lurking in the back ground. I was a member before, but I could never lgo in under my old uername/password. I have contacted the mods, but never heard a response, so I was content to just lurk. Glad I did, if nothing else there are alot of cool "smilies" on this forum when you submit a post.

I never got a message from you, otherwise I would have fixed your old account...