winter layup in fl

e37duff · #1 (**permalink**) 08-12-2010

so im going away from my home for the first significant amount of time since i moved aboard 4 years ago. ive got moth balls and charcoal to keep the mold and mildew down. ive bought a bunch of that damp-rid stuff to put into bowles with hole drilled into them that are placed in the sinks to drain. im going to put bronse wool in the scuppers to keep out the mud dobers. (haul out storage) my question is what should i do about my 660 amp hour battery bank? ive got 260 watts of solar panels that can keep them topped off. should i diconnect the batteries for safety? should i keep them plugged into the solars? anyone know of anyway to keep down the mildew? i've removed all the bilge water, i will take off all the cushions, because there are no dorades to move air through the boat.

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 08-12-2010

If you don't have any ventilation, you really should add some. Adding a couple of solar-vent fans will greatly improve conditions aboard the boat. Keeping the air flowing through a boat is the BEST line of defense against mold and mildew. Keep the locker doors and interior compartments open, to allow air to circulate through the entire boat.

I'd also recommend keeping at least one of the panels (assuming you have TWO 130 watt panels) connected to the batteries to keep the topped off. As long as you have the system properly setup with fuses protecting the lines from the panels and such, you should be fine.

I also wouldn't expose the plumbing to the solution that comes from using Damp-Rid, but leave the stuff in its original packaging, which is designed to contain the rather nasty liquid quite well.

I don't see any point in keeping charcoal aboard a boat. If the boat is properly ventilated, then the charcoal isn't really necessary.

e37duff · #3 (**permalink**) 08-12-2010

thanks for the reply. im gonna rethink the damp aid stuff. i just bought large pakages of the damp aid stuff and have to build containers to catch the runnoff byproduct.

k1vsk · #4 (**permalink**) 08-12-2010

The Damp Rid stuff won't hurt but this is Florida. You could fill the boat with it and it wouldn't be enough so don't waste too much money on it. The only effective action you can take in this climate is to ensure the boat is well ventilated and that does not mean passive ventilation. Keep in mind ambient Florida humidity is already high so simple vents do nothing.