Water in boat during storage

[Stuewe]

From what I can tell, my boat has marine grade plywood (not a fiberglass floor) with carpet over it. I have to store my boat outside (with cover on it) due to my lack of a garage.

The cover does not always do it's job when it rains and water will leak from the batt/fuel compartment into the carpet where the rear seats are (I have a fish & ski, not true bass boat)

Due to my job, I won't get to tend to my boat for weeks at a time, and I when I do, I'm sucking the water out of the carpet with a shopvac.
How much of a problem is this? How good with that plywood floor hold up with water in the carpet?

The boat is only about a year old, but I obviously want to take care of it.

Thanks for all your help on this.

[esoxfly]

Can you get it shrink wrapped? If it's a new boat (or even an older one) the $$ spent is well worth it. A tarp or a boat cover is not the same as shrink wrap.

No, that water in the carpet is not a good thing. It'll eventually rot your boat. Marine grade or not. Wood and standing water don't mix.

[esoxfly]

Wait a minute, I just saw you're in GA, so we're probably not talking about winter storage are we? We're just talking about day-to-day storage right? Well in that case, shrink wrap isn't an option.

Well, it still applies that you need to keep/get that water out of there. Will the water drain out of your plug? The boat should be designed such that all water eventually makes it's way to the plug. If so, store it bow up as best you can and let it drain. But you'll want to keep that water out of there.

There's boats in back yards all over the world with standing water in them, but like you said, you want to take care of it.

[looking4five]

Spend the money for a good high end custom cover. There are several good manufacturers. I have an Aurora, and it has been great. It's starting to get to the point right now that the fabric will soak a little water into it. I plan to re-treat it in the next few weeks with the water-proofing chemicals. It was pretty much 100% water-proof for over 2-yrs.

Of course a roof over it would be better. But, a really good quality cover, that fits correctly will keep the water out.

[Stuewe]

Thanks for all the help on this guys, (I love BBC). I think a major problem is the angle it is stored at. Do I need to make sure I don't over-do it on the angle I lift the bow up to? Can the hook on the keel support the stress of angle the bow up like that?

Thanks again

[esoxfly]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Stuewe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Can the hook on the keel support the stress of angle the bow up like that?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

You mean the bow eye? Or is there a hook somewhere on your keel?

Yes, the bow eye can support the boat on trailer at an angle like that if that's what you're asking.

[Stuewe]

Yeah, bow eye...thank god BBC has this "Novice Forum"...I'm an ass.

Thanks man

[esoxfly]

Not at all. We've all been there. I'm fairly new to the "big motor" "big glass boat" crowd (coming from smaller tin boats), so alot of the guys here could consider me an ass too.

There's no dumb questions here bro. Get a proper, custom cover that fits, tilt the boat and pull the plug and see if that doesn't help you out.

Jeff

[Stuewe]

Thanks man, I do have decent cover from DOWCO Inc. I just need to figure out the ideal configuration for the middle support poles to prevent water pooling near the back of the boat.

What do you use to treat your cover? And you say you do it ever 2 years or so?

Thanks again.

[looking4five]

Aurora suggested the 303 aerospace protectant. So, that's what i'm going to try. I did some checking on it, and lots of people said it is a really good product.

As far as the 2-yrs....That's about how long mine went before soaking water. I'm sure it will vary with different factors (climate exposure, etc where you live). I plan to wash mine in a plastic kid's swimming pool with simple green, dry it real good, and treat it with the 303. That's what Aurora suggested. I guess I will see how it goes.

[esoxfly]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Stuewe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

What do you use to treat your cover? And you say you do it ever 2 years or so?

Thanks again.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't have a cover. I just got stationed back in MI, so my first criteria wasa house with a huge, heated garage.

[MSC]

If the cover is leaking because of pooling try putting a cheap beach ball under the cover to hold up the bad area.