Moving to the PNW-gctid363490

[Guest]

Finally settling into retirement and trying to organize my toys and habits. That process is leading to moving the 242 to Puget Sound since it seems we only use the 242 now on our month-long trips to Ucluelet each August. Doug (GoAweigh) has kindly looked into storage for us at Naval Base Kitsap and therein lies the question for this post. I've heard horror stories about the invasion of mold & mildew in stored boats & RVs in the PNW. I don't think the storage at Kitsap has power for a dehumidifier to run all winter so that's out. I do plan on continuing the use of a full mooring cover of "Sunbrella" that we have been using here. Living my entire life in Colorado I have no experience with humidity outside the shower so...any of you in the PNW....HELP.

[yachtman]

You will get various opinions on this. I lived in port orchard for 7 years I never really had much of a problem but there are things you need to do.

Biggest thing don't store it under trees where moss and mold can get on the out side of it. The name escapes me right now but use the round things that look like covered bowls that hold a descant. You'll need 3 or 4 of them and keep them maintained. A couple in the cabin and a couple in the engine compartment. If youI can keep it inside or keep it heated in the boat all the better.

Im not a fan of covering the boat unless you can keep it sealed inside. If water does get inside and there is no fresh air it will mold for sure.

The humidity of the one is not like Florida or other warm climates. Its more dampness than humidity.

[BLCarl]

Good Luck with the move

After a few vacations in the area I think PNW may be a place I could end up. Not that it would change my mind but I would have to become a much better sailor than I have to be in So.Cal water. The few times I was out, mild normal conditions were much rougher than I would normally choose to go out in. I'm sure I'd find a few calm places and the exploration would be fun. I was told by a local that slips were very pricy.

Is indoor storage cost prohibitive?

[yachtman]

Boat travel during the afternoon. Or during a large tidal exchange is almost always rough. Do your moving around in the morning and early afternoon. After 2 or 3 it can get pretty choppy. Do your cruising in the morning as the water can be like glass and enjoy your afternoons at anchor or at a dock is generally the best plan. Being in any of the straits during a large tide exchange in the evening or during a big blow is generally not a good idea.

[Guest]

When I stored my boat outside under a sunbrella canvas with a tarp over that I didn't have mold issues until we accidently left a wet towel in there one year. What does work well are the Dri Z Air containers. No power needed.

http://www.drizair.com/products.html

I'm glad you're coming, you'll love the boating here.

[yachtman]

Nehalennia wrote:
When I stored my boat outside under a sunbrella canvas with a tarp over that I didn't have mold issues until we accidently left a wet towel in there one year. What does work well are the Dri Z Air containers. No power needed.

http://www.drizair.com/products.html

I'm glad you're coming, you'll love the boating here.

Yeah dri z air is what I was talking about.

There is no better boating any where in the world than pugetsound sanjuan islands gulf islands and desolation sound. All connected. In my opinion. I went boating there for 20 years in a row and rarely went to the same spot twice. Only my selected few favorite spots.

[Guest]

BLCarl wrote:
Good Luck with the move

After a few vacations in the area I think PNW may be a place I could end up. Not that it would change my mind but I would have to become a much better sailor than I have to be in So.Cal water. The few times I was out, mild normal conditions were much rougher than I would normally choose to go out in. I'm sure I'd find a few calm places and the exploration would be fun. I was told by a local that slips were very pricy.

Is indoor storage cost prohibitive?

Nope- and neither is slipping the boat, when compared to slips down south. As for nav up here, I find it much more pleasant here than down there...

[Guest]

Canvas with plenty of ventilation will help prevent problems. I have seen hatch covers that have a fan that is solar powered. If you can keep the air moving that will help prevent the mold from growing. If the air stagnates and you have moisture inside the boat the moisture will want to condense on the cooler surfaces, the mold/mildew will start growing on the surface. If you can keep the air moving you will have less problems.

//Rick

[Guest]

Frankly, mold, mildew and rust are just part of living here in the PNW pugetropolis area. You could store your boat east of the mountains like in yakima and trailer it over when you want to use it. Then you have to deal with cold and freezing temps and hot arid dry temps in the summer.

I've lived here all my life and I dream of retiring in a dryer and warmer climate myself. But the boating here in the summer ( all 87 minutes of it one year!) can't be beat.

[Guest]

well...there are a couple of things that can help....I've been boating here in pacnorwest for 12 yrs now and the only issue I have is the mold on the inside of the sunbrella and the muck that forms on top of the decking and radar arch from road dirt....now if your bent on storing the boat at kitsap...then there are limited facilities....but twin rivers has indoor heated storage and would be a quick hop skip and a jump to the san juans....the other indoor place is bayside marine and performance marine....which will store your boat for a nominal fee during the winter....dagmars landing (where I'm at) has outdoor storage and are great to work with.....pwr and water right close by your boat.....so keeping a heater on during the winter isn't hard........

the dry ease stuff works but you need to empty them once a week or it will overfill and drip all over the place....plus you have to replace the chemicals every so often.....

welcome to the zoo up here...sometime in july we have a real nice weekend...that's the weekend we all bbq....

and....if you don't like the weather...wait 10 min...it will change......really it will....

oh yeah...house racing season starts in october and runs thru june.....bring your own driver!!

:arr arr

[Nikko]

I picked up a cheap bathroom fan from the hardware store, wired a 3-prong plug to it and made a plywood box to sit it in. A quick trip to my woodworkers supply store and I had 10' of 4" dust collection hose and a generic 4" fitting that I could screw to the box I built. An extension cord and a timer completes the kit.

Fan box goes on the floor in the middle of the boat, dust collector hose is clamped to it. All hatches/cupboards/engine compartments etc are opened. Boat is tarp'd tight with dust collection hose run under the edge of it to the great outdoors (it does not collapse easily - which is why I use it). Timer's set to run for 2 hrs/day 5 day's week - 12 hrs/day 2 hrs/week.

Even if water does get through/under the tarp - this will take care of it through evaporation provided the leak is modest.

Works like a hot dang to keep the boat dry, fresh and mold free in our rainforest winters.

[BLCarl]

Your bathroom fan is a good idea, I have most of the stuff in the garage. I don't have a mold problem but even on a cool day it gets very warm and stinky inside the tarps. The fan would be good.

Thanks

[Guest]

Sound storage in Port Orchard has garage style storage for RV's etc.. Not sure of the price. I my self have my boat covered in a way not even the rub rail sees water. I use a heater with a timer to being inside up to about 60 to 70 degrees for couple hours a day or if it might freeze. Boat is dry and warm. Mechancial and electrical systems love that condition. One winter leaving a car outside and unused takes a huge toll on the car in the PNW. At least tarp it so completly sealed and get some 12 volt gear for heat and fan with timer. Use your batterys and charge with solar. Or find storage with power at least. Should be choices around here. Craig

[Guest]

A 3rd generation local here in the PNW, I've assumed a new rationale to vehicle and vessel ownership.

"Don't buy it if you don't have a place to store it covered or inside"

I could go on forever about shrink wrap and tarps torn and flapping, mold and green stuff growing on everything, some animal getting in and crapping all over....... but to put it shortly between the wind rain and thieves a nice boat can become a parts boat in pretty short order if you think you'll just park it outside somewhere.

[Guest]

I keep a small electric fan heater set on low power going with the temp set to about 50 in the winter and about 60 in the spring/fall. Zero problems with moisture/mold.

This exchanges the air from inside the boat to the outside and has enough heat to keep the evaporation process going.