Laying up in the Caribbean

[btrayfors]

Laid up my 42' sloop periodically for several months over a total of 11 years in the Eastern Caribbean. Never had a mold or odor problem. Boat has 3 cowl vents and vented louvered main hatch doors.

Air circulation is the key. And, it's a misconception that just because boats are in the water their interior is necessarily damp. That's just not so. I found in 17 years as a liveaboard that dampness was rarely if ever a problem, though dryness was.

Bill

[Katiusha]

Laying up the boat in the tropics with vents/open ports/etc, do you find any critters in the boat after you come back?

[btrayfors]

Originally Posted by Katiusha

Laying up the boat in the tropics with vents/open ports/etc, do you find any critters in the boat after you come back?

I never did, but it's always possible :-)

BTW, my cowl vents and louvered hatch have screens.

Bill

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Originally Posted by btrayfors

I never did, but it's always possible :-)

BTW, my cowl vents and louvered hatch have screens.

Bill

I too have screens, keeps the critters out. Never had a critter, except the ants that came in on a dockline in Bermuda and started a colony under the cockpit cushions. They fed the fish in the Atlantic.

[nosinglesource]

Very cool about the clove oil.. Borax is also very good for taking care of mold, either as a spray or in the laundry in the event it's something fabric which has got mildew on it.

[sck5]

damprid works. i left it in various places in the boat and it made a huge difference.