She's Been In The Water For 7 Months. What Nightmares Should I Expect?

[theodyssey]

heading back to my 31' sailboat which has been tied up in a hurricane hole down in the Exumas this afternoon.

7 months in total.

my question is: what do I need to prepare myself for?

- barnacles, obviously
- a funky bilge? probably

but what else?

any advice as to what I should do to my diesel engine when I get there? would diesel fuel last that long or do I need to syphon it out? an oil change or nah? belts and stuff will be checked, of course, but any other headaches I could avoid?

absolutely any advice is welcome. am dreading coming back to a mess, made even worse that I was a bad captain and took this long to get back to her.

many thanks.

[Triumphant]

Another one to add to your list

Check the Thru hulls are not blocked with Barnacles BEFORE you use the heads or start the engine.

Don't ask me how I know

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by Triumphant

Another one to add to your list

Check the Thru hulls are not blocked with Barnacles BEFORE you use the heads or start the engine.

Don't ask me how I know

--and if they are -try to blow out thru hose before sucking the cleaned barnacles up into stuff

[geoleo]

--bring plenty of BLEACH to kill all the mold

[tuffr2]

The worse can be super bad. That is it water leaked into the cabin. Mice and roaches not good. The water line will not look good.

The best, no leaks so the interior is in good shape. A putty knife will clean the water line.

[JPA Cate]

theoddessy,

Buy a big bottle of white vinegar (a gallon) and a sack of rags or heaps of paper towels before you get to the boat. Attack interior mold with that. Next time you leave the boat, pump out all the salt water from the head, and re-fill with fresh water, to which you add about 1/4 c. household bleach, and it won't stink and get funny like salt water does.

Dive the boat, and use your largest screwdriver to ream out all the water intake and egress openings.

After you get there, post again, and tell us what you've found. Incidentally, we have used a dry wall "knife" to scrape wide swaths of growth off, it's faster than a putty knife.

Joys of boat ownership! It will come right; you'll see to it.

Ann

[Cheechako]

Run the engine well before leaving. CLean the bottom and prop. Take a small spatula and mask for this, the barnacles may be up to 1/2" and hard to remove.
Your fuel should be fine. Check the tank vent fittings for mud/insect nests blocking the vent.
You can live with any mold until you get somewhere. Have the batteries been charging somehow? SOlar? If not they could be toast.
Good luck... have fun.
My favorite:
-plastic/nylon grippy handle
-rounded corners on the blade.
-Springy rigid stnls steel, some bend way to easy.

[CaptJamesCook]

https://www.jenesco.com

Ozone generator if you have a few extra bucks and electric. Is another way to get rid of mold follow instructions though.

[Jim Cate]

Goodness sakes, we can surely do better than this...

How about a three inch thick layer of quano on deck, killer bees building a hive in the mast, snakes that crawled up the sink drain and couldn't get back, a blocked vent line causing the holding tank to rupture, and alligators nesting on the sugar scoop?

come on, CF, let's really help this chap prepare for the worst!

Jim

[CaptJamesCook]

Mooring let loose and is on beach half buried in sand?
If at dock local has take up residence?
All electronics, sails and engine have been emancipated?
It is just plain gone?

Or maybe it is all good.

[belizesailor]

7 months unattended? I would expect the mold below to be horrendous.

[JPA Cate]

Another suggestion for the future: next time, bag the prop. It makes a huge difference.

Ann

[taxwizz]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Goodness sakes, we can surely do better than this...

How about a three inch thick layer of quano on deck, killer bees building a hive in the mast, snakes that crawled up the sink drain and couldn't get back, a blocked vent line causing the holding tank to rupture, and alligators nesting on the sugar scoop?

come on, CF, let's really help this chap prepare for the worst!

Jim

Hi Jim;
You certainly sound Experienced.
And you still like boats?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Goodness sakes, we can surely do better than this...

How about a three inch thick layer of quano on deck, killer bees building a hive in the mast, snakes that crawled up the sink drain and couldn't get back, a blocked vent line causing the holding tank to rupture, and alligators nesting on the sugar scoop?

come on, CF, let's really help this chap prepare for the worst!

Jim

....hull half flooded from rain water leaks...

[skipgundlach]

That stainless spatula is pretty - but angled wrong to do much (too narrow or difficult wrist position).

Simple drywall taping knife (wide spatula) rinsed and sprayed with Corrosion Block other rust inhibitor/water dispersant and dried before storage does a great job for a few bux - if it gets too rusty, toss it and get another, though simple management has meant that we're still using our first, 10 years old.

Wal-Board Tools 12 in. Taping Knife-20-042 - The Home Depot

As to mold, that will be determined more by how airtight and clean the cabin was when left. If airtight and moldy to begin with, it will be horrible. If good circulation (e.g. opposing solar fans at ends of the boat and/or dorades and the like) and clean (hydrogen peroxide on a cloth does wonders and is a good preventative, based on our experience), you may have nothing other than small-crevice mold.

I presume it survived the storm; leaving a boat for months is otherwise a non-event; we do so routinely in our quest for more time with the 15.67 grandchildren (newest arrives in July)...