What did you do to or with your boat today?

[9-R]

With our darkside boat, we've been fighting the never ending battle with mold and mildew on the deck, console and cushions. After trying different types of covers and storage locations, I think our biggest cause is that the boat is stored while still being wet in some areas. As much as we try to dry it before hand, it is inevitable that there are still some areas that remain damp/wet.

I've read of several others using fans with success but all of them had electrical outlets available to them which we do not at our storage location. Did some research and calculations and pulled the trigger on building my own solar fan. Got a solar panel, efficient 5-inch PC fan, 12v battery and controller and used some miscellaneous components had laying around the garage. The idea is for the fan to draw in fresh air from the outside through various parts of the boat cover and push the old, through the vent, outside.

I've only tested it for several days at home and hope to try it out on our boat in a couple of weeks. Was surprised at how much air the fan moved with only a 0.1A draw. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[ChrisParish]

Looking good! Impressive work and I look forward to hearing your results.

[9-R]

Looking good! Impressive work and I look forward to hearing your results.

It's been a month with a lot more rain than normal. It's been very humid and muggy. Prime time for us to experience mildew. Family went up to take the boat out. Peaked under the cover and the fan was still running. Pulled the cover off and for the first time ever, absolutely NO MOLD!!! I was ecstatic! There was a pool of water sitting on the starboard aft seat pocket that I think seeped through the cover but even that didn't have any mold which was hard for me to believe. I'm stoked.

Now all I have to do is repair the scratch along the bow of the boat that my wife created when she accidently drove it up against the corner of a concrete dock. Ugh....

[Barnowl]

So today I bought a new landing net for the boat
Bought a new jockey wheel for the trailer and booked the skipper on a vhf course.

[stevexxxuk]

Fixed the leaking valve on Fribee, no more hissing...

[Essexkayak1]

I stuck some nuts to the end of some screws that stick out on my tiller extender so its less of a puncture risk when its not on the tiller

[9-R]

Looking good! Impressive work and I look forward to hearing your results.

Had a notification for this thread so I thought I'd update. I had added another fan of the same size in the plastic box. The charger had fried after about 2 months so it now keeps it cooler and adds air flow. Still working well after a year.

[NeilJ]

Fish finder 'Garmin Striker 4 Plus cv arrived, now to fabricate a transducer mount from a plastic cutting board to clear the airdeck on a Honwave.

[Alan]

With air temperatures at 32 F or 0 C on Saturday and Sunday I pulled the motor and folded up the F375. Its a much sadder day on lake Huron. The motor is in the back of the vehicle and on it's way to the dealer for the 3rd season required maintenance which will probably add to the sad and be expensive! The addition of a storage shed over the summer allowed me to quickly fold up the boat with the transom wheel on and simply roll it into the shed and shut the door. At least that worked out as planed.

[Bigplumbs]

With air temperatures at 32 F or 0 C on Saturday and Sunday I pulled the motor and folded up the F375. Its a much sadder day on lake Huron. The motor is in the back of the vehicle and on it's way to the dealer for the 3rd season required maintenance which will probably add to the sad and be expensive! The addition of a storage shed over the summer allowed me to quickly fold up the boat with the transom wheel on and simply roll it into the shed and shut the door. At least that worked out as planed.

Yes always ad when you pack them away for winter. I leave mine up (in the UK) in the hope I will get out a couple of times in the winter... I seldom do though