Mildew issues

[Steve C]

I'm cleaning up the inside of my cabin and planning to paint it all
but I seem to be chasing a mildew problem in some corners in the V
berth area and the deck head near the V berth entry.Can't paint over
it so does anybody have a solution that has worked for them.The boat
is not particularly damp below,good air circulation and the upholstery
is worn but clean - will be replaced.
Steve

[Rodolfo Lauterbach]

I am in the process of sanding and cleaning the inside of my boat too. This is my first boat but I imagine that some water mainly from rain will always find its way in and cause these problems after decades of existance. What I did was to check all the boat for leaks. I came to check the boat right after a heavy storm to find which spots are wet. If you wait the water will continue downwards and you wont see where it came from. You need to repair each leak you find and everytime something gets wet or has signs that it has been wet you should repeat the process. The area you described had some nasty mildew on the lower edge of wodden parts in my boat. I am just sanding and varnishing it and trying to keep it dry afterwards. I also use an 110v electric fan heater that stays on during heavy weather in the winter so temperature goes up and the inside is dryer.

Since we are doing the same job maybe it would be nice to take a look at each other's boat to learn some variety. I am located at the Berkeley marina and would be happy to show my work in progress. Let me know if you are up for a fast visit or if you would show me your boat.

 

best wishes,

Rodolfo

 

 

 

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Rodolfo Lauterbach

[Devolved]

I've used a product by "Concrobium" -Mold Control. It's in a spray
bottle with a blue and light green label. I think I got it at Home
Depot. Seems to work well.

I use it periodically and I also used it the day before I painted.
(try and pick a dry few days...if there is such a thing in your area)
My belowdecks paint went well.

A trick to keep mold at bay is leave a regular light bulb on 24/7 when
your at dock. Just one 75 watt bulb keeps things drier below.

But, my attitude is these are boats. Moisture and the problems that
come with it are a small nuisance, but I don't fret too much about a
little mold or mildew, let alone small leaks through toe-rails and
stuff. I would just drive myself crazy trying to completely eliminate
it so I just try to deal with it as best I can in-between sailing.