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any suggestions on how to avoid mildew buildup during winter storage.

wccorder,

Welcome aboard!

I am not an expert on mildew prevention or removal...but I may have to become one when I get back to my boat...see this post:

Sail Cover

However, a couple of suggestions that will help some of the other experts help give you some advice. First, update your profile to give more information on your boat and where you live/sail...click on the "User Control Panel" link above. Doing that gives everyone an inisight of your conditions and I think it helps make this board seem that much more of a "family" if we know a little bit about each other...but then I again I spend hours every day on this site so I feel that everyone here is part of my extended Macgregor family.

Second, try doing a search for information on this topic...you will probably find some great ideas that have been discussed before.

Click on "Advanced Search" above (upper left side). Type in the search term "Mildew" and further down select the choice to display results as "Topics". If you leave it as posts you will have thousands...topics will reduce it to a more reasonable number of 103 topics. Then you can quickly scroll through those topics looking for one that seems relevant. Unfortunately there will be many threads on a topic but the topic title is not very descriptive. But I found a few that might be useful:

Post Freeze Check

Speaking of Mildew

Very interesting topic. I did nothing for my boat. We will see how bad it is when I get back...I fear that in humid North Florida I may have some problems with this after two years under the tarps.

Good Luck,
Jim

4 parts water and 1 part liquid Lysol. Spary on everything.

Pour Liquid Lysol into buildge.

Works for me in Fl.

James,

Is that for cleaning mildew that is already there or for preventing it when putting the boat in storage?

Thanks,
Jim

Both. Ive found doing my last cleaning (usually late Nov) with bleach solution (cup in a gallon of water) will prevent mildew all winter (late March) in the Northeast.

I once read that spreading dryer sheets (used to soften fabrics in the dryer) throughout the boat eliminates mildew. I tried it and it seems to work. Worth a try, as an easy fix.

I am in Pennsylvania. Not quite the N.E. and not quite mid-Atlantic. I have always felt that in our area, if you can keep the boat well ventilated, the problem could be avoided. I have two port holes, and keep them open all Winter. I also keep the forward hatch open a crack. When the tarp is placed on the boat, there is a large open area at the rear of the cockpit, and smaller open area at the bow. This allows ventilation in the cabin with the forward hatch open a bit. The open ports are a vent for the air flow. I have never had a mold/mildew problem. The Winters here are cold. I don't know where you are.

Ray

I keep a small heater going. We keep seats and books and stuff away from the interior sides where moisture can collect. Keep interior hatches open and ocasionally run a fan especially in really damp weather . Bag your sleeping bags and blankets in moisture proof bags. Go sailing often thru the winter months.

Owing to a similar problem with my previous yacht [ ply ] one of the first mods on the was to be brave and cut a hole in the centre of my front hatch and fit a low profile SS scoop facing forrard. Inside is a high standing collar that prevents water ingress in case of a wash over bow wave. It does allow an air flow to the bow where it is most needed. Had the nearly a year now and no mildew. The airflow seems to vent itself out the back hatch. Puggsy.

Noticed some mildew on the bimini and the headsail this year but it seemed to dissappear with time and sunlight but the bird guano in one park took some removing.

I thought only bats do do guano.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Guano (from the Quechua 'wanu', via Spanish) is the feces of seabirds, bats, and seals."

Learned something myself


Allan

Well then according to Wikpedia I stand corrected as the poop came from about a hundred Galahs camping in the tree above us and being in a town park (Mt Isa) couldn't use appropriate methods to scare them.

Live and learn. Seals too ?

It brings new meaning to the phrase "sealed and delivered"


Ray