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The Fungus Is Among Us
by Capt. Alan Ross Hugenot
How to prevent mold and mildew from attacking your boat
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New boaters fitting out after their first winter layup will often ask, “Why does my boat always smell moldy -- and is there anything I can do about it?”
Even some seasoned boaters have suffered with the same problem ever since their boat was new -- and they’ve wrongly become resigned to the situation, assuming that “boats just always smell moldy.”
Mold and mildew prevention just isn’t the kind of thing that newly minted boating instructors are dying to teach you about -- and current dockside wisdom holds that there is nothing you can do about mildew except live with it.
Actually, there is a lot that can be done. Although there may always be some mold and mildew aboard, here are some prevention techniques that will reduce the opportunities for mold to get a foothold. These secrets will also help you minimize your spring cleaning.
They’re Everywhere
Mold and mildew spores are always present in the air, and in rainwater. When that air reaches levels above 50 percent humidity, these spores begin to colonize on surfaces.
Mildew is a fungus that not only smells bad, but can also destroy fabrics, wood, paper, leather and organic materials. Mildew especially likes porous surfaces where it can hide, such as the spaces between the weave in your cloth upholstery. It does not like shiny surfaces like glass and mirrors, unless you have left a layer of dirt on those shiny surfaces.
Mold spores love dark, damp and warm conditions -- and they hate sunshine, fresh air and cold. Mold thrives in spring, after a cold winter -- because as warm moisture-saturated air enters the boat and comes in contact with the cold interior surfaces, condensation forms -- especially under decks. The resulting freshwater condensation provides the perfect breeding ground for mold.
Over a cold winter, mold is usually not a problem. It does most of its damage in early fall, when the boat has been closed up too tightly, or in late spring. Often, mold spreads when boaters wait more than three weeks to open up the boat and air it out.
Here is what to do to prevent mold and mildew problems from getting a foothold in your boat.
1 - Improve Natural Ventilation
Fresh air discourages the growth of mold, so it is a good idea to provide as much ventilation to your boat’s interior as possible. There are several ways to enhance a boat’s ventilation.
Dorade vents are a great way to get air into the boat, even when you are not there. Figure out where the prevailing wind comes from, then face the upwind vents into the wind. Set the downwind vents away from the wind.
The upwind vent will scoop air into the boat and the downwind vent will create a venturi effect on the downwind side of the dorade. It will literally suck stale air out of the boat.
Properly working together, these two applications of simple physics promote excellent ventilation through the vessel, whenever the wind blows across the deck. Unfortunately, dorade vents, which are popular on sailing hulls, are not currently being provided on most new power boats.
However, power boats often have the advantage of height. When the sun warms the boat, the heated air can be used to cause convection current.
Open a port, preferably forward in the topsides below the rail. There is usually one port on each side of the forward cabin that can be opened. Open the one on the side opposite the storms approach (usually storm winds blow in from the southwest).
Next, open another window or vent higher up and farther aft. Mushroom vents mounted on cabin tops are great for this purpose. As the air heats up in the cabin, it will rise out through the open mushroom vents on the cabin roof and enter through the forward port, creating natural convection air circulation throughout the boat. Remember to leave the interior doors open to allow this air movement.
Louvered doors provide a path for air to get into cabinets and cupboards. Ideally, larger compartments should have a louver at the top and bottom of the door, or a continuous louver.
If your boat will be laid up over the winter, it’s wise to remove all gear from the boat. That way, you can store the gear where it will not mildew, and the lack of clutter aboard will open up the inside of the boat for free airflow.
2 - Eliminate Dampness
Water that gets into your boat’s interior and remains trapped can allow mold to grow and thrive. The key to keeping mold from colonizing is to help water find a pathway out of your boat.
Tilting cushions up, when the boat is not in use, discourages the formation of condensation beneath the cushions and allows any water that has leaked in from topside to escape.
Drip towels are a temporary solution, when there is a known slow drip at a location where rainwater leaks in from a loose hatch or a small opening. Simply place a loosely crinkled paper towel below the drip. This towel will soak up the drip and allow it to evaporate into the boat’s ventilated air. This works well to protect upholstered surfaces and carpets -- however, if the leak falls on a shiny surface, such as a fiberglass deck, it is better to let the water trickle toward the bilge.
Finally, commercial dehumidifiers can be used to dry out the interior. Tubs filled with silica gel or another desiccant will attract moisture that may be present in a locked-up boat interior.
If you are hooked up to shore power, Goldenrod-type heating elements do a great job of dehumidifying a boat’s interior. Some boaters use a mix of strategies to dry out an interior -- such as leaving dehumidifiers, small electric fans and/or light bulbs on when they’re not aboard. These techniques work well when your boat is in dry storage.
3 - Make Time for Cleaning
Probably the most important -- and hardest -- thing to do is to leave time in your schedule for cleaning and properly stowing your gear.
Let’s face it: We go boating for pleasure, and no one wants to schedule “chores” to be done at the boat. But without regular cleaning of the entire vessel, mildew will set in -- and once it gets a foothold, it is three times as hard to remove as it is to prevent.
Start making plans to return home from cruises an hour earlier, so that you can spend that extra hour cleaning and stowing equipment. Frankly, boaters who do not take time for cleaning and stowing are the ones who have all the mold problems.
4 - Care for Foul Weather Gear
When cruising, do not leave wet foul weather gear in the shower -- even if it is on hangers. The shower may seem like a wonderful, out-of-the-way place to put foulies when they are wet, but it is too enclosed to allow proper airflow.
At the next anchorage, when the sun is out, bring the foul weather gear on deck and dry it out, to prevent mildew formation. Be sure to tie the foul weather gear to the boat when you hang it out, so it does not blow away when the wind comes up. Never stow anything wet -- including rags -- belowdecks.
5 - Keep Upholstery Dry
When you’re not aboard the boat, tilting cushions up should be mandatory. When you are aboard, it’s a good idea to use nylon flooring “waffles” -- cut to fit -- under bunk cushions, to allow air circulation when they are in use. Commercial moisture-trapping sheets, such as those made by Dry Bunk, can also be added under mattresses and cushions.
Terry cloth towels spread out below a vinyl cushion can temporarily prevent the trapping of moisture between the vinyl and the painted seat -- and they also create a capillary path for the moisture to escape, which helps to prevent mildew formation.
6 - Dry Heads and Showers
Never leave the shower wet. Dry it with a towel and let the towel dry out topside.
Never stow a wet shower curtain. Spread it out to dry and leave the head window and door open to allow ventilation until it is dry.
Never leave your wet towels in the shower or the head. Take them topside to dry or hang them elsewhere in the cabin during inclement weather. If you have an onboard dryer, you don’t even need to hang those wet towels.
It’s a good idea never to leave the head door closed unless it is in use. Also, keep the head’s hatch or portlight open all the time, unless you are in rain or high seas.
7 - Clean the Galley
Always clean the stovetop, cabinet surfaces and cupboard doors after cooking. During cruises, clean them -- along with the overhead and walls -- with Lysol or a bleach solution once a week.
Without regular cleaning, grease from cooking will deposit itself on just about everything -- and it makes an all-too-attractive breeding ground for fungus.
8 - Air Out Your Canvas
Ensure that stored canvas covers, enclosures and awnings are aired out regularly, especially after they have been exposed to rain. This may mean unrolling the canvas at the mooring for an hour on a calm, dry day or unfolding an awning that has been wetted. Exposure to sunlight is helpful, but too much sun can cause other problems, such as fading.
Do not put away canvas that is damp or salty. The salt will attract and retain moisture. Always store your canvas in a dry location.
9 - Care for Decks and Topsides
Boats that are in regular use get enough topside spray to keep mold from forming. However, when a boat is in long-term storage at its slip -- for instance, if it is a never-moving liveaboard boat or a rarely used cruising vessel -- a monthly washdown with salt water (from directly over the side) is in order. Salt water kills mold spores and prevents them from getting a start.
If you use this simple technique, be sure to rinse the salt water off your metallic fittings with a bucket of fresh water and a sponge.
10 - Let the Sun Shine In
Mildew likes the dark, so consider leaving your cabin curtains open to let the sunlight in. Leaving the curtains open can also prevent a daily dose of ultraviolet (UV) rays from prematurely deteriorating drapery fabrics.
I like to leave a terrycloth towel on any seats that will be exposed to sunlight, to prevent UV damage to the upholstery.
11 - Care for Bare Wood
Never leave exposed bare wood without a protective coating -- such as paint, varnish or oil. Untreated wood surfaces will almost immediately form mildew.
A little extra effort now can prevent mold and mildew from getting out of control on your boat later. Remember: If you ever let these smelly organisms get out of control, not only will it not be pretty, but it may also take years to rid your boat of foul smells and ugly stains.
Capt. Alan Ross Hugenot is a San Francisco-based marine surveyor. If you have questions about marine surveying, hull maintenance, naval architecture, electrical systems or other cruising issues, contact Capt. Hugenot, Box 318210, San Francisco, CA 94131; alan@captainhugenot.com.
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This article first appeared in the September 1, 2002 issue of Sea Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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