Topic: mildew

Under what berth.  The vee berth or the settee berth?  Is the boat a Rogers or a JJT?

Re: mildew

the leak is in the main cabin, the boat is a JJT

Re: mildew

Just guessing…the usual suspects are the genoa track, handrails and the portlight.  The genoa track would be most probable given its varying loads.  Leaks here could get between the hull and the interior liner and make their way to the locker.  This could be tested by stuffing the area under the fastenings with paper towels and then hosing it down.  Same goes for the others.  It is possible for the portlight and handrails to be leaking into any gap between the headliner without showing leakage at the visible surfaces. 

Mildew can hide almost anywhere.  Again, the interior liner may be the problem.  The area of the bilge and under the interior “furniture”, where the liner intersects the hull, is a good place to start.  Blast it with a spray mildew remover and then power wash.  Several applications may be necessary.  Where you can’t easily see it is where it grows best.

Re: mildew

Handrails - ie: stanchion bases, and yes, they do leak.  Also, the chain plate opening into deck, depending how your boat sits, the water will run down to the strangest places.  If you don't want to powerwash, etc. get a bottle of Fantastik or mildew remover, and a sponge and a bucket, and wash, wipe, wash more, wipe, etc...until  you can eat off the surface...every bit of the surface.  I use a toothbrush for hard to reach areas, not kidding! You must be thorough!
And then, you MUST ventilate the boat.  Mildew will NOT grow if you have fresh air!  I keep my hatches open all year, and have either a heater (when I am on boat) or the special low-electric mildew heaters (plugged in at dock) Also, keep all your cupboards, open, prop up your cushions, and move your locker lids to the side, "circulate, circulate, circulate" that air! :-)  I also keep my engine hatch under the steps open so cool air from cockpit gets pulled in/out....I don't use a "Dri Z Air" and pellets thing, as when it collects the moisture, it just evaporates right back into the air if you don't empty it all the time.  I have no mildew problems, and keep all my stuff on my boat all year here in the Pacific Northwest, and we have VERY RAINY weather - all the time!

Re: mildew

I've got two problems one being the starboard underberth locker gets water in it when we get rain.

The other problem is the smell.  It has gotten better with time but I'm still having a musty, or mildew smell I can't get rid of.  Where in my 74 contessa is the mildew proliferating where I can't see it?