Damp Rid Bag Change Time

[Roger Long]

We just left our Gulf Star 43 on the hard in Norfolk, VA and now it looks like our planned return time will be in the projected virus peak for VA so I think we need to plan for not seeing her until well into the summer. There is a couple inches of water in the keel bilge (sailboat style hull) but the engine room is closed up. Lots of windows but curtains closed and mesh over the front windows. Boat has no cowl or solar vents.

I hung three Damp Rid bags in the boat, one in each head with doors open and one in the galley. Left three more unopened on the table for a friend or the boatyard to renew. It's generally a quite dry and mildew free boat and we would like to keep it that way.


Crowd source question: When and how often should I arrange to have someone change the bags considering the location?


Don't need other suggestions like dehumidifiers. I wanted to do that and a fan but the yard didn't want unattended electrical equipment running and we had to haul in a spot without power.

 

[Cigatoo]

I have damp rid bags (3) in the boat over the winter here in RI. They remained dry until just a few weeks ago. They are now filling up. So changing them out is not an exact science. Checking them monthly should be more than enough. Maybe 6 weeks?
I would get as much water as possible out of the bilge keel and open up the engine room so air circulates throughout the boat. Also can’t hurt to leave a few open cat food type cans of bleach around. Supposedly helps keep the mold spores from growing.

 

[boomerang]

I have damp rid bags (3) in the boat over the winter here in RI. They remained dry until just a few weeks ago. They are now filling up. So changing them out is not an exact science. Checking them monthly should be more than enough. Maybe 6 weeks?
I would get as much water as possible out of the bilge keel and open up the engine room so air circulates throughout the boat. Also can’t hurt to leave a few open cat food type cans of bleach around. Supposedly helps keep the mold spores from growing.

I wouldn't leave open containers of bleach in a closed boat. While you're correct about it inhibiting mold growth, it's a pretty corrosive substance and will attack any metals that are subject to oxidation.
Years ago I had a customer who put straight bleach in the bilge and in containers all about his wooden Egg Harbor to rid the wooden boat/detroit diesel,head hose odor it had. When he returned in the spring, everything that would corrode had, including his wiring (most of which didn't get replaced, wire clamps, lamp fixtures, etc.

 

[boomerang]

Please know ,Citagoo, I'm NOT trying to be the typical internet pundit and try to make everyone think I know more than everybody else by contradicting a post! I'm just passing on information that I found out first hand.

 

[bshillam]

I would agree, up here in the PNW we can leave a bag and it fills quickly when there are higher levels of humidity. I would say at least once a month. In addition, what about hooking up a solar charger and a couple of small fans to help circulate the air? You could directly wire them to the solar charger and have no batteries/power to the boat. In addition, make sure to open cabinets to encourage air circulating in them.

 

[Moonfish]

We use H2Out Space Dryers instead of Damp-Rid (no caustic by product), and Kanberra Gel (tea tree oil) which is safer and more effective than bleach.

 

[bshillam]

In the event you use a space dryer make sure to calculate a rough estimate of your cubic space. My boat I would need five of them.

 

[GH41]

Even if bleach wasn't corrosive it wouldn't last long enough to do any good. Light sucks the chlorine out of it very quickly. What you need is air circulation. There are mold spores in every breath of air we breath. They don't become problems without both temperature and humidity reaching a certain level. Luckily most boats leak enough air that it isn't a problem. You need to get your friend to open every cabinet door, drawer and locker on the boat. We bought a sailboat that had sat at the dock for 4 years. The interior looked good but the smell of mildew would take your breath. Every enclosed compartment was black.

 

[FF]

Plan B might be a couple of pairs of Dorade boxes fwd and aft to ventilate the boat..

 

[Cigatoo]

Please know ,Citagoo, I'm NOT trying to be the typical internet pundit and try to make everyone think I know more than everybody else by contradicting a post! I'm just passing on information that I found out first hand.

No offense takin. What you are saying certainly sounds plausible.