Drying out a wet boat..

[Brian D.]

Timely topic.

Anyone who has fished in this weather recently has had 100's of gallons of water dumped in their boat. Regardless of what type of craft you have, compartments and lockers will be wet. This also goes for loose tackle and gear. Storing your boat outside (although covered) presents a huge challenge especially since the next sunny day could be a week away. If you're fortunate to store the boat inside a home garage, it makes the job easier, but nonetheless a chore.

So, this brings me to the question::

What tip or tricks do you have to help dry out a boat?

[Art H.]

Pull the plug out. Take everything out of your boat. Open all compartment covers. Raise the trailer jack as high as possible. Place a small electric box fan over the compartment, and turn on the fan. Move the fan to each compartment. Leave compartments empty and open until ready to fish again. Remember to put boat plug back in.

[DougH]

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... reId=10001

[andrade417]

If the boat is indoors (Garage) open every compartment up and use a wet/dry vac to suck up the excess water. This expedites the drying process.

[buddy brown]

So every compartment has to be clean and dry? I thought it was just the livewells and bilge drain. I hope they use some common sense. I will do my part as far as thoroughly cleaning and drying but if they turn me away for condensation in my rod locker I will be p#ssed after that long drive. My boat is in outside storage too...

[Art H.]

Buddy, this was just a thread about drying out a boats compartments. I do not believe it had anything to do with the new Casitas restrictions. It is all about the rain, and wet compartments. Just like the ones in my boat.

[buddy brown]

Thanks... I was gonna say that is going a bit too far

[Art H.]

Yes I agree. Let's not give them any ideas.

[JohNNy Utah]

Trust me, I am the champion of this little problem. If you're lucky enough to be able to put your boat inside after a soaking, about the only thing you can do is;

1) soak up as much water as you can by using a wet/dry shop vac and then several towels.

2) set up some sort of fan on the deck and let 'em go.

If you don't get your deck dry PRONTO!!! and you don't have the drying power of the sun for a couple of days, you will have quite the stinky problem on your hands.

[Art H.]

In my first boat, I had a problem with the carpet glue holding up. The moisture caused the glue to lose it's sticking qualities, and the carpet in my rod lockers was falling off the side walls.