What do you guys do after you trailer your boat

[big2eers]

After a weekend of use?
Starting the 3rd week of May.
We will keep our boat in the water starting on Thurdays and pull out on Sunday. We dock our boat in A river.
A typical weekend consist of wake boarding, skiing, surfing, tubing and swimming with family and friends. Our boat is wet from the mayhem that has taken place over the weekend of play.
As a family we all pitch in unload the boat of wet items; life jackets, ropes towels etc. We then wipe down the seat cushions and vacuum the boat.
I try to drain all water from the transom but still have water that will not drain from the bow of the boat.
I then will trailer the boat to our barn pull it into a covered area (lean to) let stand for 24 hrs to air out. Then place the cover on the boat.
The boat is some what dry but still damp (carpet cushions etc).

What do you guys do to dry your boat and how do you get the water water out the bow?

We have 2008 21v Launch

[crystal waters]

does your boat not have a thru drain from the bow to the transom such that when the bow is angled higher than the transom it will cause the water from the bow area to drain to the back of the boat and out the rear drain?

[big2eers]

When we pull our boat out of the water we leave it on the 30 degree boat ramp to drain most of the water out of the boat. But we cannot get all the water out of the bow.
I was also wondering how other boaters dried there boats and try to preserve there cushions and carpet from wearing and break down from dry rot. We love boating and I like to keep a sharp looking boat.

Thanks for any input.
Getting pretty jacked that the season is around the cornor.

2008 21v Launch

[Jdm89supra]

ok ive ben watching this and ill post I have a conbrio wet and water are its second nature if we leave the lake and we arnt going to take it out for a couple of days we pull all of the front seats and stand them up to drain all of the cushions that are loose stand them up and let everything air out for a day or so and then put them back ant cover on but all of the water isn't going to come out on a boat ramp their is water always always somewhere in a boat but my question is how much water are you talking about because after a warm day at the lake we have about a cup of water in the bilge unless we are swimming or bow wash but if water is trapped in the storage locker or somewhere in the hull of the bow you have a drain stoped up or cystel waters said do you have another plug somewhere ive got one in the back and one in the center but my bilge is in a lower point than both or if you have a fat sack is their a hole in it somewhere but their should be no water in the bow for a long period of time also micguiers vinal and leather for the seats ceep them from drying out and cracking and protects them

[big2eers]

Thanks for the replies, there is only one plug on my 21v and that is at the rear at the of the boat. I break out the shop vac. To clean any water left behind.
Do you park for an extended time with cover off but under cover? I could possibly park the the boat under roof with no weather to wear down inside of boat.

2008 21v Launch

[rdlangston13]

ok ive ben watching this and ill post I have a conbrio wet and water are its second nature if we leave the lake and we arnt going to take it out for a couple of days we pull all of the front seats and stand them up to drain all of the cushions that are loose stand them up and let everything air out for a day or so and then put them back ant cover on but all of the water isn't going to come out on a boat ramp their is water always always somewhere in a boat but my question is how much water are you talking about because after a warm day at the lake we have about a cup of water in the bilge unless we are swimming or bow wash but if water is trapped in the storage locker or somewhere in the hull of the bow you have a drain stoped up or cystel waters said do you have another plug somewhere ive got one in the back and one in the center but my bilge is in a lower point than both or if you have a fat sack is their a hole in it somewhere but their should be no water in the bow for a long period of time also micguiers vinal and leather for the seats ceep them from drying out and cracking and protects them

Holy run on sentence batman!


Sent from my iPhone

[rdlangston13]

No matter how wet my boat is, at the end of the weekend the cover goes on and into storage it goes. Wish I had a storage where I could keep the cover off but that is not an option right now


Sent from my iPhone

[jzelt]

During the week, our boat was parked outside beside the house. Depending on how wet it was (got caught in a rain storm?), we would prop seats and let it go, shop vac or towel dry the bilge, and/or run a box fan during the week.

[Jetlink]

We towel off the boat after we get it on the trailer and away from ramp but before we hit the road. If it isn't going to rain, we also trailer home with the cover off and the seats pulled away from the back and towel dry as well. All the wet stuff goes into tubs for the drive home and then on a line in the shed. I check the floor and bilge for any wet spots or water and shop vac if required and store the boat with the seats pulled away to prevent mildew buildup and then cover.

[DAFF]

Trailer home and wash exterior and vacumme interior with a shop vac. Fill with fuel grab a Tims and bring back to the shop. (sometimes it sits in the drive overnight if the weather is nice) Remove the cusions and stack the around the interior of the boat on thier sides to let everything air out. Next day turn on the bildge to drain the excess water which drained in. Cover and go back to work!!

[Kma4444]

Tow home, put in the shop with cover on and the dehumidifier inside. It drains out of the bilge plug and out of the shop through a container with a drain hose. Drys the carpets and storage areas out really quickly. I will roll up the bags if the carpet is damp under them at all. That was mostly when we were playing with bag locations and would be using the manual pump and hose to fill them. With everything plumbed there is mush less in the way of dampness inside the compartments. I leave the cushions pulled forward so the air can circulate.

[big2eers]

I sometimes think that we are hard on our boat. We take a boat cruise wake broad, knee broad and swim a lot while we go up and down the river. The kids like to jump off the back and climb back onto the back and do it all over again. I must say my family of five is like an Indy pit crew when we pull the boat out and bring it up to the house. We wash the exterior take out the cushions, wipe them down and vacuum the interior. I wax twice a year.
We built a pole barn with a lean to on the back side where I park the boat which keeps it out of the noon and afternoon sun. If it rains and it is windy, there is a possibility of rain water entering the boat.

Do any of you worry about animals (pest) getting into your boat. Our house was built in an open field and mice are a concern. Someone in another thread mentioned that they use fabricate softeners to keep them away. Anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks for the input thus far.

Mark

Just bought a new 2012 24v.
Cannot wait to pick it up.

[haugy]

I just open up all the hatches, turn off the batteries, get all the trash out, and hang up all the gear. Once it's in the shop I don't have to cover it, and it dries out fine.

[Jetlink]

I just open up all the hatches, turn off the batteries, get all the trash out, and hang up all the gear. Once it's in the shop I don't have to cover it, and it dries out fine.

That's because you have achieved "Baller" status and have a toy barn big enough for that.

[gogger]

I am thinking I will be a lot more careful with my boat this year. I always tried to get it dried out last year. But with restoration, I think I will put the dehumidifier in there when we get home. Hopefully in the next year or two I can build another pole building for the boat and my tractors and trucks. Not sure if the township will let me put another one up. But until then she is under the lean to.
http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff460/gogger/uploads/20130322_183954_zps11ae7bc1.jpg

[Jdm89supra]

what type of dehumidifiers do you guys use ive ben looking at buying one

[ditchsnake]

besides the cleaning we take everything out of the boat including the bags and cusions and set up 4 fans that oscillate. Its dry in an afternoon. Also have a sunbrella storage cover that breaths in case the weather is bad when we get home. Takes 1/2 an hour to completely unload. I toss and the wife hauls in the garage to hang up all the wet stuff.

[Kma4444]

I have a couple just home dehumidifiers that came from the big box stores. I keep one in the boat and one in an enclosed car trailer as nothing traps moisture like an enclosed trailer. Nothing special at all. I just run a drain hose instead of the bucket. Easy enough

If we lived in a drier climate, the dehumidifier would be redundant obviously. But here in central GA, humidity is omnipresent.

[ditchsnake]

I forgot about where you live and I live. Colorado is drier than a popcorn fart. We went to Missouri last year. Hung our towels out under a covered slip and they were still soaking wet in the morning. At least you guys have nice big lakes.
I have a couple just home dehumidifiers that came from the big box stores. I keep one in the boat and one in an enclosed car trailer as nothing traps moisture like an enclosed trailer. Nothing special at all. I just run a drain hose instead of the bucket. Easy enough

If we lived in a drier climate, the dehumidifier would be redundant obviously. But here in central GA, humidity is omnipresent.

[Jdm89supra]

yea I live in nc and everything stays wet. it takes like a week to dry our boat out if not longer. im going to go get some dehumidifiers and see if it helps

[ditchsnake]

I found a chemical supply company that sells something called quat ammonia. Hospitals use it and Service master uses it when your basement gets flooded. Been using it for years when my boat gets flooded. Depends on the concentration of the ammonia. Dilutes like 50:1. Kills all mold and bacteria. I spray it on everything thats wet. Drys good too. They actually have enzymes that eat bacteria and it's byproduct smells really nice. Thats supposed to be eco friendly. I'm sure the quat ammonia probably isn't. Still better than stinkin compartments.

[ditchsnake]

It's official name is quaternary ammonia. It's also used by food prep. companys to sanitize equipment and tables. Must not be too bad then. Found it online too
I found a chemical supply company that sells something called quat ammonia. Hospitals use it and Service master uses it when your basement gets flooded. Been using it for years when my boat gets flooded. Depends on the concentration of the ammonia. Dilutes like 50:1. Kills all mold and bacteria. I spray it on everything thats wet. Drys good too. They actually have enzymes that eat bacteria and it's byproduct smells really nice. Thats supposed to be eco friendly. I'm sure the quat ammonia probably isn't. Still better than stinkin compartments.

[Kma4444]

Oh yes, getting things dry here in the summer is challenging at best. Hanging things up does let them drip which helps a bit. :p But you are right, the lakes here are pretty darn nice.


I forgot about where you live and I live. Colorado is drier than a popcorn fart. We went to Missouri last year. Hung our towels out under a covered slip and they were still soaking wet in the morning. At least you guys have nice big lakes.