Waterproofing Canvas + Winterizing Question

CDawg · Outlaw Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 130 City: Bellevue

Hey all - I recently bought an '02 Calabria Pro-V that came with a custom fit canvas cover. Well, living in Seattle, the cover got a real test this fall when the rain started coming down and I found out it wasn't keeping water out well at all. The carpet in all lockers stayed soaked, and the bilge stayed pretty full. So, after reading some threads here, I bought a gallon of "Star Brite" waterproofing liquid with Teflon and waited for a dry weekend day to spray it on outside directly on the boat.

Well, after weeks of constant rain, I had to bite the bullet, and find a different method. I took the wet cover to a laundromat, and was able to fit it in their biggest dryer. After an hour and a half of drying, I spread out the dry canvas in my garage and sprayed it down with the waterproofing using a pressurized garden-sprayer. It's nice 'cus you basically just need to soak it, and you can tell pretty easily what you've covered. I let it dry in the garage overnight, but the one bad thing about this StarBrite is it it smells like some serious noxious chemicals. (My wife complained nonstop! Very Happy

)

The cover was dry in the morning, and a shade darker from soaking up the waterproofing, but the bad news is that it rained HARD all night on my poor boat Sad

. Even with the plug out, the bilge was really full of water, and I had to use the bilge pump to get most of it out. So, I toweled off most of the surface water, and put the cover on. It worked like a charm!! The water immediately beaded-up and sheeted right off instead of soaking in like it did before.

Now, the boat's still really soaked inside, so I've put one of these Dry Wave units in there with the cockpit seats open, which will hopefully do the job eventually. Anybody know how long it might take for this to dry out? Will I get mildew in the stern lockers since they won't get any heat?

Also, regarding winterizing, I have one of those magnetic engine warmers that runs about 200 degrees. With that attached that to the oil pan, should I have no fears about potential freezing/cracking over the winter? I've got a drysuit and really don't want to shut down for the whole "off-season", but I don't want to take a chance damaging the engine.

This being my first boat, I'll take any advice you can give me.
[/url]

Neognosis · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 17617 City: Webster

How cold does it get where you live?

Can you put the boat in the garage for awhile until it dries out?

Leave all hatches open, take the seat cushions out.

Put in and rotate in and out a few dehumidifying canisters.

What's the deal with the magnetic engine warmer? 200 degrees? Is that right? It attaches to your oil pan and heats it to 200 degrees?

lcap · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 10973 City: Homeless

CDawg,

1. In Seattle when it does get cold, the power usually goes out at the same time. DONT TAKE A CHANCE! Draining the engine of water is a 30 minute job--tops.

2. Pick up a portable garage from Cosco for $150 for the winter. It'll keep your boat dry and reduce your mildew/mold problems for the life of your boat. It takes about an hour to set it up and you can take them down in the spring. I use them on jobsites to keep the welders dry.

CDawg · Outlaw Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 130 City: Bellevue

lcap · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 10973 City: Homeless

CDawg,

I'm not sure how much a rebuilt engine is and I really don't want to know for certain. I'm thinking around $3,500. Digging out the manual is a fun thing.

Pretty sure the inside head room on them is about 10'. You'll have to lower the tower to put it in but should be able to put it back up once inside.

You have a damn expensive boat to let it sit outside.

CDawg · Outlaw Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 130 City: Bellevue

Neognosis · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 17617 City: Webster

What's a "freeze plug?"

CDawg · Outlaw Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 130 City: Bellevue

Nauty · Addict Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 827 City: Lake Dallas

During the regular season I use my boat cover. Although water resistant, it is not water proof. A heavy rain will undoubtedly always lets some water through. I tried the water proofing spray as you did, but that doesn't last very long. Before long water is again finding its way through the cover.

As I said, during the regular season I only use the boat cover. This is because even if it rains and some water gets through, chances are I'll be taking the boat out within a few days and I can let it dry out and get it cleaned up.

During the winter when I'm not using the boat every weekend I use nylon tarps in addition to my boat cover. I put my boat cover on as usual. Then I take two 16x12 nylon tarps (you can get them at Home Depot or Wal-mart in various sizes for around $10 each) and I cover my boat using bungee cords to hold the tarps in place. This set up doesn't let ANY water pass through. My boat stays 100% dry all winter long.

Putting on and taking off the tarps is a bit of a pain in the ass. That's why I do not use them during the regular season.

jonsmith2340 · Soul Rider Joined: 02 Feb 2005 Posts: 370

cameraboy, I've always heard them called "frost plugs." I found an ok image of a 350 block showing the frost plugs here:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.trumantruck.com/350withplugs.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.trumantruck.com/jan112003p4.html&h=300&w=400&sz=23&tbnid=ZYJa2SMw1d4J:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&hl=en&start=4&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dengine%2Bfrost%2Bplugs%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

In the midwest this is typically where the engine block heater goes, meaning that if you follow the plug-in from the front to the block it is usually in one of the frost plug ports.

CDawg, description was right on!

CDawg · Outlaw Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 130 City: Bellevue

Thanks Nauty. Do you ever have mildew problems with the tarps on there? Do you make sure the boat is really dry inside before you strap them on?

Nauty · Addict Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 827 City: Lake Dallas

Actually, I do not put the tarps down tight against the boat. I put my regular boat cover on as usual. Then I attach one end of the tarp to the top of my tower and the other end goes over the trailer guide poles. I take another tarp and attach it to the top of the tower (overlapping the first tarp) and attach the other end of it around the front of the bow.

With this set up the tarps keep out the rain while the boat cover keeps out the dust and neighborhood animals. Having a nice space inbetween the tarps and boat cover allows air to circulate and keep mildew from forming.

CDawg · Outlaw Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 130 City: Bellevue

That makes a lot of sense, Nauty, and isn't expensive at all. I might just have to follow your lead! Smile

And thanks for the link on the plugs, jonsmith2340, good to know.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

WARNING ABOUT TARPS!!

nauty's idea about tarps is good, but take his advice on having the main cover underneath, and don't latch them down to the hull.

Tarps will destroy a gelcoat on a boat, and I mean destroy!!! If you have to do like nauty, secure it the tower and run it off the back with the cover on for protection, and to the front.

I have a thick guage vinyl top on mine with breathing cones that don't let water in, but let air. Water never gets through mine. We had to have it custom made, which was about $350 more than a standard good cover. But it was worth it. It never mildews, keeps water out (i forgot the pole in the back to keep the top up once, and had a small swimming pool waiting for me when done, inside of the boat, dry)

I still can't figure out this magnet thing you have, can you link me to it? Or tell me who made it? I dunno just doesn't sound right.

CDawg · Outlaw Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 130 City: Bellevue

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Ahhh ha!!!! It's a heater with a magnet built in to attach to the block. The magnet has 200watts...not degrees. which would keep the motor probably at about 65 degrees. Safe but not too hot. But it is electric, and we all know how well that works out.

Good move on the drain the engine. Now you can do like me on the weekends, and just sit in the boat and pretend. Laughing

When is it summer again???