# Mold in hull



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

I guess it depends on how big your bilge are is. If it runs down the keel line, you can pour some bleach into the bildge (maybe a few cups). Add some water with the hose (maybe 5-20 gals of water, depending on boat bilge size) and let it sit there or move the nose of the boat around with the trailer to slosh it around down inside there. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, jack the boat up with the trailer jack and drain it out. Then rinse it with the hose and let it drain out. 

With a smaller bilge in the rear and/or around the inside sides of the bilge area, in a well ventilated area, use a mixture of 50/50 bleach/water in a spray bottle to get rid of it. Just spray it on liberally. Try not to breath it. Let it sit for about 10-15mins then scrub it with a brush or bristle pad and then rinse it out.

Then every few months or as needed, do a light spray with 10%/90% bleach/water mix in a spray bottle and just let it dry on it, or rinse it out of the bilge area in about 30 minutes and leave the bilge lid open to air dry.

Also, you may still have water or moisture in the bilge area when the boat sits. If you keep the deck level, water may still run to your forward keel area and trap moisture within the under-deck and bilge area, either from remnant water from using or rain from outside storage or just the boat sweating inside due to condensation. So instead when storing, jack up the nose or tongue of the trailer with the trailer jack, with the bilge plug out (but remember to re-install it when you are about to use it again! ) and store it that way. It need to be up enough to where the lowest point of the front keel or front entry of the boat is higher than the rear keel or rear running pad at the transom.

Also, if the boat ramp is not busy, when pulling the boat out of the water, pull it up the ramp far enough to walk around the boat and take the plug out (of course with the vehicle in park and the parking brake on  ). Allow it to drain for a few minutes until the water stops flowing. Leave the plug out and drive it home or until you store it. Leave it out when storing.

Ted Haas


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

Buy some bilge cleaner.
Mix with water according to the directions.
Poor mixture in the bilge.
Trailer your boat around the block a few times.
Drain your bilge.


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

take an old shirt or rag, cut it into a strip and put it into the drain. This will work as a wick to remove water from the bilge.


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## Snoball (Dec 30, 2016)

Thanks for the advise. I was a little concerned about using bleach in that area as its open to 
my batteries, batt. switch, wiring etc. in there too. Guess it can't be to much worse that salt water.


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## State fish rob (Jan 25, 2017)

Tilex does a great job on black mildew. I pour pine sol in bilge(lemony fresh).


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## mwong61 (Jul 28, 2013)

I always use a little bit of bleach when I wash my boat after fishing. In a 5 gal bucket a couple squirts of Dawn dish detergent and a glug or so of bleach. Fill with water to mix it up and wash the boat. The sudsy mixture will drain into the bilge when washing the cockpit and it keeps the mildew at bay. Also leave the hatches open to dry out after washing for at least 24 hours. But I garage store my boat so that makes it a bit easier.


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## Forcefed (Aug 5, 2016)

mwong61 said:


> I always use a little bit of bleach when I wash my boat after fishing. In a 5 gal bucket a couple squirts of Dawn dish detergent and a glug or so of bleach. Fill with water to mix it up and wash the boat. The sudsy mixture will drain into the bilge when washing the cockpit and it keeps the mildew at bay. Also leave the hatches open to dry out after washing for at least 24 hours. But I garage store my boat so that makes it a bit easier.


I feel
Bad for your gel coat... try not to use bleach if possible. It's hard on the gel coat, among other things. Not to mention Dawn will take off whatever wax you had on the boat.


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

Forcefed said:


> I feel
> Bad for your gel coat... try not to use bleach if possible. It's hard on the gel coat, among other things. Not to mention Dawn will take off whatever wax you had on the boat.


Its okay to use bleach or soft scrub but make sure you rinse it thoroughly. Letting it sit on the nonskid eats right through it. Especially the sand style nonskid.


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## Forcefed (Aug 5, 2016)

fjmaverick said:


> Its okay to use bleach or soft scrub but make sure you rinse it thoroughly. Letting it sit on the nonskid eats right through it. Especially the sand style nonskid.


 I've known quite a few captains and detail guys that don't share the same opinion. But too each his own !


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## mwong61 (Jul 28, 2013)

Forcefed said:


> I feel
> Bad for your gel coat... try not to use bleach if possible. It's hard on the gel coat, among other things. Not to mention Dawn will take off whatever wax you had on the boat.


Rinse thoroughly and wax regularly. Been doing this for 4 boats now.

They've all looked pretty good when I sold them. (And smelled good)

M-


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

Forcefed said:


> I've known quite a few captains and detail guys that don't share the same opinion. But too each his own !


My dads contender was thoroughly washed every time it was used. In just 2 years (new boat) the anchor locker and the forward fish locker were almost smooth. I speak from my own experience and I don't fault contender for it.


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## mwong61 (Jul 28, 2013)

fjmaverick said:


> My dads contender was thoroughly washed every time it was used. In just 2 years (new boat) the anchor locker and the forward fish locker were almost smooth. I speak from my own experience and I don't fault contender for it.


Not sure how Contender does their non-skid, is it molded or rolled? In any case I don't use SoftScrub, that has abrasives in it that can degrade the gel coat. I use a soft brush. For tough stains I'll use a Magic Eraser. Which is actually micro abrasive but you can limited it to spot treating the stain.


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## Forcefed (Aug 5, 2016)

mwong61 said:


> Not sure how Contender does their non-skid, is it molded or rolled? In any case I don't use SoftScrub, that has abrasives in it that can degrade the gel coat. I use a soft brush. For tough stains I'll use a Magic Eraser. Which is actually micro abrasive but you can limited it to spot treating the stain.


 looks like it's rolled non skid in our contender. Not sure if they still do it with that way today.


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

Forcefed said:


> looks like it's rolled non skid in our contender. Not sure if they still do it with that way today.


They still do it that way. The non skid always got a stiffer brush witch probably didnt help any. Smooth surfaces got the softer brush.

I have always been into detailing and paint correction. I just dont like doing it in the Florida sun like I did back home in the North East where I had a proper work area. 

Cleaning my skiff after a day out is pretty simple
- bucket with a grit guard 
- fire hose nozzle
- Soap is the most important ( I try to use something that doesnt totally strip the finish)
lately I have been using Ardex which is a smaller detailing franchise product
http://www.ardexwax.com/uploads/Tickeled_Pink_V150327.pdf
Im using it because it was free to me but I would recommend it. Although my preference is a citrus based wash.
- Surehold red brush (soft and stiff depending on pressure)
- Either aluma gaurd or Woody Wax for the metal


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