Moisture in console

[auwallace]

Anyone have tips for controlling moisture inside the console? I also have an issue in the storage seat in front of the console. That seat doesn't drain anywhere but the console has a drain to the bilge. I've started leaving the door to the console and the seat to the storage cracked but it's not really helping. I keep my boat covered year round. I was wondering about possibly venting the console by installing a louvered vent on the door. Or is this something we all just deal with?

[Juan]

I think it may be something we all deal with... I know I have the same moisture issues and I do the same thing you're doing.. Leave one of the doors to the console open and the lid on the forward live well propped open. That usually works for me unless we're having a lot of rain.. The mud daubers love it when I leave the door to the live well open.

[gnrphil]

Have you tried a dehumidifier or a tub of salt, either one would soak up the moisture. Maybe it's just too much, my console is lined with material which I guess would help it but I haven't had it long enough to find out. I'll keep an eye on that this summer.

[auwallace]

I haven't tried anything besides cracking the doors. I thought about one of those starbrite brand damp rid bags. May try that first. Probably would not be as big of an issue but it rains so damn much down here and my cover isn't 100% waterproof. I help that by draping a small plastic tarp over the console.

[yolo]

Get a plastic tool box. Drill as many holes in the top as you can and fill it with charcoal.

[auwallace]

Interesting. This works like the damp rid tubs? I left one of the big tubs in for a week and it was full. But that combined with leaving the console cracked seemed to dry everything out.

How often do you replace the charcoal? This would be a much more economical option than buying a 10$ damp rid bucket.

This seems like a pretty consistent problem with all makes. Maybe the new sea pros could have some sort of console ventilation.

[yolo]

Yup, only thing better is the charcoal doesn't collect water. Google "charcoal as dehumidifier" some good reading.

Learned this originally from my uncles friend. I was complaining about my sealed tool box still getting rusted tools and he told me to put a piece of charcoal in there and it will never rust, even with a non sealed box.

It doesn't matter if they have ventilation or not, really any area that is not sealed and/or climate controlled will build moisture and condensation. Every boat, every everything!

I have a toolbox filled with charcoal under my console (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Keter-19-in-Plastic-Tool-Box-with-Metal-Latches-and-Removable-Tool-Tray-17331512/202021300), then in the battery box and the electronics box up top i bought those little dry boxes from home depot (cant find the like for example but they are little clear pelican sealed cases).

I swap out the charcoal when i take it out in the spring and in the fall when i put it away for the winter. Not sure if it could last longer or i need to change it more often (dont think so becusae everything stays more than dry) but thats what ive been doing and its kept everything dry, no rust or corrosion in the batt boxes or on the electronics i have up top, and the console stays nice and dry now. I dont even leave the window cracked anymore.

Best thing is, the charcoal never goes bad for its original purpose. So when its done keeping your boat dry you can still grill with it.

[AHHHH-Spray]

Thanks for that info Yolo. I hung a big damp rid bag on the wheel one time when the cover was on the boat and quickly figured out that I'd go broke trying to manage moisture with those things.

[freezerfiller]

I think there's too much moisture for absorbing... you really need ventilation. The fact that the console is above the bilge makes it a naturally moisture saturated environment...

[nlaudy]

Can you install a vent cover or something that will allow air to circulate but will prevent water from getting in?

[yolo]

Mar 29, 2015 9:32:08 GMT -6 AHHHH-Spray said:

Thanks for that info Yolo. I hung a big damp rid bag on the wheel one time when the cover was on the boat and quickly figured out that I'd go broke trying to manage moisture with those things.

No problem, and yeahh the store bought salt and those dry bags are too much dinero. I specifically didnt like the salt because of the water that builds. Plus the charcoal is soo cheap and easy to get.

A ps, happen to go over to the boat today to check on it and remembered to check under the consoles to see how the charcoal did for the winter (worked great over the summer). This is the first year i had the charcoal under the console during the winter.I usually get mildew in the lining and all over the wires and everywhere else after the salt goes bad and i forget to check it. No mildew this year with a quarter painters bucket worth of charcoal (my console is big so i overdid it). I didn't even have the window cracked.

[yolo]

Mar 29, 2015 17:06:53 GMT -6 freezerfiller said:

I think there's too much moisture for absorbing... you really need ventilation. The fact that the console is above the bilge makes it a naturally moisture saturated environment...

Trust me on this one. Try the charcoal thing.

[seagristle]

Nice tip Yolo. Are you talking briquette type charcoal (ala Kingsford), or real hardwood charcoal?

I have tried those Damp Rid type buckets but was always forgetting to dump them before running and spilling the contents all over the floor.

[yolo]

Yep, that was my problem with them, i would forget about them, salt would evap and hello mildew or i would take off with it full of water lol; mainly when im focused on the girls in bikinis. You can actually make your as well using deeper containers ect. ect. ect. But charcoal is sooo much easier.

And yes the regular briquette kingsford type.

Just don't get match light, in case of worst case scenario it wont just light up lol.

[freezerfiller]

Mar 30, 2015 10:05:00 GMT -6 yolo said:

And yes the regular briquette kingsford type.

Just don't get match light, in case of worst case scenario it wont just light up lol.

"I see you got the industrial sized bottle of lighter fluid.....smart."

[yolo]

YESS!!!! LOLOLOL

[gnrphil]

rofl.I'm going to try this and I've got a couple of bags at the house. guess I'll need to get some regular charcoal now though 

[freezerfiller]

You can always use it to grill some endangered red snapper while you are out!