[alberg30] Try to avoid this

[Dan Sternglass]

All,

Pardon me while I whine...

Just prior to winter storage, one of my mast supports was lost by the
yard, so I "jury rigged" a support, which, in retrospect, turned out to
be fine for the mast, but inadequate for the tarp. Water pooled on the
tarp, and, as murphy would have it, leaked from a tear at the top of the
pool onto one of the only spots that would funnel water into the bilge,
a cockpit settee hatch. To make a long story longer, the water filled
the boat to about 4" over the cabin sole, and the oily crud well
backened the floor and lower sidewalls of the interior.

Lots of industrial TSP based degreaser, oxalic acid and lemon-oil later,
it all looks fine, but I will be dealing with residual mildew for a
while yet, having to clean every square inch, dryclean cushion covers,
curtains etc. Will eventually replace the headliner, too. In 15 years of
storing this boat in this spot, I never had a problem like this. In
cleaning, I found many "wheres" where I never knew there was a "where
there," so to speak. At least there does not appear to be any engine or
freezing damage. Hope to launch tomorrow, at any rate.

There is no one moral to draw from this, but inspecting the INTERIOR
even in the frozen depths of winter storage, would seem to about cover
it. Several exterior inspection visits did not reveal what was going on,
and I hadn't kept a ladder at the boat yard in the winter anyway...

--Dan S.
dans at stmktg.com
"Watcher of the Skies", #201, 1966, Cayuga Lake, Ithaca, NY

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Old school buds here:
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