Finish

[CK 17]

My NIS 23 has some compartments that, once done, will be inaccessable for the life of the boat. Even if I install a water tight hatch, the area under the cockpit will be to big to reach and clean. I had planned to coat these areas with epoxy and leave it at that. However, after more thought, I'm thinking I may need finish that inhibit's the grow of mold. Any thoughts.

Joe Schena

[Bob Cleek]

While coatings, particularly penetrating epoxy (CPES), are indicated in such applications, enclosed areas such as you describe are highly prone to inviting rot, let alone mildew. The only thing for it is lots of ventilation. If you have installed sufficient ventilators, you should have no problem with mildew. If you haven't, no matter what you coat it with, odds are you will eventually have moisture related decay.

[CK 17]

What do you think of part time ventilation? It is an area thats reserved for floatation. It will live on a trailer. I'm thinking of installing hatches that could be open while the boat is not in use.

Joe Schena

[Bruce Hooke]

Unless you plan on using the boat 40 hours a week for work :D ventilation when the boat is not in use should be fine...after all, most of us only manage to use our boats for a few hours a week so ventilation when not in use is pretty near all the time...

[seayou77]

Cuprinol is good.

[ssor]

When I built Bietzpadlin,I installed a dedicated fifteen watt solar panel and several small computer fans, 24 cfm,less that 1 watt each. These run when the sun shines, the boat never smells musty or stale even after winter storage. Every compartment is ventilated but can be made water tight in less than one minute.