Active Active   Unanswered Unanswered

Inside storage in Michigan

Winterizing? Summerizing? Covering? Trailering? If it is about a boat out of water put it here.

Moderators: Don Ayers, Al Benton, Don Vogt

lpmcrags
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2013 8:30 am
Contact:

Inside storage in Michigan

Post by lpmcrags » Mon Sep 16, 2013 11:45 am

I always loved wood boats & now I own one. A 1956 17' Sportsman, Now how do I store it, safely in Michigan.
I plan on storing in a heated 55 degrees building. I am very concerned about the humidity & the stress on the wood and I have heard of several ways to keep the wood from drying out. I have heard of putting upholstery foam under the trailer & keeping it damp with water. I am also considering building a 2x4 structure like a small garage & covering it with shrink wrap then putting a humidifier inside to keep the humidity at 40%. Any ideas would be appreciated. Larry Peters, Lady-B-Wood

User avatar
Captain Nemo
Posts: 730
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:40 pm
Location: Lyons, NY
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by Captain Nemo » Mon Sep 16, 2013 4:20 pm

I am of the opinion that closing up a wood boat in a shed and adding humidity for the sake of trying to keep a boat swelled up is an exercise in futility and can cause other problems, (mold, rot). My practice has always been a semi-enclosed shed with a gravel floor.
Boats are to be made of wood, otherwise, God would have grown fiberglass trees.

User avatar
tkhersom
Posts: 983
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Location: Edgecomb, Maine
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by tkhersom » Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:55 pm

AMEN!
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

Greg Wallace
Posts: 400
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2006 2:49 pm
Location: Indian Lake, Ohio
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by Greg Wallace » Tue Sep 17, 2013 7:40 am

It would take 100% humidity to duplicate the moisture the bottom is exposed to while in the water and totally tight so you likely will not prevent hull plank shrinkage. Humidity control while stored , however, can go a long way toward mitigating "dry out" and can especially help to prevent the topsides from openning up.

Be carefull not to creat condtions that would promote rot (temperature and high humidity). Un heated and non paved buildings can be the best and where you are would be fine, but I have been very successful with concrete floors in just spraying water under the boat and leaving a pan or two of water in the bilge.

Your 40% humidity target sound pretty close to me
Greg Wallace 23 Custom 22166 former Chris-Craft dealer Russells Point, Oh.

Thommyboy
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:11 pm
Location: Minneapolis
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by Thommyboy » Tue Sep 17, 2013 11:09 am

Do not put the boat in a heated space. Unheated, gravel or dirt floor is best.

Andreas

User avatar
John DeVries
Posts: 160
Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:47 pm
Location: George, IA
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by John DeVries » Fri Sep 20, 2013 9:56 am

Something else to consider would be to remove as much upholstery and flooring as possible. The idea is to provide air circulation to the bilge. I've read several times that dry rot's best friend is stale air. Carrying this a step further, I've also read of owners who put fans with timers in the bilge so that there will be an hour or so of circulation every day for the duration of the storage.

John DeVries

lpmcrags
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2013 8:30 am
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by lpmcrags » Sat Sep 21, 2013 12:45 pm

I appreciate all the comments. I have decided to store in unheted on gravel, not many of those to choose from.
Thanks for your help. Larry

User avatar
tkhersom
Posts: 983
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Location: Edgecomb, Maine
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by tkhersom » Sun Sep 22, 2013 6:18 am

Good choice!

Sponge the bilge dry and you should be in great shape.
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

User avatar
Jasmine45
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 8:14 am
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by Jasmine45 » Sun Sep 22, 2013 1:52 pm

Hi Larry - are you in the metro Detroit area? If so, I can recommend a good indoor storage place.
Jasmine - 1946 16' Rocket modified

iamallthumbs
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:29 am
Location: Algoma, WI
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by iamallthumbs » Tue Oct 15, 2013 11:54 am

I wouldn't get too hung up on the need to store a boat on gravel instead of concrete. Concrete has less porosity than coarse gravel and can wick up more moisture from the underlying soils, all things being equal. Of course a plastic layer under the concrete changes the game. If the underlying soils are dry, it will not matter if the floor is concrete or gravel.
Mike D.

1947 CC Deluxe Runabout R-17-413 BOOMER (user boat)
1947 CC Deluxe Runabout R-17-872 ZOOM-ZOOM (project boat)
1965 25' Folkboat SALTY DOG (lapstrake sailboat)
Barn with room for more boats!

User avatar
Don Vogt
Club Executive Team
Posts: 919
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:51 pm
Location: seattle, wa

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by Don Vogt » Tue Oct 15, 2013 7:27 pm

I vote with. tommy boy on this one.
1938 Chris Craft 17' Deluxe Runabout "Jennifer II"

User avatar
NOT Firewood
Posts: 114
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:25 pm
Location: Nipawin Saskatchewan, Canada
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by NOT Firewood » Wed Oct 16, 2013 5:26 pm

Wow makes me rethink building a heated garage for my Skiff

User avatar
tkhersom
Posts: 983
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Location: Edgecomb, Maine
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by tkhersom » Wed Oct 16, 2013 8:12 pm

NOT Firewood wrote:Wow makes me rethink building a heated garage for my Skiff
Only time a wood boat wants to be in a heated building is to be worked on, otherwise they dry out way too fast and too much. :cry:
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

User avatar
NOT Firewood
Posts: 114
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:25 pm
Location: Nipawin Saskatchewan, Canada
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by NOT Firewood » Thu Oct 17, 2013 7:21 am

On the bright side if I don't build a garage now I have these $$$$$ to buy another boat :lol:

User avatar
maritimeclassics
Posts: 700
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 4:35 pm
Location: Traverse City, Mi
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by maritimeclassics » Thu Oct 17, 2013 1:40 pm

If you are in Northern Lower Michigan I can help we have storage. Maritime Classics 503-490=7031
Family member of Chris Craft founder
Owner of Maritime Classics
http://www.maritimeclassics.com
Ph# 231-486-6148

Restoration Projects:
1936 25' Gar Wood Custom
1947 Ventnor Hydroplane
1957 17' Deluxe Runabout
1948 25' Chris Craft Sportsman Twin
1959 19' Sliver Arrow Hull #75
1929 26' Chris Craft Custom Runabout
1937 25' Chris Craft Custom Runabout

User avatar
mfine
Posts: 1405
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2010 8:16 pm
Location: Pittsford and Penn Yan NY

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by mfine » Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:02 pm

NOT Firewood wrote:Wow makes me rethink building a heated garage for my Skiff
Just put a large kiddie pool in the heater garage and let it float all winter. No worry about need for swelling come spring, and if you build the garage and pool big enough, you can even drive it around a bit when the wife isn't home.

User avatar
tkhersom
Posts: 983
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Location: Edgecomb, Maine
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by tkhersom » Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:19 pm

mfine wrote:
NOT Firewood wrote:Wow makes me rethink building a heated garage for my Skiff
Just put a large kiddie pool in the heater garage and let it float all winter. No worry about need for swelling come spring, and if you build the garage and pool big enough, you can even drive it around a bit when the wife isn't home.
If we are going to extremes you could remove the hardware and engine, then sink her to the bottom. :wink:
I have actually heard of this being done with wood row boats. :shock:
mfine's way sounds like a lot more fun. How about an indoor lake! :D
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

User avatar
tkhersom
Posts: 983
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Location: Edgecomb, Maine
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by tkhersom » Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:29 pm

NOT Firewood wrote:On the bright side if I don't build a garage now I have these $$$$$ to buy another boat :lol:
Of course that means you will need more $$$$$$$ for a bigger garage, but since you won't need a heating system or concrete floor you may have that covered all ready.

It is a vicious cycle, but OH so much fun. :mrgreen:
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

User avatar
whamm511
Posts: 272
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:02 pm
Location: Flint/Port Huron, Michigan
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by whamm511 » Mon Dec 09, 2013 10:22 pm

My Grandfather, raised on Lake Superior's Munising Bay, told me they always swamped the rowboats for two or three days at the start of the season to swell them up. Over the winter they left them sitting in an unheated shed or maybe even turned upside down on a pair of oars outside. These were the ordinary working folks boats not the 'Summer Folk' who had boat houses.
Bill Hammond
1960 36' Connie
Flint/Port Huron, MI
http://www.chris-craft.org/registry/vie ... at_id=1708

55sportsman
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:01 pm
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by 55sportsman » Sat Oct 17, 2015 8:47 pm

I am storing mine indoors for first time and want to make sure I'm doing it right. I have a 17' Sportsman on a trailer in a non heated garage. Should I keep the canvas waterline cover on it or take it off and let her breathe. Also, I had it drained and fogged at local Marina. Do you add a additive to the fuel tank?
Thanks!
Chris

User avatar
tkhersom
Posts: 983
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Location: Edgecomb, Maine
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by tkhersom » Sun Oct 18, 2015 6:08 am

Yes add a fuel stabilizer to the gas. Star Tron seems to be one of the most popular brands here in the northeast. For future reference, put your fuel stabilizer in with before your last use. This way it gets into the fuel lines and carburetors.

In the northern states, where freezing is sure to occur, you will want to sponge the bilge dry. After doing so I than leave all the hatches open to let the air flow and dry the bilge more. (my Dad used to put a fan in the bilge for about a week, I don't bother with that step) Once the bilge is dry you can cover the boat if you want. The cover will help keep dust off, but again make sure the bilge is dry first. :D

A thought for the spring. If you have updraft carbs and your marina used a fair amount of fogging oil you may need to use a rag to sop up any excess oil from the elbow after the choke plate before she will start.
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

User avatar
Jim Godlewski
Posts: 574
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 12:32 pm
Location: Saint Clair Shores, Michigan
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by Jim Godlewski » Sun Oct 18, 2015 6:21 am

55sportsman wrote:I am storing mine indoors for first time and want to make sure I'm doing it right. I have a 17' Sportsman on a trailer in a non heated garage. Should I keep the canvas waterline cover on it or take it off and let her breathe. Also, I had it drained and fogged at local Marina. Do you add a additive to the fuel tank?
Thanks!
Chris
I cant really comment on the canvas cover since our boat doesn't have one, I just keep a loosely fitted dust cover on it in the garage and all is good. Here are other things I do...
Make sure any water that may be left in the bilge is removed.
Remove the battery and keep it on a trickle charger.
Stuff something that fits tight into the exhaust pipe to keep campers out.
Jack up the trailer to get the tires off the ground and reduce tire pressure.
(I like to take care of the trailer tires for those long hauls)
And yes, I add some fuel stabilizer. Amount of fuel left in the tank is debatable... I like to get it close to full. Seems to work for me.
1956 17 Sportsman CC-17-2310
1930 Model 100 7152

User avatar
tkhersom
Posts: 983
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Location: Edgecomb, Maine
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by tkhersom » Sun Oct 18, 2015 6:59 am

Jim Godlewski wrote:
55sportsman wrote:I am storing mine indoors for first time and want to make sure I'm doing it right. I have a 17' Sportsman on a trailer in a non heated garage. Should I keep the canvas waterline cover on it or take it off and let her breathe. Also, I had it drained and fogged at local Marina. Do you add a additive to the fuel tank?
Thanks!
Chris
And yes, I add some fuel stabilizer. Amount of fuel left in the tank is debatable... I like to get it close to full. Seems to work for me.
Jim I am with you on this IF you can get ethanol free gas.

Trust me, if you ever have to drain a whole tank of fuel, rebuild carbs, flush fuel lines, and of course lose out of precious boating time because the ethanol separated and contaminated your entire fuel system (even though you used stabilizer), you will be preaching a different sermon. :wink:
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

User avatar
evansjw44
Posts: 1865
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 8:46 am
Location: Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by evansjw44 » Sun Oct 18, 2015 11:14 am

I store outside in MI. I have a big canvas tarp and a steel tube frame to hold it up. It beats paying $500-600 a year for shrink. Besides, the boat likes having lots of fresh air circulating. As for fuel, I store with as little fuel in the tanks a possible. I want just enough fuel to get to the fuel dock in the spring. Mostly, I don't want the weight of 140 gallons of fuel hanging during the winter. Of course, that means playing fuel tank roulette in the fall. I have to make sure I have enough for a few hours out on th elake and enough to get to the marina to winter store.
Jim Evans

User avatar
Don Vogt
Club Executive Team
Posts: 919
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:51 pm
Location: seattle, wa

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by Don Vogt » Sun Oct 18, 2015 1:51 pm

I think most trailers have bunks that extend all the way past the transom of the boat. In that case, I am not sure that gas weight would be an issue? as far as gas is concerned, I believe the main issue with a less than full tank is the potential for water condensation on the inside of the tank. That is why I keep mine full. We do have a "hidden" fuel filter under the storage bin, so that will to some extent deal with any water in the gas line (and is acceptable at tahoe), but there would still be the problem of the effect of water on the tank, perhaps. Although generally a purist, i do think a fuel filter is a must to protect the engine. Also we have access to premium unleaded non-ethanol fuel, that not only burns cleaner than regular gas, and eliminates the ethanol separation problem. I think the more one follows some of these guidelines, the less likely one is to encounter problems down the road.
1938 Chris Craft 17' Deluxe Runabout "Jennifer II"

User avatar
mfine
Posts: 1405
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2010 8:16 pm
Location: Pittsford and Penn Yan NY

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by mfine » Mon Oct 19, 2015 12:08 pm

Ethanol is a game changer. It actually helps absorb moisture to a point, but then it separates.

Non-ethanol fuel, store filled with high octane premium fuel to avoid moisture from any air space from building up condensation.

If you have ethanol in the fuel, store as close to empty as possible. Ethanol is added as a non-lead knock inhibitor. Besides the separation issues, it also evaporates faster than the other compounds in the fuel and by spring your fuel may not have anywhere close to the octane rating it had when new. Even if a bit of condensation gets into your tank over winter, a fresh tank full of E-10 should absorb it in the spring. There is more potential for corrosion in the tank over the winter, but I think the risk is low compared to the problems and expense of a full tank going bad.

User avatar
ClassOf56
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:03 pm
Location: Harsens Island, MI
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by ClassOf56 » Mon Oct 19, 2015 6:08 pm

I am lucky in that the local gas dock sells Valvetech marine fuel at a reasonable price. It is all I will use. It already has the stabilizers in it, no ethanol, keeps the internals clean and runs great. I have started using it for my lawn mowers, outboards, snow blowers, etc. pretty much anything other than the cars. Even cars that don't get run much get the Valvetech. It's good stuff.

If you go to their website, they have a 'finder' that will tell you who sells it locally.

http://www.valvtect.com/marineFuelGasoline.asp
Steve A
1956 18' Chris-Craft Continental

User avatar
North Woody
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:17 am
Location: Glencoe, IL
Contact:

Reviving this Stale Thread: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by North Woody » Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:28 pm

I just bought a 1936 19’ Runabout for our lake home up in Northern Wisconsin where it will live year-round. For winter storage I plan to keep it in one of the garages on our property which I had planned to heat this Fall. However, reading all of this is making me think that we may be better off leaving the garage unheated if I want to store the Runabout there. So as a newbie in the wooden boat ownership club, I’d really appreciate it if you guys can set me straight on the following questions:

1) Our upper garage is an unheated, concrete floor garage (where we leave our snowmobiles). Is there anything special that I would have to do to store my Runabout there for the winter?
2) If we do heat that garage (a project that I had planned but not yet executed), we would keep it at roughly 55 degrees. So would that cause the drying out problems that are noted in this thread? Or is there an ideal temperature or humidity level to focus on?
3) Would I be better off if I simply found an unheated, gravel-floor garage to store the Runabout?

Thanks in advance for your sage advice on this!
1936 Chris Craft 19’ Runabout “Lake Girl”
https://chris-craft.org/boats/49122/

User avatar
Don Vogt
Club Executive Team
Posts: 919
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:51 pm
Location: seattle, wa

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by Don Vogt » Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:42 pm

answer no. 3 is correct. if you can remove loose seating, etc. to promote air circulation inside the boat, that is great too. leaving the cover on is not a problem. bilge should be dry for storage. Steve can winterize for you or advise you of the things to do.
1938 Chris Craft 17' Deluxe Runabout "Jennifer II"

User avatar
Captain Nemo
Posts: 730
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:40 pm
Location: Lyons, NY
Contact:

Re: Inside storage in Michigan

Post by Captain Nemo » Mon Aug 20, 2018 7:04 pm

I agree on answer #3. Ventilation is key, a semi enclosed shed is best.
Looking back through this thread I guess I already said that. :roll:
Boats are to be made of wood, otherwise, God would have grown fiberglass trees.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests