Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

[thegoodlife]

Spent yesterday looking at a few used boats for sale in the area. One that caught my eye was a 98 four winns 24 horizon. The boat was still wrapped when we showed up to check it out. When it was opened the boat had a noticeable amount of dampness. There was no mold on the vinyl or anything, but I got thinking later on. Is this a possible sign of there being a lot of moisture inside the boat.. i.e. damp foam and rot? It smelled like a sauna inside the boat, as well as some dampness in the ski locker. I didn't notice any heavy amounts of surface rust on hardware (given its a 14 year old boat)

I know I know, I would plan on a survey before I go buying anything and they could tell me in more detail. I would rather not spend the $$$ if this is a huge red flag that screams stay away is all.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

I would avoid that boat... unless you're looking for a project.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

Any boat that is shrink wrapped will have some moisture, depends if it was vented, and most shrink wrapped baots are not vented, as I know of.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

that's the problem with shrink wrap. Don't know where you are but if they just opened it after a month of warm temps, that's what you get. Just check it over carefully--like you'd have to do any boat of that type and age

 

[shrew]

Re: Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

I wouldn't go so far as to generalize this as a problem 'caused' by shrinkwrapping a boat. I've been shrinkwrapping my boat for years and don't have this problem. This is a problem with not venting, or not adequately venting the boat. A shrinkwrapped boat needs to be vented. It requires several vents. I place them every few feet on all sides of the boat. I place the vents at the bottom as well as the top. Once the boat is wrapped, I also crack all the hatches and leave the cabin door open. I open every single locker in the boat and prop open those that need to be kept open. This promotes airflow and i never see condensation. I'll work and sleep on the boat whiel it's shrink wrapped and even several people breathing for hours and hours on end doesn't cause condensation.

Just my .02

 

[thegoodlife]

Re: Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

Well I am pretty sure there were no vents... But the boat was wrapped by the marina so I would think they know what they are doing??? I will have to do a more thorough exam of the boat to make sure this isn’t an issue.

Any advice on checking for moisture problems? I mean other than checking for soft spots in every inch of the floor (which is fiberglass fyi).

I will have to go check the boat out at least once more before I make any decisions one way or another. Just would hate to write it off as a junk boat, because the wrap wasn't vented.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Re: Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

I wouldn't write it off completely. Having a boat wraped by a marina isn't cheap so the current owner obviously at least cared about the boat a little bit to pay to have it done and that's a good sign in my book. I would certainly check it or have it checked very carefully though. Good luck on your search and welcome to iboats.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

... But the boat was wrapped by the marina so I would think they know what they are doing??? ....

Never a Good Assumption!

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

Never a Good Assumption!

^^+1 Oi - I could tell you stories...

As for the boat you are looking at it's certainly old enough to have rot issues but not necessarily caused by the shrink-wrapping.

I'd go ahead and give it a good inspection (and of course, sea trial) before discounting it.

When you say the floor is glass - are you assuming that's what's under the carpet or can you see it's nonskid with either no carpet or snap-in carpet? I ask because lots of boats from that era have wood floors with glass over top then carpet laid down. Those can rot pretty easy if not cared for properly. If it's got a ski locker in the floor, check around the edges to see if any water has wicked sideways and delaminated the ply.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

I would suggest you get it surveyed and or inspected by someone who knows what to look for in the terms of rot.

All that moisture came from within the hull and it could be water soaked under the deck......could be condensation but it sounds excessive ............ buyer beware

Now push the issue even if it checks out.......could be a bargaining chip and PLEASE do not forget the water test!

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

I just have too......

I have my boat shrinkwraped the last two years! And both times i remove my cover there has been no moisture present. 1st year had the boat shop do it and they did a ok job, they also vented. I shop around this year and had a guy come to my house and do it, He did an outstanding job........ I paid for it too... But when i took the cover off i was amazed how dry and clean everything was. He vented it, pulled up the seats and also put moth balls in there too.
I will call and have him do it this winter again.......

Atleast it was not sitting out in the weather with snap in cover only!

Its up to you weather you buy or not, alittle moisture for the right price.........?

 

[thegoodlife]

Re: Moisture after shrink wrap a bad sign?

When you say the floor is glass - are you assuming that's what's under the carpet or can you see it's nonskid with either no carpet or snap-in carpet? I ask because lots of boats from that era have wood floors with glass over top then carpet laid down. Those can rot pretty easy if not cared for properly. If it's got a ski locker in the floor, check around the edges to see if any water has wicked sideways and delaminated the ply.



This is great info! There is no carpet so it is either fiberglass over wood or just fiberglass... If I had to guess it is fiberglass over wood. I think I am going to make arrangements to try and check the boat out again sat morning. I will make sure to stick my head in the ski locker and check for any plywood coming apart.

I wasn't suggesting that the shrink wrapping itself is causing rot or the moisture. More that the moisture may have been present and then wrapping it without venting leads to that moisture condensing.

I kind of had the feeling that the marina wouldn't necessarily know what it was doing.. that's why so many question marks after the statement hahah.

The boat seems pretty clean overall (it was real dirty on the surface) but the vinyl and hull were in good shape. It seems the boat was cared for. I am trying to get more information on service records and stuff at this point. I have another thread going on about the overall value of the boat. They are asking 11.5k without a trailer. Pretty on par with the low NADA, and better than a lot of prices I have seen.

Oh and I would fully plan on a survey and sea trial before I bought it! Hell even if its a canoe at this point... I have read one too many horror stories!!