SPECIALIZED INDOOR WINTER BOAT STORAGE

After a complete restoration project several years ago, Ragtime has been a regular around the Southport boatyard. She’s currently in an indoor, heated storage bay for the winter, which is unique for a wooden boat. The atmosphere can be too dry for the wood, so owners typically prefer indoor, unheated storage. The problem with the cold temperatures is that they’re hard on varnish – something that Ragtime has a lot of! So, HYS came up with a solution. She is in the heated environment with a humidity controlled apron wrapped around her hull.

Inside of the apron there are packing blankets on the floor with perforated hoses on top. The hoses flood the blankets and increase humidity levels. Too much humidity can be troublesome for the boat’s interior, so the crew carefully monitors the levels using thermal hydro sensors. Three sensors are placed in the main salon, forward, and under the boat. Keeping the humidity levels at around 50% ensures that Ragtime is ready to be enjoyed and in pristine condition as soon as the boating season arrives!