Malibu Boats Wakesetter 20VTX 2019 Owner'S Manual Download

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2019 Malibu Boats, LLC Owner’s Manual • Page 171

Focus on Prevention:

The key in

eliminating mold growth is controlling

moisture. Remove it as a factor and growth

simply will not occur, so maintaining a
cool and dry condition with clean surfaces

is paramount. Using a dehumidifier isn’t

practical for boat storage, but a simple
remedy can be using desiccant bags. They
must be monitored as they will absorb
moisture and become ineffective but they
can be replaced and this is a relatively
inexpensive method. They are available in
packs for a normal-sized boat and called
“Boat Dry,” purchasable from Sun Solutions
www.sunsolutionproducts.com.
When the boat is ready to store, the
best practices are:

• Clean and dry the boat thoroughly.
• Place a “Boat Dry” set of desiccant

bags throughout the boat.

• Put the mooring cover on and tightly
ratchet (seal will be created at the rub-rail).

Drying out a boat is difficult but the extra care you take will keep

your boat looking new for a long time.

Condensation Cause and Protection:

Water vapor in the

atmosphere will condense onto another surface only when that
surface is cooler than the dew point temperature, or when the water
vapor equilibrium in the air has been exceeded. The dew point
temperature is based on the air temperature and relative humidity. A

typical example is with 90˚F air temperature and 50% RH, the dew
point temperature is about 73˚F.

Many times, through the evening dew will condense onto all
outdoor surfaces like grass, cars, patio furniture, toys, bikes and the
like as the air temperature and surfaces cool below the “dew point.”
Once the morning sun heats the air temperature or those surfaces
heat up enough, the dew will evaporate back into “humidity” and this
cycle will continue as long as the weather conditions permit.
When you cover your boat, you are sealing the outside air in
its present condition under the cover. Also, if the boat wasn’t dried
out, that additional moisture will add to the wetness of the trapped
environment. As the air and surface temperatures cool below the dew
point the water vapor in that air will condense onto all surfaces inside
the boat. In the morning it will take longer to heat the air and surfaces
under the cover as it affords protection thereby lengthening the time
it takes to have the condensation evaporate. It’s very possible if
weather conditions change that the condensation may not return to
vapor for quite some time.

This condition is often misunderstood as the cover “leaking”
water through the fabric, but because of the fabric’s high hydrostatic

water resistance (160 cm) this is not possible. It’s understandable

to think that having the cover wet underneath is somehow due to
it allowing water through, but it is just condensation forming on its
surface. It’s like camping in a synthetic tent; if you’ve ever done it
you’ll remember water beads form on the tent surface and bumping
the tent would cause them to “rain” on you!

Pooling Water:

Water can pool on a cover for various reasons.

However, the Malibu cover is designed to combat this by having

the overall features and characteristics work in concert to maximize
its resistance. The fabric choice requires it to be lightweight, high-
strength, coated, water-repellent treated and “dimensionally” stable.
This minimizes the fabric adding weight, and its strength and stability

allows for the necessary tight fit.

The “face” surface is treated with a water repellency, lowering
the surface tension so water beads up and runs off. The “back”
surface is urethane-coated, providing additional defense against
water penetrating the cover. The new water repellent lowered the
surface tension further over traditional treatments where the water
beads move sooner joining with others making them run off the cover

sooner & faster (very visible). It also increased hydrostatic water
resistance (the ability of fabric to resist water penetration) from about
100 cm to 170 cm.

All “face” water repellent treatments wear off and the “water
beading” will lessen eventually, allowing water to be absorbed by

the fabric fibers, but the “back side” urethane coating will provide the

second defense of penetration.

A traditional “face” treatment lasts about six (6) to nine (9) months,
and tests on the enhanced treatment (BW+) show it will last three to

four times longer.
In all cases durability of the treatment is very dependent on the

environment and use the cover experiences. Providing the enhanced

water repellent as a re-apply alternative isn’t possible because it
requires a controlled bonding process to properly attach it to the
fabric surface. There are various aftermarket repellents available, but
because they are mechanically attached they usually only last about
one month or so–like waxing your car!

Maintaining Zippers and Hardware:

• Lubricate zippers periodically using a clear silicone spray. Spray

silicone on to the zipper and work the zipper back and forth.

• Lubricate fasteners periodically using a clear silicone spray to

keep corrosion to a minimum. Replace any missing fasteners or

fasteners that show signs of corrosion.

• Do not use petroleum-based products; i.e. petroleum jelly.

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