Combating Mildew with Boat Shield and How to Apply It


Mold and mildew are pretty much expected aboard a boat and they can be a real challenge to not only find, but eradicate.  I’ve spent many spring days fighting the effects of winter on a closed up boat, wiping off the telltale fuzzy dots of mildew that are not only smelly and unhealthy, but really persistent too.   It’s easy to wipe mildew off, it’s nearly impossible to keep it from coming back. 


Boat Shield Mildew Guard


Back of drawer before Boat Shield


However, I have found a product that seems to last on various surfaces and keeps this nasty stuff at bay.  Boat shield touts that it actually chemically alters a surface so that no more mildew will grow.  I’m no chemist but here’s what I’ve found. 


Boat Shield will work on raw fiberglass (like interior areas up against the hull), unfinished and finished wood (like the backs of drawers or under sides of folding tables), Formica surfaces, rubber hoses,  metal, PVC and Hypalon (dinghies), sails, carpet, vinyl (cockpit cushions), canvas (dodger and sail covers) and much more. 



Same drawer 6 months later


Boat Shield provides a durable microbiostatic finish that is invisible on most surfaces and claims it’s environmentally safe as well.  It will not off gas, migrate or come off a surface and I certainly got enough of it on myself to know that it won’t hurt you on contact.  Application involves cleaning a surface and then spraying on the Boat Shield.  It’s the consistency of water so it’s pretty runny and I found it helpful to use a foam brush or sponge to spread the liquid around once I sprayed it on, especially on vertical surfaces.  I wouldn’t trust my speedy application method to any surface that is see through like Lexan but most other surfaces, especially in dark, airless areas are fair game.  It takes about an hour to dry on a warm, sunny day and from my experience last for years. 


Boat Shield is a patented formula which can be used in household applications as well and one gallon will cover 300-400 square feet.  A 32 ounce bottle is $12-14.  For more information visit http://www.moldadvance.com 

Written by: Zuzana Prochazka
Zuzana Prochazka is a writer and photographer who freelances for a dozen boating magazines and websites. A USCG 100 Ton Master, Zuzana has cruised, chartered and skippered flotillas in many parts of the world and serves as a presenter on charter destinations and topics. She is the Chair of the New Product Awards committee, judging innovative boats and gear at NMMA and NMEA shows, and currently serves as immediate past president of Boating Writers International. She contributes to Boats.com and YachtWorld.com, and also blogs regularly on her boat review site, TalkoftheDock.com.