Dry boats on swing morrings

[Guest]

Hey All,

 

Any ideas on how to keep a boat dry while on a swing mooring or one that doesn't have shore power availible?? It's an 88 and I'm sick of always having damp squabs. What do the rest of you do??

 

Cheers, Dan

[Guest]

I saw the other day a 12V dehumidifier, which I thought was cool until I remembered I can plug into the mains. It was only small (1 gallon I think) but if it's ticking away 24/7 it should help. I'll try and remember where I saw it, it was in the US I think.

 

Or what about on of those pot/bucket things that have the crystals that suck up damp. One like this maybe, no idea how they work on boats but someone has probably tried.

http://www.damprid.com/index0aa8.html

[tuffyluffy 76]

Close the windows.

[wheels 543]

Actually open the windows. Well better is to have two vents. One facing forward and one facing aft, so as air is forced in and sucked out. Airflow will make an enormouse difference to reducing dampness. Mold hates moving air. It won't make it any warmer, but it is amazing how much drier and when it is drier, it feels warmer.

[tuffyluffy 76]

Actually open the windows. Well better is to have two vents. One facing forward and one facing aft, so as air is forced in and sucked out. Airflow will make an enormouse difference to reducing dampness. Mold hates moving air. It won't make it any warmer, but it is amazing how much drier and when it is drier, it feels warmer.

 

Clearly youre not familiar with Akl humidity. The last thing you want is a continuous flow of damp air through your boat.

 

This guy has a dampness problem, not a mold problem

[wheels 543]

Yeah but close up a damp boat, no air circulation, lots of moisture and warmth and surely you are going to end up with mold. Of course the other way is to seal the boat and put in Damprid buckets. But the boat needs to be sealed.

[Fish 0]

We're on a pile mooring just far enough North of Auckland to be good

Good airflow through the boat is key. This could be problematic on a swing mooring as you will always face into the wind.

Possibly prop you forehatch open and lash a cover over it so the rain doesn't get in, but the airflow can. A descent slot at the top of the washboards will help as well.

We have dorades as well and turn them opposite ways so at least one is catching the wind.

Being winter the humidity isn't the issue, more just outright damp and condensation.

[Bimini Babe 0]

Park it in Fiji.

[Guest Dry Reach]

Yeah but close up a damp boat, no air circulation, lots of moisture and warmth and surely you are going to end up with mold. Of course the other way is to seal the boat and put in Damprid buckets. But the boat needs to be sealed.

 

 

With wheels on this! air movement and heat.

 

the only way a de humidifier works is in a sealed space! other wise all it does is take the water out of the air coming in from outside all day.

 

i see people use dehumidifiers wrongly all the time. they put them in boats with hatches open and think they are great as the bin fills with water yet moist air is entering the cabin all the time.

 

other thing to do is store all the squabs ashore until you use them. because once they are damp they will stay damp! (in a moored boat)

 

the other thing to do is go to your plumber and get a one way 40mm sewer valve, this is a one way valve that lets air out but not in. (or vice versa)then put a solar powered / 12v radiant heater in the boat and let it drive the moisture out without letting air in. put the valve in the highest spot possible.(heat risesand takes the moisture with it).

 

 

close all hatches and let the air come in via the gaps in the main entry hatch. Air in has to less than air out to maintain pressure, heat! ... and some air movement!

this works a treat.

[wheels 543]

And store matresses on their side if poss. Don't leave them flat where they can not get air around them.

[Fogg 427]

If you've got no power source (so no dehumidifier option) then close everything you can and set up those crystal moisture traps.

 

The only timem I've ever had trouble with dampness or mould or around open vents or dorades. The damp Auckland air is a killer - don't let it flow freely into the boat if you want to stay dry at this time of the year.

 

Another friend who also keeps his boat at GH opeates this approach and doesn't even run a dehumidifier even though he could. I can so I do.

 

If you've got leaky windows or hatch seals then you do have an uphill battle which means you'll be changing the moisture crystals more frequently. For a boat the size of a Y88 I'd set at least 4 of the traps.

[w44vi 17]

I'm an open window boy my self!

[Guest]

all of the above and also check for leaks, even small ones let a lot in and that adds to problem.

[Atom Ant 0]

OK two options so far:

1. Let air flow through

2. Don't let air flow through and use moisture sucky up things

 

The above tells me there is no clear cut answer yet. You're no further ahead. Of course both are correct depending on what else is done at the same time.

 

DR's option seems workable and makes sense to me. As long as the solar option can be placed in such a way to get enough daylight hours to be effective. Where Fish's boat lives gets a reasonable amount of sunlight even in winter, but some pile moorings may only get 4 - 6 hours of direct sunlight a day and that's if the sun is shining unhindered. A solar panel has a significant drop off in output the moment it receives less than full rays pointing straight at it.

 

BB - nice one! But Fiji is humid! Especially in summer when it gets over 90% humidity; you're virtually breathing water. Commuting there for a 3 hour race is a logistical issue too...

 

Eventually excess humidity and lack of air movement will lead to mould on surfaces - that was what Wheels was saying. I mean take a look at bathrooms that aren't kept dry or lack air movement. Mould. Judiciously wiping surfaces with a weak solution of janola and water will inhibit mould growth as well as remove mould, but NOT on fabrics! There may be something you can spray on your squabs to inhibit mould growth. If your squabs feel continuously damp then it may be that they've absorbed not just water, but it will be salt water (= sea water). it won't matter what you do, they'll always feels damp. Salt crystals absorb & retain moisture. So you will need to wash your squabs with fresh water to remove the salt. (providing of course that the squabs are ok to be washed) You need to get the moisture out of the covers and the foam inside. I'm at a marina so I'm lucky in that respect, but I simply put my squabs in the cockpit and hose them down. Let them drain/dry out, then at the end of the day bung 'em back inside and switch on the dehumidifier. If you can't do that, can you take them home and wash/dry them there? Leaving them at home in winter is a good suggestion. Tipping them on their side is a good suggestion.

 

These are more treatment options but prevention without power is going to be tougher. Even marina's don't let you run dehumidifiers endlessly. At GH if it's going more than a couple of days they will come along and turn the power off.

 

All the best Jacris.

[Guest]

Many thanks for all the input. I'm not keen on leaving a gap anywhere for air flow as where we are there are always boats getting done over from guys rowing out from Beachhaven. So the locked up option it is. There is only one leak and it's fresh water coming from the mast during rain so might have to get that looked at.

 

Thanks again

[wheels 543]

Those Damp rid solutions only soak up as much water as they hold. So if you have water coming in anywhere, then they will fill up till they take no more and then the places gets damp again. You need to ensure everything is sealed for them to work, or all you are effectively doing is drying out the atmosphere and we don't want too many droughts now do we.

[Guest]

If you use a dehumidifier make sure it's set on auto shut off if you don't have a over board drain connected. Checked mine this AM to find it didn't turn off when the bucket was full so have been filling the bilge quite nicely thank you

[Guest]

Wheels is right. I've had boats on my swing mooring in Okahu Bay for 30 years. The last was a 1020 for 12 years. One vent faced forward and the head vent to the rear and the boat was never musty. Mostly there was a gale blowing through..

[Clipper 343]

I'd go with airflow through the boat. Take squabs off when not being used for a few weeks too. Can't see much point in the damprid absorbednt stuff on a boat, which is naturally a damp place. Mayeb in a critical locker here and there, but only if closed up (chart table for instance).