Cold and deserted

boatone

boatone

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 Jul 2001
Messages
12,845
Location
Just a few cables from Boulters Lock
www.tmba.org.uk
Popped into Bray marina this afternoon to check on the boat. Place was virtually deserted and the river running well - maybe 4 knots or so? Bit up on usual level but not massively.

Engine started after a few seconds and no damp inside the boat - makes me wonder why peeps keep shore power and battery charging running, not to mention low level heaters.
 
Yup.......

"Engine started after a few seconds and no damp inside the boat - makes me wonder why peeps keep shore power and battery charging running, not to mention low level heaters".

Always fascinated tightwads like me just how the boaty world managed to survive without a tube heater/dehumifier/and a finger berth with a 240V supply,during the previous 10,000 years of boating.
 
oldgit said:
"Engine started after a few seconds and no damp inside the boat - makes me wonder why peeps keep shore power and battery charging running, not to mention low level heaters".

Always fascinated tightwads like me just how the boaty world managed to survive without a tube heater/dehumifier/and a finger berth with a 240V supply,during the previous 10,000 years of boating.
Click to expand...

Like this: http://www.amazon.com/Inshore-Craft-Britain-Days-Sail/dp/1861762542

Look at the price? My God, I read this years ago in my local library, never realised how big their budget must have been!
 
Quite simple.

Years ago, I too didn't bother with heaters and dehumidifiers, but as the value of our boats increased so did my desire to ensure that everything inside remained nice and dry and free from mildew.
Quite frankly, I am happy to spend the £150 over the winter, to ensure curtain linings and other soft furnishings remain nice and dry and sweet smelling. I remember well walking on board older boats over the winter, with no heat or humidity control, and they all had that slightly musty smell.
Tony, I am sure your's escapes this problem, but mine used not to but do now.
 
Each to their own i suppose. We use our boat slightly differently as we use her every weekend regardless of the weather. We leave the tube heater in the cabin switched to 7 degrees, it consumes a bit of electric but on the plus side it keeps the cabin warmer so the webasto hasnt got such a challenge come friday evening, plus it gives us some piece of mind that the plumbing is protected.

We even managed an outing for sunday lunch yesterday after we had deployed the ice breaker!!!!

DSC00104.jpg
 
Salty Sealine said:
Well I'm off to fit my newly bought dehumidifier to the boat after work, to eradicate any damp. I am convinced it will be well worth the minor expense.
Click to expand...

I wouldnt use it for too long though. Our friend has had one on all winter and it has dried out all of the real wood which has now cracked.
 
Can't agree, 'fraid.

I wouldnt use it for too long though. Our friend has had one on all winter and it has dried out all of the real wood which has now cracked. (Quote above)

Used one for many years and never had any problem with timber drying out to that degree. Small oil rad' strategically placed in front of de-humidifier gets around the fact that many de-humidifiers don't operate properly below a certain temperature.
 
OK, I started this thread so here's my take on the various issues re heaters and dehumidifiers.

If you put low level heating in the engine bay you create warm moist air which then rises into the cabin area and deposits as condenstaion on all the cold bits - windows, metalwork, taps, sinks etc. In other words, you create the very stuff you don't want - condensation and damp which, in turn leads to musty smells etc etc.

Lets assume the boat is afloat during the winter. The bottom of the boat is probably two feet or more below the surface and, at that level, the outside water temperature (except in an extremely prolonged and severe freeze) will usually be several degrees higher than the surface temperature. Effectively, the bottom of the boat becomes a mild radiator which keeps the engine bay slightly warmer than outside.

For several years (until it got broken and I really should buy a new one), I used to keep a maximum/minimum thermometer in the engine bay and the temperature NEVER recorded below zero degrees.

So, my normal practice has been to drain down the fresh water system and flush through the raw water cooling with antifreeze. Thats it. The engine primary cooling is antifreezed anyway.

As I don't generate any condensation I don't need to use a dehumidifier.

If your boat is being stored ashore it is imperative that you drain down the fresh water and raw water cooling, but the primary coolant is still antifreezed so should be no problem there - how many of you keep heaters under the car ?
 
Funny you should mention cars .....

Heat and de-humidifier in the garage also!
I have to confess that they are both classics and both from an era that would rust i front of your eyes, shown a grain of salt or a nodule of moisture.

I think the bottom line is that if you are happy without and I am happy with, go with either that suits.
 
Well here goes then.

We keep a tube heater in the engine bay. That is our only form of "winterising" the engine and water system. We have not noticed any increase in condensation in the engine bay, however we wouldnt expect to as we dont block up the vents to ensure that the engine bay has a free flow of air circulation. It is important to us that we are able to use our boat all year round so any other form of winterisation would eat into our weekends aboard.

We have a tube heater in the cabin and position this close to the heads and leave the heads door open. This has not proven fail save this year as we suffered a minor water leak behind the sink unit, however this has now been fixed and all pipework lagged to prevent furture freeze induced leaks. Again there are no signs of damp or condensation in the cabin when we arrive on friday evening. Of course over the course of the weekend some condensation does form due to breathing, cooking, washing etc. but with every effort made to remove this when it occurs, (usually with kitchen roll etc.) we are managing to keep moisture levels down. We did add a moisture trap after our water leak but will remove it shortly.

Each to their own, but i prefer to be on the safe side with the heaters.
 
During the prolonged cold spell I left our Ebersplutter on low for about 2 weeks, as the boat isn't winterised as we try and use it as much as possible all year round. We also have a dehumidifier, which, when the heating is on low doesn't seem to run as the heating keeps it at aboy 10-12 degrees inside. Turn the heating off though and it is pretty much weekly that the dehumidifier needs emptying. Ours has a switch so you can decide how dry you want the air in the boat, and means that the unit isn't running any more than necessary, and drying our your kindling!
 
miket said:
Heat and de-humidifier in the garage also!
I have to confess that they are both classics and both from an era that would rust i front of your eyes, shown a grain of salt or a nodule of moisture.

I think the bottom line is that if you are happy without and I am happy with, go with either that suits.
Click to expand...

Pampered cars. Musnt let our XR4i see that or it will insist on having heat and a dehumidifier!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top