Condensation while sleeping

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pcatterall

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I'm sure you have all experienced those annoying drips ( usually right on your face !) coming from condensation.
Last night was especially bad and her indoors has tasked me with sorting it out. We had to have the hatch closed as it rained all night. The condensation is limited to around the portlights and the hatch ( especially the metal rim but there is plenty of it.
I thought 'insulation, ventillation or dehumidification' were the answers to the problem and will appreciate the usual good stear from you guys!
Insulation would be difficult, I guess the portlights could be ( somehow) 'double glazed' with a plastic inner which 'protected' the whole glass and frame from our moist warm breath, my lights are all fixed so I imagine that a simple plastic moulded inner 'glass' would limit condensation, a cheap item to manufacture in standard sizes but probably annoying if there was condensation inside.
Dehumidification would help but wouldn't power supply be an issue if there was no shore power?
Ventillation via an extractor fan would also help but, again, there are power issues.
I havnt discounted any of the above ( in fact I have a good extractor fan ready to fit) but I guess I should look at 'free' ventillation, ideally I guess I just need to be able to open the hatch to allow air out but keep rain out?
I suppose an open ended box would be a solution but where to store? Some kind of canvas tent which is easy to erect, packs away neatly and doesnt get blown off seems to be the answer. Perhaps something like a garden cloche ( if thats the right spelling/terminology).
What is your solution?
Visitors to Coral Wind?...... never fear, you have the use of the 'state suite' ( the back cabin!!) with good dry ventillation into the covered cockpit!
Thanks in anticipation of your usual brilliant solutions.
 
Condensation

When I lived aboard the only solutions were the ones you've already identified: insulation, ventillation or dehumidification'. I drilled extra holes underneath the bunks to stop the horrible curse of the damp mattress. I used cling film type double glazing which is purpose made and can last a winter - you stick it around the frames then tighten by heating with a hot air blower(hairdryer). Insulation between the headlining and hull helped too. Dehumidification will work but there's the power and expense - is a fuel cell an option - expensive!
 
You could of course buy an Etap. The only place we get condensation is off the panoramic windows. maybe I should think about double glazing?
 
I fitted two 8cm PC cooling fans in my cabin. They use milliamp amounts of juice, are very quiet (ballbearing type), inexpensive and can be left on for days without draining the batteries. I usually just have the one running overnight if the weather forces us to close the overhead hatch.
 
Gerally speaking, we aim to leave the top washboard out; with the sprayhood up we only get rain coming in during the more extreme weather conditions. It doesn't stop the condensation completely but it goes a long way to mitigating it enough to prevent drips from descending on us from the hatch frames. Theother thing we do is to run the Ebersbacher for an hour or two before we go to bed, so that there is fresh, warm air in the boat. Again, it helps but doesn't stop the problem.
 
I took down the headlining and cabin side lining covered the bare GRP with that cheap camping carry mat stuff- stuck it on with a hot glue gun. Worked a treat. (although I wish I'd stuck it to the back of the lining panels as well as the hull- maybe a job for next winter)

I also bought an expensive roll of that underlay for your matres - useless... I'm going to drill holes and fit louvers instead.
 
I've used the self-adhesive closed cell foam mat from Hawke House to very good effect but not sure that's going to help you given where your problem areas are...
 
Did you consider a solar driven ventilator (charging a battery backup for running even at night)?

sunvent-svt212s-307x258.jpg
 
If it's a big square hatch, half inflate the dinghy and place that over the top of open hatch and even if it rains you'll stay dry

We have a triangular cover that attached with bungee over the coachroof winches and to the base of the washboards. It replaces the top washboard to allow ventilation at night.

If it's proper winter, we seal the boat up and bung the dehumidifier on - but in proper winter we'll be in a marina with a shore power and a fan heater :)
 
since I pulled the horrible vinyl lining off the sides of my hull, we just got some really cheap carpet and glued that to the hull instead. it never feels damp to the touch like the cold vinyl and also I guess the foam backing helps to insulate too. our hull is balsa core as well as the deck - again this must help. when we sleep on board I generally open a dorade vent. other than condensation on the glass we dont get any damp. if its too cold with the dorades open then I sleep with the eber on low all night.

I think carpet might be the way forward for you. the guy in the carpet shop said the cheapest stuff would be best as it a) seemed happy with compound curves b) was completely man made fibres so less likely to rot.

we stuck it on with pink grip grab adhesive. an emotional two person job and a strain on any marriage! but its been there a few seasons with no bother. if it all needs re-doing it must have cost the grand total of 50 quid so who cares
 
Not sure what kind of forard hatch you have, but both my boats have had lips around the deck opening that the hatch closed down over. SWMBO always leaves the hatch slightly open with a small 'L' shaped piece of wood that hooks over the lip and leaves the hatch about an inch open. Uless the rain is blown in horizontally by a real howler of a wind it's hard to see how you would get much water in. We also have a dorado vent in the heads so we get a good through draught and ventilation. Even in really damp conditions condensation is never a problem. We have a grp headlining so that ought to encourage condensation but we never suffer from it.
 
For quick cheap easy insulation use either clingfilm with an air gap or alternatively tape on bubblewrap that is widely used for packaging and which make a great insulation layer.
Another dodge if the weather is foul and you need to keep the hatches closed is to have your heating fan running all night on cold which will keep air circulating.
 
Before we had the full cockpit tent, we had a backdrop which fitted to the sprayhood with Tenax fasteners. Kept all rain out with no washboards and also used when sailing in very wet conditions - it finished just above tiller height. Fitted a slatted base under the bunk which has stopped all condensation there.
 
The answer has got to be ventilation, we have a bit of wood to lift the fore hatch 1/2" & the main hatch has a 2" overhang so sliding it back an inch so we get thro flow. If you can't do that then make up a spare washboard with a few big holes drilled in it & a cheap plastic louvred vent cover over it. Good airflow & no risk of rain getting in. If you want to be fancy you can get sliding covers that you can close or even s/s ones, but they cost more than 50p. :rolleyes:
 
Thanks guys. Lots of good advice there.
My Neputian has an inner GRP which never seems to get condensation on it so the focus is on the bits that get really cold; window glass, window, frames and hatch frame.
I do note though that the inner GRP only goes part way into the open side lockers and I find that a lot of condensation forms there and drips into anything in the lockers. Clearly the various forms of insulation you suggest can be used there.
Ventillation seems important but we sleep so far fwd of the 'washbords' ( door to wheelhouse in our case) that we still get condensation.
I guess that if the inside of the boat is as cold as the outside then there will not be any 'cold' surfaces for condensation to form? The boat was very dry when I opened her up after a long wet French winter so this condensation must be down to us humans.
I will try a mix of your various suggestions but am also moving down to the Med coast so hopefully less of a problem there!!
 
Even in the Med,under mattress condensation and mould can be severe.I think the suggestions 1) holes say 25mm diam in the plywood base,or 2),the spring type slats (IKEA?)might be harder to arrange but the best solution perhaps?

In either solution type,we would have to allow some air space in the lockers underneath the bunks,as presently they are filled to the brim with spare black bagged bedding.

I like the quiet ball bearing computer fan idea,could fit to the side face of locker under bed to ventilate,but only if the locker under bed were kept partly empty,bit of a challenge when the family arrive looking for bedding!

Also there is a subdivision midway,but I could drill a line of holes near the top to avoid using two fans!

Timer ideas?
 
pcatterall said:
Thanks guys. Lots of good advice there.
My Neputian has an inner GRP which never seems to get condensation on it so the focus is on the bits that get really cold; window glass, window, frames and hatch frame.
I do note though that the inner GRP only goes part way into the open side lockers and I find that a lot of condensation forms there and drips into anything in the lockers. Clearly the various forms of insulation you suggest can be used there.
Ventillation seems important but we sleep so far fwd of the 'washbords' ( door to wheelhouse in our case) that we still get condensation.
I guess that if the inside of the boat is as cold as the outside then there will not be any 'cold' surfaces for condensation to form? The boat was very dry when I opened her up after a long wet French winter so this condensation must be down to us humans.
I will try a mix of your various suggestions but am also moving down to the Med coast so hopefully less of a problem there!!
Click to expand...
Condensation in sleeping cabins is almost all down to you breathing out. Ventelation is the only real solution so I'd be looking for a means of leaving the hatch open a crack in any weather.
 
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