Condensation

[mikewilkes]

I have aproblem with condensation in a steel hull, well two hulls cos she is a cat. I suggested that my better half stops breathing at night, but that only caused cracked ribs!! The only solution I can think of is to line her with something like cork tiles then cover that with a vynil? Any one got any thoughts - please? The other problem is condensation on Technautic Windows. Their reply is that they have never had a problem before, but I remember a comment from Bill Cooper that said the only solution was layers of masking tape, but that looked like XXXX
Mike

 

[byron]

Is a dehumidifier out of the question?

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[tonyg]

If you do as intended and cover your better half with cork tiles and vinyl, you may cure both the condensation and further cracked ribs!
Seriously, I was recently looking over a grp boat, I think she was a Pandora, and the inside appeared to to have been spray coated with a fine hairy substance, almost suede-like in appearance. I reckon that would stop any condensation, and felt pleasant and robust to the touch, but I have no idea of material source. Sorry.

 

[Guest]

Well I've tried covering the wife in leather and that worked pretty good. Never treid the suede though, might give it a whirl.

 

[PaulJ]

Most (well a lot anyway!) steel boats have the inside surface sprayed with polyurethane foam and then the cabin linings are added after this. Of course this is done during building and is probably not an option in a boat that is already in use. Another option would be to fill the void between the hull and the interior linings with rock wool, still a major operation but easier and less messy than foam.

 

[Guest]

I'd give rockwool a miss.

If there is any condensation between the r.w. and the hull then the r.w. acts like a very efficient sponge and it will just stay there and accumulate.

I used it for temporary engine compartment insulation and then had a diesel spill. Two months later when I removed the side of the compartment the r.w. was still wet and the diesel had "climbed" about 18 inches (500mm in new money) up the sides of the cavity!!

How about 2mm of polyurethane foam? Builders merchants sell it in strip form. It's for putting under upper floor joists to minimise noise by dampening the effects of people walking on the floors.

 

[ean_p]

Mike as in a previous post ,sprayed foam is the best solution and it needs to be about 30 mm thick. It can be retro fitted if you can expose the hull sides though it is really best done from new when it is put onto shot blasted plates. If you go down the retro path make sure that you have the guy use a fully 'closed cell' foam and that it wont react with your inner paint scheme to which it will be applied. The full gist of it all is that to stop the condo' you need to make a vapour barrier between the hull plates and the cabin, sprayed foam will do this. The next best alternative is foam in sheet form fitted between the frames and a thinner layer on top of the frames the whole then been finnished with a closed cell spayed from an areosol to seal any small gaps etc...again the important points are that it is all closed cell, as best a vapour and thermal barrier as possible is achieved and that the foam used is fire retardent etc.....don't even think of using ordinary 'polystyrene' a fire with this isn't worth thinking about......