Dehumidification

[MJWB]

Since I've owned my boat, 26 foot, I've used some Unibond(I think) Aero dehumidifiers in the boat to help reduce the air moisture content when she's closed up, all seasons. I'm quite surprised just how much water these things collect over a week.
There are some basic vents in the boat in the forward hatch and the heads, plus a grille vent in one of the washboards, but it strikes me that these will rely on some flow through to do much good at allowing the air to change.
The Aero units require feeding with the consumable cartridges and although not particularly expensive, I have wondered whether there is a better more cost effective and actually effective way to do this.
I did speak to a chap once who had fitted a small solar powered extractor fan. Totally self contained, the solar cell powered the small fan. No drain on batteries.
Has anone any experience of these? Where to place them? Or other ideas for that matter?
Many thanks.

 

[Plum]

Since I've owned my boat, 26 foot, I've used some Unibond(I think) Aero dehumidifiers in the boat to help reduce the air moisture content when she's closed up, all seasons. I'm quite surprised just how much water these things collect over a week.
There are some basic vents in the boat in the forward hatch and the heads, plus a grille vent in one of the washboards, but it strikes me that these will rely on some flow through to do much good at allowing the air to change.
The Aero units require feeding with the consumable cartridges and although not particularly expensive, I have wondered whether there is a better more cost effective and actually effective way to do this.
I did speak to a chap once who had fitted a small solar powered extractor fan. Totally self contained, the solar cell powered the small fan. No drain on batteries.
Has anone any experience of these? Where to place them? Or other ideas for that matter?
Many thanks.

Hi. you need either ventilation OR some form of dehumidifier. If you have even poor ventilation your dehimidifying cartridges are just absorbing moisture from outside your boat. You need to seal all vents then try the dehumidifier or, in my experience, have good ventilation and no dehumidifier.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[neil_s]

I am not a believer in ventilation when the boat is ashore over Winter - the air is too damp. I find the absorbing crystal type dehumidifiers work well. I have four of them for a 28 foot boat. You must block up all the vents. I use Kontrol crystals - Robert Dyas have them. During the Summer, though, I leave one small dehumidifier in the gas locker - it stops the bottles from collecting condensation and going rusty - and have the vents open.

 

[MJWB]

Hi. you need either ventilation OR some form of dehumidifier. If you have even poor ventilation your dehimidifying cartridges are just absorbing moisture from outside your boat. You need to seal all vents then try the dehumidifier or, in my experience, have good ventilation and no dehumidifier.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

Good point.