In the Mediterranean: winter break in the marina – who uses heating and dehumidifiers?

[Skipper Felice]

In the Mediterranean region (Spain, France, Italy) normal temperatures range between +5 and +15 degrees in winter.

Is it necessary to heat a motor yacht or operate an air dehumidifier during this period?
If so, what settings should be used?

 

[westernman]

Here is the south of France. My boat is the blue Bristol Channel Pilot cutter.

 

[westernman]

Another part of the same marina:-

 

[Momac]

The one drop setting I use (on my Meaco dd8l) in the UK winter aims to achieve 60% rh. I find in practice this is sufficient to avoid any mould issues.

 

[markc]

For me, I don't think heating is necessary. I do leave a dehumidifier on all through the winter; apart from keeping humidity stable, it serves to keep the air circulating a bit.

 

[DAW]

The temperature here rarely drops below freezing and a typical "cold" night is still only 4-6 degrees. Even in these "cold" conditions, my experience is that the temperature in the engine room doesn't usually drop below 10 degrees and the interior (lower deck) of the boat is generally a few degrees warmer than this. I don't use dehumidifiers or heaters and in +10 years have never had any problems with damp or corrosion. I do try to find time to run the engines, generator and interior heating (reverse-cycle AC) for short periods a couple of times a month just to keep fluids and air circulating and ensure everything remains in working order.

 

[Skipper Felice]

Another part of the same marina:-

View attachment 203078

Ok - I see ... in some rare occasions there has been ice, very low temperature? Can you please explain, what time/date the picture was taken?
Your first picture post #2 seems to be 2012?

 

[westernman]

Ok - I see ... in some rare occasions there has been ice, very low temperature? Can you please explain, what time/date the picture was taken?
Your first picture post #2 seems to be 2012?

Yes. February 2012.

 

[Portofino]

I never bothered with anything.
What I did do is periodically run up all the systems, try the seacocks
On occasion when we did sleep aboard the reverse cycle AC seemed to warm it up .

I think the sun in the Med on bright days and wind was enough to circulate the warmish air / cause draughts when we were absent in the off season . Employed a guardian to regularly clean the exterior who could also open it up .

Never had any damp or mould issues .

 

[Skipper Felice]

I never bothered with anything.
What I did do is periodically run up all the systems, try the seacocks
On occasion when we did sleep aboard the reverse cycle AC seemed to warm it up .

I think the sun in the Med on bright days and wind was enough to circulate the warmish air / cause draughts when we were absent in the off season . Employed a guardian to regularly clean the exterior who could also open it up .

Never had any damp or mould issues .

Ok - I think this is very ok for Liguria and the region of north Italy. I try to handle it the same way.

 

[jointventureII]

I've found that it does need a blast of heating every now and then but generally what Porto says is correct in my opinion.

Even on the coldest days (in Liguria), it never really got too cold inside. I've had snow on the boat twice in 12 years and by 11am it had all melted.