keeping boat dry while on a swinging mooring

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srevir

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No power other than a small solar panel so I am assuming that a dehumidifier is out of the question.

What do others do to keep their boat dry

Do the crystals work or are they just a soggy mess that require constant attention

Is a small fan assisted vent the answer ?

All advice gratefully received
 
Lots of good ventilation is the key, through Dorade vents and similar. Keep internal airways open (doors, engine covers etc) to encourage air flow. I also put crystals in each cabin and drained the water from the bottom each time I'm there.

Worked for me when I was not on shore power. Just about kept the mildew at bay.

Nick
 
I think if you have the means to a small fan vent thats the awnser. We use the crystals, dough they dont last very long in my case, we found them very good. Plenty of ventilation is the key to keeping it dry really. I find anytime I have good ventilation, it stayes quiet dry. Ive also head the roumer that an "unused" nappy will do the trick, dough ive not tried it yet! !!!
 
If you point the dorade vents forward and can leave open a couple of hatches without letting in rain then you don't need a fan.

We also used some German manufactured (Compass) absorbent socks - you can dry them out in the oven or on a radiator and re-use. Kept the boat lovely and dry over winter.
 
When looking at boats last December most seemed damp inside, one which we looked at by chance so it was all closed up when we got there felt very dry inside.
It had solar vents running all the time and a low level vent into the cabin from the cockpit so I would recomend these to keep a boat dry with now power requirement.
BTW its still dry 3 months later.
 
My experience of swinging moorings is that, unlike in a marina environment, there's always a breeze and the usual built-in ventilation [dorade plus a grille in the washboards] is sufficient to keep the boat dry.
 
I fitted an ECS SunAir solar fan in the vent in the forecabin. There are vents in the washboards. No smell of damp at all. The fan is silent - may move it to the heads in the summer /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
To aid ventilation I always leave my forehatch open, against the stops, giving about a 1/4- 1/8th inch gap. From the outside the hatch appears shut and is secured with a padlock and chain. No rainwater finds its way in.
Preventing water getting below is the other part of the equation, so check for any leaks and always take wet stuff home for drying.
I have a cockpit cover which protects the hatch and my dodgy locker seals. It also means I can leave a locker cracked open, which helps to promote circulation.
 
Hmm, I'm impressed but suspicious about some of the answers here. Keeping a boat dry from say March to November is OK but Dec to Feb?

RS has lived on swingers most of her long life and we end up either taking all of our soft stuff off the boat during this period or placing boat in marina with shore power and some low level heat to keep out the damp. Without one or the other the bedding, etc has always ended up damp and mildewy.
 
To allow me to keep my two coachroof scuttles/portholes open to aid ventilation I have made cowls for them (from white B&Q flowerpots!), with the addition of insect netting inside during the winter months when little pests try to hibernate.
 
Chris, ventilation works for us, boat is cold but dry and we don't need to take the stuff off. However we do ensure that the bilge is completely dry if a little dusty and visit most weekends. Found a little piece of foam strip in the four deck vents, bit manky after 19 years so removed it. Much improved ventilation now.

We learnt the hard way though when we sealed up a Sealine 240 for a couple of months without realising there was water leaking from the tank into the bilge. It took a solid days scrubbing to remove the mildrew /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Two vents,one higher than the other works well for me on swinging 1/2 tide mooring. I find by problems start duirng lay-up on a beach berth as the hull is in a sheltered area,
 
Thanks guys, lots of useful stuff there

The thought of German absorbing socks intrigues

What do people think of having an eberspacker on a timer ? On previous boats I have never left them unattended while the heater was on for fear of fire and I guess that they place a drain on the battery that the solar power might not match ??

Thanks again everyone
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hmm, I'm impressed but suspicious about some of the answers here. Keeping a boat dry from say March to November is OK but Dec to Feb?


[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. A friend's well ventilated boat was parked hurriedly at the end of a trip to Brittany in 1992. Due to unforeseen circumstances, it was then left untouched until about 1996 or 7. When we returned to her, with ropes and the teatowel exactly where I'd put them down at the end of the trip years before, the boat was as dry as a bone and with no smell or visible mould.

Ventilation is the key. All else is a cunning ploy to part you from your money.
 
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