Leaving Boat Advice

[ChilliChilli]

Hi

Later this year I will be leaving my boat in marinas in the Canaries and the Caribbean for long periods of time. Probably up to two months between visits.

Would you advise leaving a dehumidifier running constantly down below whilst the boat was left? It would be put in a position to drain into the sink.

So the first decision is whether the fire risk outwieghs the possible damage caused to the interior by high humidity.

If the answer is yes, to go with the dehumidifier then do I rely on my two solar panels to keep the batteries topped up or do I plug in to shore power with it's associated costs?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers

 

[KellysEye]

>Later this year I will be leaving my boat in marinas in the Canaries and the Caribbean for long periods of time. Probably up to two months between visits.

You shouldn't need a dehumidifier in Canaries the temperautre doesn't vary greatly during the year and the humidity tends to be low. Humidity in the Caribbean is high thus a humidifier is a good idea. As you say drain it into the sink. I think fire is a very small risk, most modern appliances blow a fuse if there is a problem. We left one running for six and three month periods with no problems.

 

[vyv_cox]

There was an article in one of the magazines recently attributing several serious fires on boats to dehumidifier failures.

Having said that, I have run one on a timer at home for years, summer and winter. It has never given any trouble.

 

[HoratioHB]

We hauled in Trinidad for five months and were warned about humidity damage. No dehumidifiers were available (we were late in arriving) so I bought eight of the baskets of silica crystals with a spare packet of crystals for each and dotted them around the boat. (all the swindleries have them) The yard did monthly checks for me and replaced the crystals after about three months. The result was a perfectly dry and undamaged interior at a fraction of the cost of a dehumidifier. (about $30 total if I remember)

 

[silver-fox]

I have no first hand experience but recently read a very interesting post on this subject.

The recommendation was to leave 2-3 bottles of bleach in the boat with the lids off. these can be safely left say in a bowl or a sink to cater for the possibility of spillage.

Additionally take all the normal precautions to assist airflow around the boat.

It seems that the fumes from the bleach prevent the growth of mold completely.

As I say, I have no first hand experience so I cannot testify as to effectiveness!