Plastimo Dorade Vents

[WindermereColvic]

Just wondering what the difference between these is:

@£56,
http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/vent...-n-dry-vent-and-dorade-box10151-1015247.bhtml

and this one

@£67
http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/vents-ventilation/plastimo/dorade-box-complete10148-1014945.bhtml

Ta in advance!

 

[Burnham Bob]

looks like the more expensive one has more bits such as deck trim and a blanking cap that screws on in place of the vent.

I've got the non-automatic version and its very effective at keeping the boat fresh and aired.

 

[P4Paul]

Sorry but can't get the links to work, they are in the plastimo website. One has a box to the front and uses the air tuning back on itself to expel the water (centrifugal force), the other has a flap that shuts when water drops down on it.

 

[WindermereColvic]

Any suggestions as to which is best?

 

[P4Paul]

the only thing I can offer was some advice given to me years ago:

"don't have a hole in your boat that you can't fill in a hurry".

So on that basis I guess I would go with the one that came with the blanking plate.

 

[dulcibella]

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that the blanking plate will keep all water out! Plastimo vents have drain slots round the base of the box that are intended to drain out any spray entering the vent cowl. Unforunately, if the vent is buried under green water, it can come in the same way (bypassing the blanking plate as this closes the hole in the top of the box but not the through-deck pipe). We discovered this while going to windward for 1500 M between Cape Verde and the Azores - each time the bow and front part of the coachroof buried themselves in a wave (i.e every few minutes), a litre or so of sea squirted into the head (port vent) or forecabin (starboard vent). On arrival in the Azores I sealed all but the aft couple of drain slots with mastic, which dealt with the problem.

 

[DavidMcMullan]

The second one is more like a conventional dorade, where the inlet and outlet are offset. The outlet (into the boat) has an up-stand, so water getting in the inlet falls and drains away, before the air goes up over the upstand and out into the boat. Hence it would probably keep water out better than the spring arrangement in the first design. But it would need a bit more deck space to fit it.

 

[Billjratt]

I think the choice is all to do with the deck footprint available - We have moulded dorades in the saloon which work beautifully with dry air only coming in.
We fitted 'cool 'n dry' in the aft cabin to replace a pair of Tannoy flying saucers as the footprint more or less matched. They work OK as well, but you can get noise from the flappy thing on windy nights. If I'd had the space and shape, I would have fitted simple dorades although the advert does mention "automatic shutoff system" which I don't think proper dorades need.