Winter afloat - keeping damp at bay...

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RJJ

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Hello again.

We are likely to leave the boat on her river mooring without power supply this winter. I would appreciate any recommendations for keeping mould at bay, please, and indeed other pearls of wisdom!

We have 300W of solar. Would it be worth trying to run a 12v dehumidifer (or two) off the "overflow" from the solar regulator (which is currently unused) - on the basis the batteries will be permanently charged and the overflow should get most of what's available?? Could this be rigged permanently "on" and start automatically whenever power was available?

Alternatively, rig the solar directly to a dehumidifer and send the overflow to the batteries (which have no other demand)?

Or am I barking up the wrong tree entirely? Thanks.
 
Unless you seal your boat, you will be trying to dehumidify the universe.

Ventilation is the answer (in my opinion), together with (a) keeping surfaces clean and salt free, (clean off salt spread around from wet oilies, etc. - because salt absorbs moisture) and (b) try not to get it too damp while use.

As I've posted before, A friend's very well ventilated boat (numerous dorados, etc,) was hurriedly parked in a mud berth in Essex at the end of a long trip to Brittany etc. Unexpectedly (work abroad, family crises, etc.) it was left there for several years. When we went aboard again after those years, the tea towel was still on the side where I'd put it down (I'd left in a hurry), but the boat smelled fresh there was no visible sign of mould.
 
+1 for ventilation. I leave all my hatches in the vent position and one of the washboards has a ventilation grill, plus 2 x dorades. It's worth making sure that the bilge and chain locker is dry. On my boat they can both gather water.
 
Ventilation is the way but make sure that it is from end of the boat to the other. I have access to mains power all year but use ventilation only with no major mould problems. I suspect that the bits I get could be stopped by washing the interior a bit better at the end of the season, but at the end of the season it looks clean ........
 
Mine is in the water, on the Thames, most winters, I’ve never had a problem with damp.
I see many who block off their vents. Keep it ventilated as others have said.
 
Keep a dry bilge. If like mine you have a keel-stepped mast, rain comes down the inside. I've arranged for it to drain into a plastic box with a small bilge pump and float switch which empties it into the WC holding tank. It could be out through a skin fitting but I prefer to keep them all closed when unattended.
 
I find it's good to visit the boat frequently, open everything up when the sun shines.
Keep the bilge obsessivley dry and keep everything clean.
Ventillation only works up to a point, sometimes it's damp and horrible outside.
Ventillation and some heat works better.
Dehumidifier and shutting the vents is the other way, it works well if you have power.

Excess solar power running a fan might be an idea?
 
Agree with ventilation, we crack the hatches to the draft setting. As important in my mind is cleaning any surfaces that might have got dirt on them, or salty in the season, wipe clean to remove any food for mould! We have never used a Dehumidifier and although the boat is usually on the land over winter only ever suffered minor mould on surfaces that were not clean. I find the area around the galley needs good attention to cleaning.
 
+1 for a dry bilge and ventilation. And no salt or dirt. A good cleanout works wonders.

My forehatch allows me to crack it open a smidge with no risk of rain getting in; if you can do the same, the throughflow of air will keep things dry. I also stand the cushions up on edge so air can circulate around them; I don't know if it makes a real difference, but they stay sweet.
 
Doesn't water get in in driving rain with lewmar hatches in vent position? :unsure: I always obsessively close hatches when I leave the boat (apart from the two under the sprayhood that I leave in vent position)... clearly not the best policy then!
 
MagicalArmchair said:
Doesn't water get in in driving rain with lewmar hatches in vent position? :unsure: I always obsessively close hatches when I leave the boat (apart from the two under the sprayhood that I leave in vent position)... clearly not the best policy then!
Click to expand...
Pompey 'mizzle' will get into vents.

I think a dehumidier is the best way (right up to the point it catches fire, someone will say, so it might as well be me!).
You can't beat the ability to shut the boat with damp gear on board, knowing it will all dry overnight.

But with no mains, you have to make do.
 
I built a box that sat over the half open fore hatch which allowed a good drought of wind,as security I held it down with a wire and padlock,in the washboards I put a stainless louvered vent,dr as a bone and no damp all through the winter,Spring and autumn
 
I was rather nervous about the threat of damp when I first decided to overwinter my boat on her mooring. Agree with the above focus on ventilation but perhaps worth saying that that my experience has been that damp is much less of a problem afloat than it always was with the boat on the hard.
 
MagicalArmchair said:
Doesn't water get in in driving rain with lewmar hatches in vent position? :unsure: I always obsessively close hatches when I leave the boat (apart from the two under the sprayhood that I leave in vent position)... clearly not the best policy then!
Click to expand...

All Lewmar Hatches on my boat and they are always in the vent position when I am not onboard. They don't let in water and in gales I have never noticed water dripping and pooling or spraying in with the wind. I get water from the hatch / washboard overlap in very strong winds. They will pass water if the wash down hose is directed at the hatch in the vent position so I guess it is a possibility in some combination of extreme conditions.
 
My boat used to get all damp and mouldy in the winter. I added a couple of extra vents about 8 years ago, - one up forrard, and one in the washboards, and it's been dry as a bone ever since
 
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