So i need your input regarding a material that can be used as moisture barrier/prevention on all cushions in the boat... Waiting on you guys
Moisture prevention....
- Thread starter The_Sailing_Pelican
- Start date
Are you trying to protect the foam? If so, take the foam out, put it in a big, appropriately sized garbage bag, suck the air out of it with a wet-vac (reduces the size considerably), put it back in and open the bag to let the foam expand. You can also wrap plastic sheeting around the foam but the bag makes it easy to put back in. If you're trying to protect the fabric, I guess you need those plastic furniture covers 
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Moisture may also come from underneath in which case one of the under ventilation type pads often used for beds may help. Depends where the moisture is coming from and the easier solution.... The above method will help the foam but not necessarily the fabric.
dj
dj
No, im just want to prevent moisture from causing mold, ect while im living aboardAre you trying to protect the foam? If so, take the foam out, put it in a big, appropriately sized garbage bag, suck the air out of it with a wet-vac (reduces the size considerably), put it back in and open the bag to let the foam expand. You can also wrap plastic sheeting around the foam but the bag makes it easy to put back in. If you're trying to protect the fabric, I guess you need those plastic furniture covers
+1 for DampRid. My boat is in a hot, humid environment- have used the large bucket with DampRid crystals for 20+ years and never had any issues.
My wife recovered our saloon cushions and she used a water impervious vinyl on the bottom of the cushion. This helped keep the condensation in the boat from getting the foam damp. Also, I think the perspiration while sleeping on the cushion didn't get underneath the cushion to increase dampness. During the day ventilation would remove that moisture. Worked pretty good in the North East. Region makes a difference.
The source of moisture in cushions and particularly mattresses is your big old sweaty body. Sweat is always being produced by your body and it likes to pass through cushion covers and foam rubber until it hits a cold surface where is turns into cold clammy water.
Stop the moisture ingress at the source :
................. see post #7.
Stop the moisture ingress at the source :
Mattress Underlayment
I have looked around the internet and have decided to purchase a mattress underlayment from Sailrite. Before I do I would appreciate knowing what others have used to allow circulation under bedding to mitigate mold and dampness. All suggestions are welcomed. Moisture Prevention Underliner 60" x 90"
forums.sailboatowners.com
................. see post #7.
Also, on our 356 we had the Frolie system which allowed some air circulation under the mattress. It was a good system which in addition to providing air circulation was like another inch or two of mattress foam.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,214
I addressed the moisture issue in my V-berth by installing “HyperVent Mattress Pad“ under the cushion. It has worked wonders, allowing air circulation around the mattress.
For a live aboard in cold weather, a dehumidifier is really the only solution that will do the job well. Damp rid is great for a small amount of humidity that occasionally occurs in storage but it can't keep up with human respiration in an enclosed space. Ventilation always helps too and is fine in warm weather.
Compressor dehumidifiers are much better than solid state ones but more expensive. I once saw a solid state one on Amazon that said it was nearly as good as the compressor ones but much more compact and less expensive. Please buy that one and report back.
Compressor dehumidifiers are much better than solid state ones but more expensive. I once saw a solid state one on Amazon that said it was nearly as good as the compressor ones but much more compact and less expensive. Please buy that one and report back.
I am a live aboard in the Pacific Northwest and agree with the above about the need for a dehumidifier if you are dock side with electric heat and having moisture problems. That and air movement. If you have a diesel heater that is pulling outside air in, then that's different and generally works as a dehumidifier as well. Human beings alone generate a lot of moisture just living, add to that cooking, a wet bilge, possibly showering, etc. and all that water in the air will want to go somewhere - like condensing on cooler surfaces, some of which are behind cushions, etc.
Once the overall boat humidity is dealt with, then start trying to tackle trouble spots. Possibly the seat cushions will be fine once the overall environment is better managed. The mattress for sleeping, maybe not and that HyperVent or similar would be the solution. I have a couple clothing lockers that have very poor ventilation and use some one kilogram silica packets in those, recharging them (heat up in the rice cooker for a couple hours) once a month.
Update - just noticed OP's profile shows from Tampa, so probably the diesel heater comment I made isn't applicable, but air conditioners provide dehumidification as well.
Once the overall boat humidity is dealt with, then start trying to tackle trouble spots. Possibly the seat cushions will be fine once the overall environment is better managed. The mattress for sleeping, maybe not and that HyperVent or similar would be the solution. I have a couple clothing lockers that have very poor ventilation and use some one kilogram silica packets in those, recharging them (heat up in the rice cooker for a couple hours) once a month.
Update - just noticed OP's profile shows from Tampa, so probably the diesel heater comment I made isn't applicable, but air conditioners provide dehumidification as well.
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The boat was closed for a long time, but im moving in as a liveaboard for a while and im concern about the subject
Was there any evidence of moisture problems while he boat was closed up for a long time ?
When you move in full time, you will become the biggest source of moisture in the boat (no offence implied
). This is why I so strongly recommend stopping the moisture from getting into the cushions in the first place.When I replaced the the foam in one mattress on our boat with a harder foam way back when, I muscled the new foam back into the casing as I didn't know about using the vacuum method of inserting new foam. Next summer, we sailed north for about a month and this particular berth was assigned to one woman of the crew. She was livid when a film of water appeared under her mattress and we, of course, insisted that she wet the bed every night. Dried it out on deck every day and she had it wet by the next morning. Rah, rah, rah. The underside of all bunks in the boat were cold as it was very cold at night. I'd never seen this anywhere else in the boat before because all foam stuffing was wrapped in this fine film of poly right out of the factory. I screwed up the new foam install because I didn't encase it in a film of poly. Made for great entertainment for every one else who of course didn't have the same problem
Needless to say, I dried out the foam when we got back home. Installed the foam properly with a vacuum and poly wrapping and never had a problem with this mattress again.
You won't have much luck if you use heavier poly sheeting as it will not seal but leave gaps with the vacuum method. The really filmy stuff is available from Sailrite. Also, if you've ever lain on the heavier poly sheeting, it crackles when you move on it.
