Can anyone recommend a good dessicant

Ross · Feb 2, 2012

There is a book "From a Bare Hull" by Ferenc Mate` that will be worth obtaining. I started with a dry boat that had been wet too many times and stripped it to a bare hull and started over. Nine years and about 35,000 dollars I had a brand new boat and I knew first hand where every wire, screw, piece of wood, water line, window and hatch came from and how well it was installed. new engine, shaft, shaft seal, I rest easy at night when the wind blows and I have no concern that something I did will go bad. I don't have to be concerned about the quality of a strangers work.

thinwater · Feb 2, 2012

In truth, I'm guessing based upon limited information

RichH said:
Would be good .... if you have means to 'regenerate' as it it appears to be crushed silica gel - needing to be 'roasted' at 350° for 8 hours to restore its efficacy for -40° dewpoint. If youre going to be constantly 'regenerating', a zeolite such an activated alumina would be a better choice. Silica Gel fractures to 'dust' when in contact with free water, zeolites are stable although have less vapor adsorption.

Before the metal casing was added (for ease of customer handling) they looked like this:
http://www.longshipmarine.com/2011/05/22/h2out-filters/

This article implies it is silica gel, though it is not definitive.
http://www.sailmagazine.com/pittman-innovation-awards/h2out-systems-dryers

I haven't quite decided if the idea has sufficient merit. If I do, after examining the geometry of my system, I'll no doubt create my own. Something along these lines.
http://www.sailmagazine.com/pittman-innovation-awards/h2out-systems-dryers
... though differently sized and with appropriate materials.

Sure, I could by one or I could scavenge resins and materials from the office (chemical engineer), but I like coming up with good DIY designs and spreading them around.

That was the reason for considering "fresh Step." Any alternate ideas for something easily available? I like the facts that...
* Giant carries it
* I have a cat anyway
* It has a color change treatment added
Sounds like a little testing is in order. I may rig something small up and fit it to a half-filled e10 jerry can.

___

Man, if that wasn't some thread drift.

As for the guy with the wet boat.... A BIG dehumidifier and lots of bleach. The trouble with fixing old boats--most things--is that when you start you know less than you wish, and when your done you know plenty but don't want to do it again!

Ross · Feb 2, 2012

thinwater said:
Man, if that wasn't some thread drift.

As for the guy with the wet boat.... A BIG dehumidifier and lots of bleach. The trouble with fixing old boats--most things--is that when you start you know less than you wish, and when your done you know plenty but don't want to do it again!

I couldn't have said it better. I loved rebuilding my boat and I don't regret any step of it but I am also glad that it is finished and I don't have to do another.

RichH · Feb 3, 2012

thinwater said:
This article implies it is silica gel, though it is not definitive.
http://www.sailmagazine.com/pittman-innovation-awards/h2out-systems-dryers

* It has a color change treatment added

Color change (blue to pink) is quite standard for (dyed) Silica Gel, hence the higher probability of SiGel. An easy 'test' is to simply cover a sample with free water and if it fractures (audibly) more an even higher chance that it is SiGel. Certainly 'cat litter' would be a better 'bulk price' than the SiGel used for drying flowers, etc. from a craft store, etc.

Yup, a dehumidifier is best at 'hogging' down to reasonable 'wetness' (≥70° dewpoint) ... and one will most certainly need to use a 'desiccant' to get it any lower.

Common Rock Salt dumped into a non-leak open container would be sufficient to 'trim' the humidity down to ~50-60° dewpoint ... Cheap and easily disposed. Rock Salt is 'deliquescent' and will pick up a LOT of water vapor ... and turn the mix into a 'brine'. Such was used commonly in 'air dryers' in the process chem. industry, etc. before the advent of 'desiccants'.

Getting the dewpoint/humidity to the 'lowest possible' will be important in assaying the remaining integrity of the 'plywood', etc.

kenn · Feb 3, 2012

The best desiccant i know of is a Northern Ontario winter (dryyy...) and reasonable ventilation.

thinwater · Feb 3, 2012

kenn said:
The best desiccant i know of is a Northern Ontario winter (dryyy...) and reasonable ventilation.

Of course, water sublimes at those temperatures....

With heat, really dry.

I wish we'd get some cold here. No skiing.

Steve Dion · Feb 3, 2012

We purchased a Sunpentown SD-30E dehumidifier in the fall. I fired it up and let it run from Sunday until the following Friday. The collection tank was completely rull.

Since then I have hooked up the continous flow that bypasses the tank. We attached a washing machine hose to the outlet and it drain into our galley sink.

I am guessing we are getting about 1-2 gallons of water per week out of this unit each week. We are running the humidity down to about 40-45% when the unit is operating. It has made a big difference on the feeling of the bedding and cushions in the boat.

We will be removing it from the boat around the end of April, depending on what happens with the weather in the west.

AtlanticAl · Feb 5, 2012

Vic H. said:
This is an Irwin Citation 34. I got the Yanmar turning over and have a good friend/mechanic trained by Yanmar. He's chompin at the bit to pull the engine so he can work his magic on it. I checked the deck and hull. Both are solid, just a little flattened at the stand pads. I know I'm in for a big job; I did a Shark 24, 20+ years ago. She was in similar condition. I will be dropping mast and checking all rigging. No hurry to finish, still sailing the Shark 24.

Thanks,
Vic H.

Watch the chain plates, they have covers over them on that boat, and are bolted to the forward bulkheads. they are always problems on that boat. Take the covers off, and look at the bulkehads where they are bolted. The water flows through the decks the rotts the bulkheads out, around the chain plates. But in your sittuation, you will probably have to replace all the bulkheads anyway.